Valley, Greenville Advance in Class S Basketball Tourney

Maine's smallest schools tip off at the Augusta Civic Center with new tournament schedule

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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The Maine Principals' Association basketball tournament kicked off at the Augusta Civic Center on Wednesday, with the first Class S South regional quarterfinal games. The new schedule, which has the Class S tournament starting on a Wednesday instead of during school break, drew mixed reactions from coaches and players. Despite the change, the Valley boys and girls teams showed why they are heavy favorites, with dominant wins. Jaxson Desjardins of Forest Hills also impressed, continuing his family's legacy of prolific scoring.

Why it matters

The Class S tournament features Maine's smallest high schools, and the change in schedule was a significant shift from the traditional format. The tournament is an important event for these communities, and the reactions from coaches and players provide insight into how the new schedule was received. Additionally, the success of powerhouse programs like Valley and the continued excellence of the Desjardins family highlight the high level of talent in Class S basketball.

The details

The Class S South regional quarterfinal games saw several notable performances and outcomes. The Valley boys team defeated Greenville 70-16, forcing the Lakers into 27 turnovers and taking a 41-2 lead at halftime. The Valley girls team was even more dominant, beating Rangeley 82-13 and recording 30 steals, 12 of them by Liana Hartwell. Meanwhile, Jaxson Desjardins of Forest Hills scored 36 points, including five 3-pointers, in his team's 77-55 win over Temple Academy.

  • The Class S tournament games tipped off on Wednesday, February 12, 2026, instead of the traditional start during school break.
  • The Valley boys and girls teams played their quarterfinal games on Wednesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Jaxson Desjardins

A sophomore at Forest Hills High School who scored 36 points, including five 3-pointers, in his team's 77-55 win over Temple Academy. Desjardins comes from a family of prolific scorers, following in the footsteps of his older brothers Parker and Mason.

Anthony Amero

The longtime coach of the Forest Hills boys basketball team, who had a sudden realization that he needed to leave his teaching duties to get to the Augusta Civic Center for the tournament game.

Tiegan Murray

A member of Greenville's 2020 state championship girls basketball team, and now the head coach of the Greenville girls team.

Mike Staples

The head coach of the Valley boys basketball team, which defeated Greenville 70-16 in the quarterfinals.

Liana Hartwell

A sophomore on the Valley girls basketball team, which defeated Rangeley 82-13 in the quarterfinals and recorded 30 steals, 12 of them by Hartwell.

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What they’re saying

“I was teaching third-graders on the computer and I realize, 'Wait, I've got to catch a bus to the Civic Center.' It was different but I'll tell you what: I think it's great. Being here for an afternoon game instead of in the morning, our kids were amped. It felt like a championship game coming here.”

— Anthony Amero, Forest Hills boys basketball coach (pressherald.com)

“Having it not during break is a little weird, but it still feels like tourney time. We were at school until 11 today, and then we had a pep rally and a little send-off. … I really like what they've done with Class S; it's something we're excited about.”

— Tiegan Murray, Greenville girls basketball coach (pressherald.com)

“I think having school the same day made it a little bit different, but we just focused all day on being mentally ready to play. Once we got out here, we just stayed focused and played our game.”

— Liana Hartwell, Sophomore, Valley girls basketball team (pressherald.com)

“I didn't hear it, but we were laughing about it in the locker room when (my teammates) told me. It's really cool. I got to watch them and follow them around, and now that it's my turn, they're supporting me.”

— Jaxson Desjardins (pressherald.com)

“We are defensive-driven; our offense runs on our defense, and if we get stagnant defensively, we get stagnant offensively. I preach to them constantly that we've got to get out there, shut them down, and that will drive our offense, and it does.”

— Mike Staples, Valley boys basketball coach (pressherald.com)

What’s next

The winners of Wednesday's Class S South quarterfinal games will advance to the regional semifinals, which are scheduled for Friday, February 14, 2026 at the Augusta Civic Center.

The takeaway

The new schedule for the Class S basketball tournament, with games starting on a Wednesday instead of during school break, was a significant change that drew mixed reactions from coaches and players. However, the high level of play on display, particularly from powerhouse programs like Valley and the continued excellence of the Desjardins family, underscores the competitive spirit and talent within Maine's smallest high school basketball teams.