Hampden girls basketball manages expectations, and other takeaways from Class A North

Camden Hills continues to ride its defense, and Brunswick is set up well for the future.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The quarterfinal round of the Class A North girls basketball tournament saw the higher seeds advance to the semifinals. Hampden Academy, the defending Class A North champion, tempered expectations after a 35-18 win over Lewiston. Edward Little handled the change in venue well, beating Bangor 45-36 after playing Christmas tournament games in Augusta. Camden Hills forced 31 turnovers in a 59-31 win over Brunswick, with the Dragons' young roster showing potential for the future.

Why it matters

The Class A North girls basketball tournament showcased the strengths and challenges of some of the top teams in the region. Hampden Academy, the defending champion, is navigating high expectations, while Camden Hills continues to rely on its stifling defense. The tournament also highlighted the promising future of Brunswick's young roster.

The details

Hampden Academy coach Nick Winchester was disappointed with his team's 18 turnovers in their 35-18 win over Lewiston, despite being the defending Class A North champion. The Broncos graduated just one senior from last year's team and are driven to change their fortunes after losing in the Class A final. Edward Little handled the change in venue well, shooting the ball effectively after playing Christmas tournament games in Augusta. Camden Hills forced 31 turnovers, including 21 in the first half, in their 59-31 win over Brunswick. The Dragons' young roster, led by freshman Grace Roak, showed potential for the future.

  • Hampden Academy reached the Class A final last season, losing to Mt. Ararat.
  • The quarterfinal round of the Class A North girls basketball tournament was held on Friday.

The players

Nick Winchester

The head coach of the Hampden Academy girls basketball team.

Aubrey Shaw

A junior guard for the Hampden Academy girls basketball team.

Frank Perry

The head coach of the Edward Little girls basketball team.

Samantha Bragg

The head coach of the Camden Hills girls basketball team.

Grace Roak

A freshman on the Brunswick girls basketball team who led the team with 15 points and 4 rebounds in their quarterfinal loss.

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What they’re saying

“Today was a survive-and-advance situation. Check that, we survived.”

— Nick Winchester, Head Coach, Hampden Academy (centralmaine.com)

“We had a taste of how it felt last year and we're hungry for more. But we don't want that to get to our heads. We know it's not a guarantee that we're going to get back. We're going to work 10 times harder and prove to everyone that we can get back there again.”

— Aubrey Shaw, Junior Guard, Hampden Academy (centralmaine.com)

“I was pretty pumped (for the game), because we shot the ball well here (during the Christmas tournament). We didn't make as many 3s (on Friday), we haven't been hitting as many of our 3s as we had earlier in the season. But that's coming, though.”

— Frank Perry, Head Coach, Edward Little (centralmaine.com)

“Forcing people to turn the ball over is huge (for us). Hopefully, we can clean up our fouls a little bit moving forward, but we know fouls come with defensive pressures. We kind of have to take some to give some.”

— Samantha Bragg, Head Coach, Camden Hills (centralmaine.com)

“Grace is a basketball player. It sounds simple to say, but she's got great feet, great hands. She's smart; she's almost too unselfish out there. She wants to win, she might be the most competitive person on the team, which is great for a freshman.”

— Sam Farrell, Head Coach, Brunswick (centralmaine.com)

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.