HOULTON, Maine — The Houlton boys basketball team will have a new coach next season after Dillon Kingsbury announced last week that he would not be returning.
Kingsbury coached the Shires for just one year, as the team finished with a 2-16 record a year ago. Eight of those losses, however, were by eight points or less.
Kingsbury took over the Houlton program from longtime coach Rob Moran, who guided Houlton to a state championship in 2014 and appearances in three straight regional final games (2012-14) before stepping down after the 2014-15 season.
Kingsbury cited his recent acceptance of a teaching position in Presque Isle, his alma mater, as the reason for his departure. He stated he felt teaching in Presque Isle and coaching in Houlton, who plays Presque Isle during the regular season, would be a conflict of interest.
“Plus, I would not be able to be fully committed [to the team], so I had no other choice but to resign,” he said.
The varsity boys basketball position was the only coaching job not to be featured on the list of candidates to be approved during a Monday, June 13 RSU 29 board meeting. However, at that meeting, the name of junior varsity boys basketball coach Wendall Harvey, a longtime assistant with the boys program, was also removed from consideration after Harvey announced he was stepping down.
The school board is not slated to hold a July meeting. Therefore, the coaching position, as well as any other vacant teaching spots, will be filled by Superintendent Ellen Schneider once a suitable candidate has been found.
