Penobscot Valley girls basketball team pulls off upset in Class D North semifinal

Howlers defeat previously undefeated Bangor Christian Patriots 52-37 to advance to regional championship game

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The defending state Class C champion Penobscot Valley High School girls basketball team from Howland pulled off an upset victory over the previously undefeated Bangor Christian Patriots in the Class D North semifinal. The Howlers, who moved down to Class D this season, held the Patriots to a season-low 37 points and were led by strong performances from several players, including junior guard Brooklynn Raymond, senior guard Rylee Moulton, senior forward Lila Cummings, and sophomore forward Charlotte Brochu.

Why it matters

This was a surprising result, as Bangor Christian had defeated Penobscot Valley three times during the regular season. The Howlers' ability to make adjustments and execute their game plan against a talented opponent demonstrates their resilience and growth as a team. The outcome also shakes up the Class D North tournament, setting up an intriguing regional championship matchup between Penobscot Valley and second-seed Machias.

The details

Penobscot Valley switched from a 1-3-1 zone to a 1-2-2 defense that proved effective in limiting Bangor Christian's scoring opportunities. The Howlers also dominated the boards, outrebounding the Patriots 27-18. Junior guard Brooklynn Raymond had a standout all-around game with 10 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, and two assists. Senior guard Rylee Moulton contributed nine points, five steals, four assists, and three rebounds. Senior forward Lila Cummings led the team with 12 points and also had six rebounds and four assists, while sophomore forward Charlotte Brochu added 10 points, six assists, and three rebounds.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
  • Bangor Christian's Annie Allen left the game just 3:11 into the first half after suffering an injury that loosened one of her front teeth.

The players

Penobscot Valley High School

The defending state Class C champion girls basketball team from Howland, Maine that moved down to Class D this season.

Bangor Christian

The previously undefeated girls basketball team that was defeated 52-37 by Penobscot Valley in the Class D North semifinal.

Brooklynn Raymond

A junior guard for Penobscot Valley who had a standout all-around game with 10 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, and two assists.

Rylee Moulton

A senior guard for Penobscot Valley who contributed nine points, five steals, four assists, and three rebounds.

Lila Cummings

A senior forward for Penobscot Valley who led the team with 12 points and also had six rebounds and four assists.

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What they’re saying

“This was the best game we've played all year.”

— Brooklynn Raymond, Junior guard, Penobscot Valley (Bangor Daily News)

“We're used to this atmosphere and we know what it takes to win these big games. We came in confident. We knew what we had to do to get it done.”

— Brooklynn Raymond, Junior guard, Penobscot Valley (Bangor Daily News)

“Coach said we always have to do the small things because they're not really small things.”

— Brooklynn Raymond, Junior guard, Penobscot Valley (Bangor Daily News)

“In our 1-3-1, we were getting beat weak side a lot. This scramble defense, it didn't matter where you were, they got very few wide open shots and that's what we wanted to limit.”

— Rylee Moulton, Senior guard, Penobscot Valley (Bangor Daily News)

“We certainly weren't at full strength but Penobscot Valley played really well. They had a good game plan.”

— Brock Bradford, Head coach, Bangor Christian (Bangor Daily News)

What’s next

Penobscot Valley will face second-seed Machias in the Class D North regional championship game on Saturday, February 22nd at 2 p.m.

The takeaway

Penobscot Valley's upset victory over the previously undefeated Bangor Christian Patriots demonstrates the Howlers' resilience, adaptability, and ability to execute a strong game plan against a talented opponent. This result shakes up the Class D North tournament and sets up an intriguing regional championship matchup between Penobscot Valley and Machias.