If you’re looking for the area’s dominant girls basketball player — one who can shoot 3s, take the ball to the basket, pass, defend and rebound — you need to look in two places.

Cony’s Mia Diplock and Hall-Dale’s Carylanne Wolfington are not only good friends, they’re also mirror images of one another. Both are difficult to guard because of their strength and quickness and both want the ball in their hands when the game is on the line.

Similarities don’t end there, though. Diplock and Wolfington led their teams to state championship games this season, Cony in Class A and Hall-Dale in Class C. And they’ll both be playing for Colby College next season.

It’s no coincidence both were named players of the year in their respective conferences, either. For their efforts this season, Diplock and Wolfington have been named Kennebec Journal Girls Co-Players of the Year. Cony’s Josie Lee and Richmond’s Jamie Plummer were also considered.

Diplock and Wolfington played on the same AAU team last summer and know one another’s game very well.

“She’s definitely not a selfish player,” Wolfington said of Diplock. “She’s always looking for the best shot on the court. Overall her game is good everywhere.”

Diplock’s statistics proved. She averaged 16.2 points and 4.8 assists in leading the Rams to an unbeaten regular season. Wolfington averaged 18 points and four assists per game and like Diplock, improved those numbers in the tournament.

“She plays tenacious defense and is a team player,” Diplock said.

Diplock played point guard for Cony while Wolfington played off guard for the Bulldogs. At 5-foot-8, Diplock is an inch taller but both players have the ability to play inside on offense and defense. Each were at their best in regional championship games in front of partisan crowds at the Augusta Civic Center.

Wolfington scored 16 points as Hall-Dale held off upset-minded Waynflete in the Western Maine Class C regional finals. She converted a crucial putback of a teammate’s missed free throw with 45 seconds left in the game to put the Bulldogs up by a point, and she sealed the win with two free throws with 18 seconds to play.

Just as important was the defense she played against Waynflete’s Martha Veroneau, who scored a tournament record 47 points in the previous game. Veroneau finished with 16 hard-earned points.

“Her defensive effort on Veroneau in that Waynflete game was phenomenal,” Hall-Dale coach Brandon Terrill said.

Diplock was equally impressive as Cony rallied from 15 points down to beat Edward Little 44-41 in the Eastern Maine Class A regional final. As Wolfington did, Diplock played best down the stretch, scoring Cony’s last six points including two hoops as she posted up in the paint.

“She’s very versatile,” Cony coach Karen Magnusson said. “She’s quick and she’s strong. When you put those two together . . .”

Both Terrill and Magnusson agree the greatest improvement in both players this season was in leadership.

“Her jump from her junior to her senior year was remarkable,” Magnusson said of Diplock. “Just stepping into the role saying I’m ready for it.”

Both are three-sport athletes who play on a number of teams outside the realm of high school. Wolfington plans to play both basketball and softball at Colby while Diplock is looking into playing lacrosse as well as basketball. The two friends are also all-star soccer players.

“Even as a kid I was never into dancing,” Diplock said of her interest in sports. “It’s always been that way.”

Gary Hawkins — 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com

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