HOULTON, Maine — Is this the year that the Houlton girls basketball team takes the next step and makes a lengthy playoff push?
Veteran coach Shawn Graham certainly hopes so. And with a bundle of returning players and a number of talented newcomers to the program it is easy to see the reasons for that optimism as coach Graham has one of the most talented rosters in his 11 years with the program.
Last year, the Shires finished as the No. 5 seed in Eastern Class C. In the playoffs, Houlton upset No. 4 Dexter, 38-36, in the quarterfinals before falling to No. 1 Calais 53-28 in the semifinals. Calais went on to win the state championship with a 52-40 win over Carrabec.
“We have high expectations this year,” the coach said. “We were a little disappointed after last year’s semifinal loss to Calais. That should serve as motivation for this year’s upperclassmen. I believe we are a top-three team and have our sights set on contending for the Class C title.”
And with no seniors on the roster this year, the Shires could be poised to be one of the top teams in Eastern Class C for the next few years.
With so many underclassmen on the roster, and the loss of three starters to graduation, many might think a year of transition awaits the Shires. But such is not the case for Houlton as many of the incoming freshmen and sophomores have played a tremendous amount of basketball in their young careers.
Houlton’s roster include juniors Katie Condon, Natalie Hill, Chelsea Gentle and Megan Collett; sophomores Rylee Warman, Makayla Watson and Emma Peterson; and freshmen Kolleen Bouchard, Kristen Graham, Aspen Flewelling and Kristen Brewer.
Lost to graduation were Breanne Longstaff, Samantha Keegan, Jessica Dickison and Tanika Toby.
Coach Graham said the starting five for the Shires, at least to start the season, will likely be Bouchard, Warman, Hill, Condon and Gentle.
Hill, a 5-foot, 7-inch guard, averaged 10 points per game last season and will be looked upon to carry an even bigger scoring load this season. Hill has the ability to play guard or post and has a high basketball IQ and is a workhorse on the court, the coach said.
Condon, a 5-8 center, averaged 11 points per game last year and is a good ball handler who has the ability to score from both in the low post or from behind the 3-point arc.
Gentle, a 5-4 guard, will take over the role filled by Dickison last season and be the Shires’ defensive stopper thanks to her aggressive style of play.
Though only a freshman, Bouchard brings a great skill-set to the team. A 5-foot, 10-inch point guard/forward, she has the ability to go left or right, can shoot from the perimeter and also has some nice post moves inside, the coach said. She is also an exceptional defender, who rebounds well and runs the fast break better than any player Graham has ever coached, he said.
Warman, a 5-2 guard, is a transfer student who played her freshman year at Greater Houlton Christian Academy. At GHCA, Warman averaged 14 points and five assists per game. A good ball handler who is quick off the dribble, Warman is an excellent catch and shoot type player, the coach said. She is also very well conditioned from her time spent running cross country.
The Shires have plenty of depth on their bench as well, which should bode well for coach Graham’s plans to employ a fast-paced game plan.
“We should be very deep this year with a number of players off our bench contributing,” he said. “I am hoping to go 10 deep most nights.”
Flewelling, a 5-9 forward, brings added depth in the low post with her size and solid shooting. She can play either the post or shoot the ball from behind the 3-point arc and will likely be the first person coming off the bench. Watson, the tallest Shire on the roster, stands 5-11 and is another transfer from GHCA. Last season, she averaged 10 pts and seven rebounds and will be called upon to be one of the top rebounders for the team this year.
Collett, a 5-9 center, brings added size and veteran leadership to the roster and will be one of the team’s more successful players from the post.
Peterson (5-7 guard), Graham (5-6 guard) and Brewer (5-7 guard) will bring depth to the Shires, as all three are capable of scoring from the perimeter.
“Our bench depth, quickness, height, and versatility with all five starters, as well as the ability to run three different players at the point position are all strengths,” coach Graham said. “I feel we will be a difficult team for opponents to press (defensively).”
Filtering in so many new faces will be one of Graham’s bigger challenges this year.
“We have lots of new players on this year’s team so it will take a little time getting used to playing with one another and figuring out our rotations,” he said. “We are going to look to push the ball up the floor and therefore will continue to work on our transition game.”
Teams to beat in the Shires’ division include Calais, Orono and Dexter. Houlton also has two regular season games against Presque Isle, one of the elite squads in Eastern Class B. Assisting Graham will be Ben Drew.
