Penobscot Valley Howlers Advance to State Final with Buzzer-Beaters

Three timely 3-pointers at the end of quarters propel the Howlers to victory in the Class D North regional final.

Feb. 21, 2026 at 9:23pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Penobscot Valley High School girls basketball team, the Howlers, are headed back to the state finals after defeating Machias in the Class D North regional final. The Howlers, who won the Class C state championship last year, made three buzzer-beating 3-pointers in the game - one at the end of the first quarter by senior guard Rylee Moulton, one at halftime by junior guard Brooklynn Raymond, and one at the end of the third quarter by junior forward Abby Farley. These timely shots helped the Howlers maintain their lead and pull away for a 53-37 victory.

Why it matters

The Howlers' ability to make clutch shots at the end of quarters showcases their composure and execution, which will be crucial as they look to win another state title. The team has proven it can make big plays in pressure situations, even after dropping down a class from last year.

The details

In the Class D North regional final, the Penobscot Valley Howlers jumped out to an early lead over Machias. But the Bulldogs started to chip away at that lead in the second and third quarters. That's when the Howlers' trio of buzzer-beaters turned the tide. First, Rylee Moulton hit a 3-pointer as time expired in the first quarter. Then Brooklynn Raymond knocked down another 3 just before halftime to restore the Howlers' momentum. Finally, Abby Farley buried a 3 at the buzzer to end the third quarter, slamming the door on a potential Machias comeback.

  • Rylee Moulton hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter.
  • Brooklynn Raymond hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer just before halftime.
  • Abby Farley hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter.

The players

Rylee Moulton

A senior guard for the Penobscot Valley Howlers who hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter.

Brooklynn Raymond

A junior guard for the Penobscot Valley Howlers who hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer just before halftime.

Abby Farley

A junior forward for the Penobscot Valley Howlers who hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter.

Nate Case

The head coach of the Penobscot Valley Howlers.

Lila Cummings

A senior on the Penobscot Valley Howlers team.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We made some big shots at the end of each quarter. And I thought that was a testament to us and our execution and composure, and doing the right things the whole time.”

— Nate Case, Head Coach, Penobscot Valley Howlers

“We know we want to get the last shot, and it just proves our execution on all of our stuff that we work hard to do.”

— Lila Cummings, Senior, Penobscot Valley Howlers

What’s next

The Penobscot Valley Howlers will play against Mount Abram in the Class D state championship game on Saturday, February 28th at 2:35 PM at the Augusta Civic Center.

The takeaway

The Penobscot Valley Howlers have proven they can make clutch plays in pressure situations, even after dropping down a class from their state championship season last year. Their ability to execute and maintain composure at the end of quarters will be a key factor as they look to win another state title.