At the end of June, the 1985 Houlton High School girls basketball team was inducted into the New England Basketball Hall of Fame in Worcester, Mass.
The New England Basketball Hall of Fame casts a wide net over the accomplishments of the region’s renowned basketball participants, including players, coaches, administrators and officials at all levels.
The Hall of Fame recognizes the people whose excellence has contributed to the rich legacy of New England basketball. The categories that envelope all the people who make up this storied past are necessarily varied. The Division III female player, the Division I star, and the Basketball Hall of Fame Coach all weave colorful threads into the fascinating tapestry of New England basketball.
The 1985 Lady Shires were nominated by Edward “Bo” McFarland, who served as the chair for the committee to select the Maine class to the 2013 NEBHOF.
“As chair of the committee, I solicited the rest of the panel for nominations. The Houlton team came up several times in the process,” McFarland explained.
Though most of the information was word of mouth, McFarland used a chapter in the book “Here’s to Hoops” written by Will Anderson about the history of Maine high school basketball.
“I can remember sending that chapter as a strong reference to the executive committee of the NEBHOF,” he added.
The chapter, called “The Shiretowners Do It All,” noted the Houlton girls’ teams had taken Eastern Maine Class B honors in 1981-82, 1982-83 and again in 1983-84. Only to lose, however, in the finals each year; to Lincoln Academy the first year and Greely the next two.
But, 1984-85 was the year the girls from Houlton would sparkle, Anderson wrote. No default. No second place.
“Opening the season with a 61-30 romp over Van Buren, the Shiretowners just kept on rolling along. Led by 6’2” junior center Diane Nagle and 5’11’’ senior forward Mary Harrigan, the team’s strong points were board control, pin-point passing, a like-a-rock 2-1-2 zone defense, and, in the words of Bangor Daily News staff writer Joni Averill, ‘taking charge of the game at an early point and never looking back.’ Almost, it seems, before it was noticed the girls of Houlton were closing out their regular schedule with, and this you had to notice, a superlative 18-0 mark,” Anderson penned.
During the Class B tournament, Bucksport was dismissed as Houlton’s first victim, 64-34, with Harrigan scoring 14; Heidi Britton, 12 and double-teamed Nagle, 11. Next, Ellsworth, bowing out 70-52 as Nagle pumped in 24 and Amanda Dunphy had 12.
Lining up Houlton versus Hermon in the Eastern Maine title game, the girls played in front of 5,000 spectators at the Bangor Auditorium.
“The Hawks did their best, but the Shiretowners’ strong zone defense and powerful offensive attack once again proved too much,” Anderson wrote.
Houlton won 55-35.
In the Class B state final, Houlton overtook Cape Elizabeth, 53-44 for the Houlton girls’ first-ever state basketball trophy. Nagle poured in 35 points and Harrigan scored 10 more.
A special event during the 1984-85 season came when Harrigan scored her 1,000th high school career point.
The Houlton girls repeated the Class B title the next season with a 52-43 win over York.
During the New England Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony, the 1960 Lewiston boys basketball and 2002-03 Worcester Academy boys basketball teams were also inducted.
Other Maine high school basketball players inducted were: Mike McGee, Lawrence High School; Matt Rossignol, Van Buren; Gary Towle, Cony; Heather Ernst, Mt. Blue; Sarah Marshall, McAuley and Amy Vachon, Cony.
High school boys and girls coaches inducted were: Art Dyer, Medomak; Tony Hamlin, Penquis; Jim Ray, Cape Elizabeth and Roger Reed, Bangor Christian; girls, Heidi Deery, Rangley and Gavin Kane, Dirigo.
Division I players installed were: Jim Stephenson and Jamie Cassidy, University of Maine-Orono; Division III players, Chris Jerome, Bowdoin College, John Jordan, University of Southern Maine, Robert Patterson, Bowdoin; Steve Schuler, St. Joseph’s College, Herb Taylor, Bates College, John Wassenberg, St. Joseph’s College, Kevin Whitmore, Colby College, Joanna Brown, University of Southern Maine, Eileen Flaherty, Bowdoin College, Theresa Langlois, Colby College and Ashley Marble, University of Southern Maine.
Division I men’s coach, Brian McCall, University of Maine-Orono; Division I women’s, Sharon Versyp, University of Maine-Orono; Division II men’s coach, Al Sokaitis, University of Southern Maine; Division III men’s coach, Tim Gilbride, Bowdoin College and Division III women’s coach, Jim Murphy, Bates College.
Ronald S. Perry Category Jim Graffam, St. Joseph College and Larry Schiner, UMO/New Jersey City College, Emily Ellis, University of Maine-Orono, and Lani Boardman-Silversides, York High School/UVM.
Scholar-Athlete, Andrew Hippert, Bowdoin Colege; Honorable Joseph Jabar, Colby College; Senator Cohen; and Heather Marandola, Mt. View High School/Swathmore College.
Pathfinder Award, Brett Brown, San Antonio Spurs; Gymnasium of Distinction, Portland Expo; and Administrator, Bob Whytock, Cony. Contributor, Bob Cimbollek, Bangor, Eddie Griffin, South Portland, and Deb Smith, Maine Senior Games.
Semi-Professional men, Thomas; Media Award, George Hale and referee, Carl Merrill, Harpswell.
Icons, Joanne McCallie, UMO, Edward ‘Bo’ McFarland, Bowdoin College and Dick Whitmore, Colby College.
Those who share a love of the game and whose memorable basketball accomplishments deserve special recognition gather every several years in a new spirit of goodwill and camaraderie to congratulate one another and to enjoy the profound satisfaction of being part of the distinguished heritage of New England basketball.
The next Hall of Fame Induction ceremony will take place on June 22, 2014.
