The second half of 2016 featured a number of stellar sporting performances and feel-good stories. The following is a recap of some of the major events.
July
– The LP Miracle Mile: Makenna and Maggie’s Race for Research once again proved to be a major draw as more than 200 runners and walkers participated in the event.
The race was created in memory of Makenna Ward, the daughter of Kirk and Amy Ward of Houlton who lost her battle to cancer at the age of 6. Proceeds from the race are used to bring awareness and raise funding for Childhood Cancer and Diamond Blackfan Anemia. Isaiah Brown was the top overall racer, completing the course in 4 minutes, 39.10 seconds. Grace Graham was the first female finisher, coming across the finish line in 5:23.50.
– Tim Brewer, who ended a championship-laden 15-year run as the boys varsity basketball coach at Central Aroostook High School of Mars Hill in 2015, was named as the new boys basketball coach in Houlton. He replaced Dillon Kingsbury who coached the Shires for the 2015-16 season.
– Wilderness Walk for Warriors’ 2016 “Flags of Honor Hike” commenced July 16 as the 20-member team began its third annual hike through the 100-Mile Wilderness. The walk was in order to raise money for veterans and servicemembers as well as honor our fallen heroes.
– The Houlton 11-12 baseball all-stars were heading to the state tournament following an impressive, and historic, 13-1, 5-inning victory over Orrington/Brewer. It marked the first time Houlton won the District 3 title since 1976. At States, the team did not have as much success, losing both games. Members of the Houlton 11-12-year-old All-Star baseball team were Kurtis Reynolds, Collin Moody, Jed Gilpatrick, Cody Johnston, Caleb Tuttle, Logan Tapley, Silas Graham, Braden Dow, Garrett Harvey, Brock Thompson, Haven Hanning, Nolan Hodgkins. The manager is Montie Graham with assistant coaches Chad Thompson and P.J. Harvey.
August
– High school athletes were trying to beat the heat as they geared up for another busy fall sports season. High temperatures forced many squads to alter their practice schedules.
– The County Open was held Aug. 13-14 at the Houlton Community Golf Course and VaJoWa Golf Course in Island Falls. The County Open, which serves a major fundraiser for the Health Services Foundation, collected $20,000 this year.
September
– A stellar rushing attack, led by junior tailback Seth Holston, catapulted Houlton to a 36-14 victory over Washington Academy for the Shires’ first win of the season. Holston amassed 282 all-purpose yards, including opening the game with an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
– After coming close a season ago, the Hodgdon golf team has finally claimed the Aroostook County golf championship for small schools. Hodgdon beat out squads from Fort Fairfield, Cen-
tral Aroostook and Southern Aroostook at the Houlton Community Golf Club. Team members were Ben Tuttle, Justin Wilson, Andrew Tuttle and Bryon Barton. The coach was Mike Fleming.
– At the midway point of the season, the Hodgdon boys soccer team was enjoying tremendous success as the Hawks sported an impressive 8-0 record.
– Greater Houlton Christian Academy ran away with the boys and girls middle school cross country championships with dominating performances on the trails. The GHCA boys easily outdistanced Washburn for the boys’ crown, as the Eagles had the top three runners in the meet. On the girls’ side, the Eagles overcame a large squad from Caribou to win the title. Eagle Jeremy Stone was the top boy runner, completing the two-mile course in 13 minutes, 13.5 seconds. Caribou’s Annalise Jandreau was the top female runner at 14:40.8.
October
– The Houlton golf team qualified for the state Class C competition by virtue of a second-place finish at the Penobscot Valley Conference championships at the JATO golf course. The Shires’ score of 364 was second to Mattanawcook Academy’s low score of 314.
– The normally black and white Houlton Shires were a shade of pink as the team donned special apparel and sold raffle tickets for prizes to support the Bridge To Hope cancer program.
– Cross country squads from throughout the county converged on Houlton for the 2016 Aroostook League cross country championships. And when the dust had settled, Caribou ran away with both the boys’ and girls’ championships.
– Hodgdon senior Ben Tuttle peaked at just the right time as the senior had one of his best days on the golf course playing in the State Individuals tournament at Natanis Country Club. Tuttle shot a 79 over the 18-hole course, which earned him third place in the Class C division.
– Playoff dreams became a reality for local squads as the Houlton, Hodgdon and Southern Aroostook boys’ soccer teams, as well as the Houlton, Hodgdon, Southern Aroostook and Katahdin girls’ squads all earned spots in the playoffs. The Houlton girls had the strongest showing, finishing as runners up in the Class B North region.
November
– The Houlton girls soccer team has experienced great success in recent years. Much of that success has come despite the team enduring more than its fair share of injuries to several key players. The Shires finished 11-1-2 in the regular season, dominating the opposition by outscoring opponents 67-11. Houlton earned the No. 2 seed in the Class C North playoffs, beating Fort Kent 3-1 in the quarterfinals and besting Penquis 1-0 in the semifinals before falling to eventual state champ Orono 2-1 in the regional championship.stems from the efforts of the Shire coaching staff, particularly head coach Tim Tweedie, who was named the Penobscot Valley Conference Class C girls Coach of the Year.
December
– Houlton’s Kolleen Bouchard and Aspen Flewelling were named to the All-State soccer team. They were two of the 20 players chosen out of approximately 1,300 total players in classes A-D from Fort Kent to Lewiston to earn the recognition on the Northern Maine State Team.
– Washburn coach Tyler Putnam, a graduate of Hodgdon High School and one of the school’s 1,000 point scorers, returned to his alma mater as an opposing coach for the first time in his career. Putnam is in his first year as the Washburn girls’ basketball coach. Putnam, 32, was a basketball standout at Hodgdon from 1998-2002 and made second team all-state his senior year. During his senior year, Putnam scored his 1,000th career point, becoming just the eighth player (at that time) to reach the scoring plateau.
– Houlton junior Kolleen Bouchard scored her 1,000th career point during a game at Mattanawcook Academy. She joins her brother Kyle, who scored his 1,000th point in 2013.
