The Boothbay Region High School Seahawks opened the basketball season on Thursday, Dec. 11 by falling to the Dirigo Cougars, 48-46, on a last second hoop by Riley Robinson before bouncing back with wins over Lisbon and Monmouth Academy.

In the opening night barn burner, the host Seahawks got off to a fast start jumping out to a 13-1 lead before the Cougars scored the final seven points of the opening quarter, including a long three-pointer at the buzzer by Dylan Kidder.

Two free throws by Riley Robinson and a fast break hoop by Kaine Hutchins for Dirigo cut the Boothbay lead to one before the Seahawks got a three-pointer by Julian Aponte and a put back from John Hepburn. A three-point play by Kidder sparked a 12-2 run that gave the Cougars a three point lead at the half.

John Hepburn scored four points in the third quarter before having to sit down after picking up his fourth foul with 3:15 left in the frame. A hoop by Robinson and back-to-back scores inside by Nick St. Germain pushed the Dirigo lead to eight.

After a late hoop by Seahawks Joseph DiMauro, Brad Drummond scored three points early in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to three (37-34). Boothbay finally tied the score twice on hoops by Hepburn and once on a drive to the hoop by Andrew Hallinan with 18 seconds left. The Seahawks could not take advantage of a late turnover by Dirigo, setting up the game winner by Robinson who snuck inside and rolled home the banker as time expired.

Hepburn led the Seahawks with 20 points with Hallinan adding 10. For Dirigo, Kidder led with 19 points and Robinson 13.

Just one night later the Seahawks got in the win column with a 52-39 decision at Lisbon over the Greyhounds. John Hepburn scored the first five points of the game and Nick Kilgus hit from the elbow as the Seahawks jumped out to a 7-0 lead. Hepburn would end up with 11 in the quarter and Kilgus would hit two of his three three-pointers on the night as Boothbay led by nine after eight minutes.

The host Greyhounds would rally in the second quarter as a mini 7-0 run cut the lead to four late in the half. But back-to-back hoops by Hepburn to open the third period fueled a 10-3 run that pushed the lead back to 14.

Leading by nine to start the final quarter and facing a 1-3-1 defense, the Seahawks got a big put back basket by Abel Bryer and a three-pointer by Kilgus to stop any comeback hopes by the Greyhounds who were led in scoring by Jacob Johnston with 12 points. John Hepburn led the Seahawks with 24 points with Nick Kilgus adding 13.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, the Seahawks spotted the Monmouth Academy Mustangs four points before scoring the next twelve and 23 in the quarter on their way to a 75-41 victory. Joseph DiMauro started the scoring with a hoop inside before Nick Gorey scored on a post up move. After another hoop by DiMauro, this time from the wing, John Hepburn would take a pass inside from Andrew Hallinan and add two more hoops. After a back door bucket by the Mustangs, Hepburn would steal and score, and put back a miss for a 12-point quarter.

With the outcome never in doubt, Coach I.J. Pinkham was able to get a good look at his entire bench as everyone enjoyed significant playing time. John Hepburn again led the Seahawks with 29 points while his brother Evan Hepburn added 10.

The Seahawks were scheduled to play at Mt. Abram on Tuesday night, but that game as been rescheduled due to the storm and will be played December 23 with the junior varsity starting at 4 p.m.