Fort Kent Wins First State Title, Beats Maranacook 70-63

Fort Kent walked into the biggest game in program history and played like a team that had been there before.

The Northern Maine Class C champion Warriors jumped out early, survived two separate Maranacook surges, and closed it out late to win the first boys basketball state championship in Fort Kent history, defeating the Southern Maine champion Maranacook Black Bears 70-63.

The gym was electric from the opening tip, and Fort Kent immediately turned that energy into a statement. The Warriors ripped off an opening 20-2 run, with Will Morneault drilling three three-pointers to ignite the charge. Fort Kent led 23-7 after the first quarter and looked fully in control.

Maranacook answered in the second. The Black Bears came out with purpose, cut the margin to within four early, and made it clear they were not going away. Fort Kent stayed composed, kept scoring, and tightened the defense again to take a 35-23 lead into halftime, led by Aden Jeffers with 14 points at the break.

The third quarter started with another Maranacook push. The Black Bears opened the half on a 6-0 run in under a minute, cutting the deficit and getting within six halfway through the quarter. Fort Kent responded with its own run, fueled by stops on the defensive end, and pushed the lead back to 53-42 after three.

Then came one more punch.

Maranacook opened the fourth with a 7-0 run to get within four again, and for a stretch the game lived right there, Fort Kent protecting a four-point lead while both teams traded big baskets. The Black Bears got it as close as one, but down the stretch the Warriors kept finding Finn Kelly, and he delivered. Kelly scored eight points in the final two and a half minutes, helping Fort Kent slam the door and finish the job.

Jeffers led the Warriors with a huge 30-point night. Morneault added 12, and Tobias Naranja scored 10. Maranacook was led by Jack Fontaine with 28, with Gage Mattson adding 21.

Fort Kent’s first-ever state championship banner is headed north.