Catherine McAuley steamrolled through the Western Class A tournament, then briefly hit a speed bump in Eastern Maine champion Bangor.

The Rams only momentarily slowed the Lions on their fast track to a third consecutive Class A state championship Saturday. McAuley pulled away with an 8-0 run to start the fourth quarter and won its 48th consecutive game, 60-45, at the Augusta Civic Center on Saturday.

McAuley became the first Class A team to win three titles in a row since the Cindy Blodgett-led Lawrence team won four straight from 1991 to 94. Westbrook also won four consecutive championships from 1978 to 1981.

Olivia Smith led the Lions (22-0) with 20 points. The 6-foot-2 junior teamed up with 6-foot sophomore Victoria Lux (11 points, 18 rebounds) to dominate the paint.

Cordelia Stewart led the Rams (18-4) with 17 points, while Mary Butler added 10 points.

McAuley never trailed in the Western A tournament, but found itself behind Bangor, 14-13, early in the second quarter.

It took the lead for keeps with a 9-0 run, sparked by a pair of Lux free throws and capped by Smith’s hoop inside that made it 22-14 with 5:15 to go in the first half.

The Lions inflated that lead to 11 at the half on Smith’s 15-footer just before the buzzer. They scored the first seven points of the second half for a 41-23 lead.

Bangor, making its first state championship game appearance since 1982, pounded the ball inside to Stewart to close the third quarter with a 10-3 run and pulled within nine on a Butler jumper.

McAuley went back to the paint to regain control, getting inside hoops from Smith and Lux and a steal and layup by Allie Clement (13 points) for a 54-37 lead.

Lux went to the bench with her fourth foul, but Bangor couldn’t get on the board until Butler scored inside with 4:20 left, and the 15-point deficit was too much to make up.

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