HOULTON, Maine — Houlton High School will have a new varsity boys’ basketball coach this coming year, as Dillon Kingsbury was unanimously voted in during the June 1 RSU 29 school board meeting.
At the age of 23, Kingsbury has already shown great success as a coach by taking the Easton boys program and turning it around to be competitive contender in Class D.
Kingsbury coached four years at Easton, making the tourney all four years. During his first year, the Bears were 15-5 overall, winning a prelim game and losing to Jonesport-Beals in quarterfinals.
The following season, the Bears went 16-5, upsetting No. 1 Jonesport-Beals in quarterfinal round and losing to Hodgdon in the semifinals. The Bears racked up an undefeated regular season in 2013-14, going 20-1 overall after losing again to Hodgdon in quarterfinals.
Last year, the Bears were 15-4 overall, losing to Machias in quarters.
Kingsbury’s overall record is an impressive 66-15.
“Dillon ran the program with a great deal of class and he ended up being a good hire here,” said Steve Shaw, Easton’s athletic director.
“He was only 19 years old when he came to us, but he brought a lot to the table. He knew the game, was enthusiastic and detail-oriented and did a fantastic job as his record indicates,” Shaw added.
He was a three-sport athlete at Presque Isle High School and went on to the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Kingsbury served as an assistant soccer coach for the Presque Isle varsity girls under Ralph Michaud.
Shaw said the search for Kingsbury’s successor is underway.
“We’d like to find someone with some experience who can carry on the tradition here,” he said.
