Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austtin
HAPPY SHIRES — Jacob Drew, No. 22, of the Houlton Shiretowners hoists up Noah Holmes in celebration after the Houlton Shiretowners captured an 81-56 win over Washington Academy last Friday night to complete a perfect 18-0 season.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
An undefeated season is a goal each team strives to accomplish, with few succeeding. The Houlton High School boys basketball program has had two teams, 27 years apart, achieve unblemished records until last Friday night in Alumni Gymnasium.
This year’s Houlton Shiretowners defeated Washington Academy, 81-55, putting an exclamation point on a perfect regular season. They join the ranks of the 1972 and 1999 Shiretowners, as the third team to etch their names in Houlton basketball history – a memory that will never be forgotten — and one that is merited.
“It is a great accomplishment,” said Houlton coach Rob Moran, who was also named Class C basketball Coach of the Year.
The Shiretowners accumulated near 168 Heal Points, which shows they play a very good schedule of point-worthy opponents.
“It was not an easy 18-0,” said Moran. “The kids worked hard to earn it.”
The Shiretowners have also overcome their share of adversity.
“We lost one of our best players in the first quarter of the first game,” said Moran referring to senior Kole Buzzeo’s ACL injury. “We have also had another player in and out of the lineup who is in the top six or seven players in our rotation.”
That is junior Dan Howe who has knee issues.
“These injuries were big blows to the team,” Moran explained. “It challenged our depth and we’ve had others step up and play well.”
Coming into the rotation and contributing each game have been senior Isaac Cone and junior Jacob Drew, joining Nick Guiod, who Moran said is one of the best point guards in Eastern Maine; Kyle Bouchard, Christian Crane and Elyjah Crockett.
“Nick distributes the ball very well and gives other players easy looks,” Moran said. “Kyle is Kyle. He is averaging near a triple-double, as he is having a stellar season and makes everyone around him better.
Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
SANDWICHED — Houlton’s Kyle Bouchard shows his strength as he drives to the hoop between Caribou defenders Kameron Manter, left, and Cody Herbert during a recent game.
“Christian and Elyjah have also had solid seasons for the Shiretowners and will be keys on the boards in the postseason,” he added.
However, the key to Houlton being able to get out in the open floor and create offense has been started by their defense.
“We play a solid defense every game,” said Moran. “We do have defensive lapses, but overall we are pretty consistent.”
The Shiretowners go into the Eastern Maine Class C Tournament as the number-one seed and they will play either Piscataquis Community High School of Guilford or Bucksport. Both teams are well coached, with PCHS being guard-oriented, while the Shiretowners met Bucksport last year in the first round of the tourney and won, 72-53.
Is there more pressure on the Shiretowners heading into the postseason undefeated? Moran does not think so.
“It is not for me,” he said. “I don’t pay attention to a record other than making sure we are in a playoff position. We cannot worry about records. We need to get ready to play our opponent and take one game at a time.”
This is the Shiretowners’ third year in a row to reach the Eastern Maine tourney. This is the second consecutive time they will go in ranked number one. It is the first time they take in an undefeated season, as Caribou marred a perfect record a year ago in their last game of the regular season.
“Two years ago, we were a young team,” said Moran. “We are now a veteran squad. We have a routine down and now, we just have to put together three games. Not two games and three quarters. Last year, one bad quarter did us in.”
The Houlton Shiretowners will play their quarterfinal round Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 8:35 p.m. in the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
In last Friday’s junior varsity game, the Shiretowners toppled Washington Academy, 56-35, to complete their season. This possibly could be the first time in Houlton schoolboy history that this feat has been achieved.
In the varsity game, the Shiretowners used a 36-point effort from Bouchard to down the Washington Academy Raiders last Friday night, 81-55.
Bouchard was nearly unstoppable with quick post moves and isolation on one-on-one drives in the lane. He finished with seven rebounds and seven assists. His 14 second-quarter points widened Houlton’s lead to 38-22 at intermission, as he only scored two points in the opening quarter.
After three, the Shiretowners led 57-41.
Guiod tossed in 12 points and had eight assists, while Cone put together an all-around game with 10 points, six rebounds and six assists.
For the 12-6 Raiders, Gage Feeney scored 18 points while Fred MacLean and Dustin Emery each added 12.
Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
DRIVES — Houlton’s Nick Guiod drives to the hoop last Friday night against a Washington Academy defender for a layup.
The Shiretowners escaped their nemesis Caribou, 62-59, once again last Wednesday night at Houlton Alumni Gymnasium, as the game came down to one play.
The Shiretowners took a 19-6 lead, but saw it dissolve by halftime to 29-28. In the third, they upped the score to 48-38, but the Vikings battled back in the final eight minutes making for a very exciting finish.
Houlton’s Bouchard made several crucial foul shots down the stretch to hold onto their lead. However, with time running out, Dayne Savage had a good look at the hoop to tie the game. His shot hit the front rim and dropped off.
In these two teams’ first meeting in Caribou, the game ended much the same way, with Savage narrowly missing a 3-pointer.
Guiod keyed the Shires in third quarter scoring 11 of his 17 points, as Houlton outscored Caribou, 19-10. Bouchard ended with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Crockett tossed in 11 points.
Savage and Cody Herbert each scored 17 points each for 13-4 Caribou. Derek Richardson added 12 and Donovan Savage chipped in with 11 points.
The Shiretowners’ focus now turns to the tournament and their bid for the regional title and maybe, the gold ball.
