January
Dave Wilson presented Jason Collett with the G. Ivan Wilson Commissioner’s Award for the Southern Aroostook Minor Hockey Association. The award is open to all hockey players in SAMHA’s programs. The recipient of the commissioner’s award must demonstrate character, hard work, the desire to improve, respect, team play, love of the sport, as well as being a good ambassador of the association.
Dewey Dewitt, 93, a former radio broadcaster from Houlton, was one of 13 individuals selected to be inducted next June in the Maine Sports Hall of Fame. DeWitt, who was inducted into the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016, began his radio career in 1950 for WABM radio and announced football and basketball.
The Houlton cheering squad finished as runners-up in the 2018 Aroostook County Cheering competition held at Caribou High School. Central Aroostook captured the County title, scoring 56.1 points, while Houlton was second with 48.8. The team also placed fourth at the regional competition in Bangor, earning a spot in the state meet Feb. 10.
February
Eight local basketball squads qualified for the tournament this year and were hoping for a lengthy playoff push in Bangor. The Houlton and Southern Aroostook girls both advanced to the state championships in Class C and D respectively after winning regional titles at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. For the Houlton girls, it marked the fourth consecutive regional championship, while Southern Aroostook was enjoying its first since 1997.
Houlton’s Kolleen Bouchard puts up a shot during a January contest. Bouchard is a semi-finalist for the Maine Miss Basketball Award and is one of three Shires on the Class C-D North girls’ roster for the Maine McDonald’s High School Senior All-Star Games. (Joseph Cyr)
Kolleen Bouchard of Houlton scored the 2,000th point of her high school career during the tournament to become the school’s all-time leading scorer.
With 34 years of basketball coaching experience, it was only a matter of when Sherman native Bill McAvoy would receive the call to join Maine’s Basketball Hall of Fame. That call arrived in February as McAvoy was among 16 inductees, five Legends of the Game, and the undefeated 1960 Lewiston state championship boys basketball team who will become part of the hall in August.
March
The Southern Aroostook girls won the Class D state championship with a 54-37 victory over Vinalhaven at the Augusta Civic Center. It marked the first gold ball for Southern Aroostook since 1986.
The Houlton girls fell short in their state title quest, losing to Monmouth Academy 56-50. Monmouth set a new tourney record for most 3-pointers in a state championship as the team drilled 8 of 15 shots from behind the arc on its way to a second straight Class C state title.
Houlton’s Kolleen Bouchard was named the state’s top senior girls basketball player at the annual Maine McDonald’s all-star banquet in Bangor. Her older brother Kyle was chosen in 2015 as Mr. Maine Basketball, making it the first time a brother and sister had captured Maine’s top individual high school honors. Bouchard, a 6-foot guard, played in four state championship games at Houlton, leading the Shiretowners to the gold ball in 2015 and 2016 and additional regional crowns in 2017 and 2018.
Showtime basketball came to Houlton Middle-High School as the Harlem Superstars brought their brand of comedy basketball to town. More than 750 people filled Alumni Gymnasium for a night of slam dunks, one-liners and comedic antics as the Superstars, a comedy basketball team based out of Massachusetts, took on the 2018 “Senior Dream Team.”
April
With temperatures well into the 40s during daylight hours and still plenty of snow on the trails, Bigrock Ski Area in Mars Hill extended its ski season, which typically concludes at the end of March or first week in April, into the early weeks of April.
The IAABO 150 basketball board announced its sportsmanship award winners for 2017-18 season Friday afternoon. The Hodgdon girls were selected to receive the honor this year for girls basketball.
May
Organizers said they had no choice but to cancel the annual Meduxnekeag River Race after heavy rains the night before made the waterway too high and fast. Jane Torres, executive director of the Greater Houlton Chamber of Commerce, said she was disappointed the race had to be canceled, but stated it was better to err on the side of caution.
Gauge Osgood crawls through the mud Saturday during the 13th annual East Grand Adventure Race. Osgood took part in the open division successfully completing the compass run and biking legs of the race on Tammi Matula’s team which included younger students and a great grand mother.
(Courtesy of Kim Sixberry)
Cameron Graham, a 2017 graduate of Houlton High School, tossed a no-hitter for the Husson University Eagles on April 29 against Lyndon College. It was just the 12th no-hitter in Husson history.
The 13th annual East Grand Adventure race drew a field of 63 competitors to Danforth. An additional 13 individuals participated in the 34-mile Baskahegan Stream Canoe Race held in conjunction with the adventure race.
June
It was on to Akron, Ohio, for two youngsters after a busy day of racing at the 23rd annual Northern Maine Soap Box Derby race. Stephen Bruen and Yvonne Henderson both qualified to represent the state at the 81st annual FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby in Akron, July 15-21. Thirty-two young racers between the ages of 8 and 18 converged on Derby Hill in Houlton for the state’s only Soap Box Derby race. Henderson captured the super stock division, which is for 9- to 18-year-olds, while Bruen was champion of the stock division for children ages 7 through 13.
Houlton baseball captured the Class C North baseball crown on June 12 in Bangor with a 10-1 victory over Mattanawcook Academy. The Shires went on to finish as the Class C state runner-up after dropping a 2-1 decision to Hall-Dale of Farmingdale at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish.
July
The sixth running of the LP Miracle Mile proved to be a tremendous draw with more than 200 runners and walkers taking part. The race was created in memory of Makenna Ward, the daughter of Kirk and Amy Ward of Houlton who lost her battle with cancer at the age of 6 back in 2013. Proceeds from the race are used to bring awareness and raise funds for Childhood Cancer and Diamond Blackfan Anemia. Evan Desmond was the overall race winner, completing the 1-mile course in 4 minutes, 31 seconds.
Houlton pitcher Jason Collett leaps into the arms of catcher Morgan Phillips after the Shires beat Mattanawcook Academy 10-1 Tuesday evening at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor for the Class C North championship. (Joseph Cyr)
Southern Aroostook lost two veteran coaches over the summer as boys basketball coach Bill McAvoy and softball coach Rob Betschner both tendered their resignations. McAvoy served as the boys basketball coach for the past six years, but has taught basketball in the area for about 34 years. Betschner was the varsity softball coach for 13 years and during that time, his teams appeared in four regional championship games, including the past two seasons.
August
Carmichael Masonry pulled off a dramatic 13-12 upset victory over F.A. Peabody Company to capture the sixth annual Houlton Ultimate Summer League flying disc championship.
Nick Perfitt, a June graduate of Houlton High School, regularly made the 120-mile trip down Interstate 95 throughout the summer to continue his baseball career with Quirk Motor City, one of three Zone 1 Legion programs in Greater Bangor.
Friends and family played their hearts out during the sixth annual Aaron Henderson Memorial Softball tournament. In what turned out to be yet another record-setting weekend, the softball tournament and Aaron Henderson Memorial 5K race raised a grand total of $10,690 for the Green Beret Foundation. That figure far exceeded last year’s total of $6,213
September
Due to a lack of players, the East Grand school district decided to forgo its boys and girls soccer programs. According to Margaret White, principal/superintendent for East Grand, the programs were cancelled due to too few players in the district.
Hodgdon softball coach Sarah Williams was announced as one of 50 high school coaches in the state nominated for U.S. Cellular’s “Most Valuable Coach” program.
The Houlton golf team captured the Penobscot Valley Conference Class C championship at the JaTo Highlands Golf Course in Lincoln. The Shires team score of 350 was a bit higher than scores from other meets this season, but was still good enough to see the team qualify for the state Class C competition held in October.
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- The Houlton Shire golf team captured the state Class C championship Saturday at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro. It marks the fifth state golf title since 2009 for the Shires. (Courtesy of Jennifer Vega)
October
Houlton captured the state Class C championship at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro. The Shires took home the top honors with a whopping 19-stroke victory over St. Dominics at the Natanis Golf Course. The Shires fired a low score of 333 to easily distance themselves from St. Dominics’ total of 352. It marks the fifth state golf title for the Shires and first since 2009. Team members who competed at the event were Duncan McCormack, Nick Brewer, Isaac Vega, Wyatt Harvey and Colin Moody. The coach is Dave Grant.
Houlton’s Nick Brewer was crowned co-champion in the State Class C individual golf championship at Natanis Golf Course. Brewer, a senior, shot a 3-over-par 75 to finished tied with Kents Hill’s Mitch Tario for the Class C title.
Greater Houlton Christian Academy’s girls middle school cross country season finished on a high note with the team winning the Aroostook League Middle School championship for the fifth straight year.
The high school fall soccer season came to a close, but the work continued for many squads who qualified for the postseason. A total of 24 Aroostook County teams qualified for the playoffs this year in the northern region for Classes B, C and D.
November
Local athletes enjoyed one final hurrah on the soccer field as the Maine Soccer Coaches’ regional all-star teams featured several players from Aroostook. Representing Houlton were Jamie Brown, Sierra Hoops, Tessa Solomon and Nolan Porter. Other local athletes selected were Autumn Ganzel of Hodgdon, Lindsey Drew of Katahdin and Sydney Brewer, Kassidy Mathers and Kylie Vining, all of Southern Aroostook.
U.S. Cellular officials announced Hodgdon softball coach Sarah Williams as the third-place finalist in its Most Valuable Coach contest. U.S. Cellular officials presented Williams with a $10,000 check for the school. That amount was added to the $5,000 she received for the school from the company for making the top 15.
December
After several years as a club sport, track and field is now a full varsity sport for Houlton Middle-High School. The RSU 29 board approved the addition during a Dec. 3 meeting.
Another basketball season began as teams tipped off their new year. The Hodgdon boys and girls opened their season with victories as the Hawk girls edged Shead of Eastport 27-23, while the boys soared past the Tigers 62-26.
The Houlton boys basketball team rattled off three impressive victories to start the season for third-year coach Tim Brewer. Houlton has eight returning players this season and should be poised for another postseason push.
The state title defense for the Southern Aroostook girls was off to a fantastic start through the early goings of the high school basketball season. The Warriors handily won the first four games of their season, outscoring the opposition by an average of 39.5 points. SACS beat East Grand of Danforth, 65-18, Dec. 7; bested Wisdom, 67-27, Dec. 10; defeated Shead, 77-46, Dec. 15; and beat Katahdin 73-33 on Dec. 18.
