HOULTON, Maine — Houlton junior Kolleen Bouchard joined an elite group of Shire athletes Thursday evening as she tallied the 1,000th point of her career.
Bouchard scored her 1,000th point with a left-handed hook shot with about four minutes to play in a game in Lincoln against Mattanawcook Academy.
“It feels great to join such an elite group of former Houlton basketball players,” Bouchard said. “Aside from my team goals and winning a championship, it certainly was a goal for this year because I knew it was within reach.”
Her brother Kyle was the last person to reach the scoring mark. He did so in 2013 also as a junior. Kyle, a sophomore at Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts, was in attendance for the game.
“Most of my family was able to make the game, but it was certainly special that my brother was able to attend given that he only has a seven-day Christmas break during his season,” she said.
Bouchard said she was aware of how many points she needed to reach the scoring mark, but did not let that force her hand during the game against Mattanawcook Academy.
“I am happy that it has come and gone because I wouldn’t want it in any way to be a distraction for my team later in the season when we are heading toward [the] playoffs,” she said. “It was disappointing that it could not happen at Alumni Gymnasium, however the Lincoln community was good in stopping the game and honoring my accomplishment.”
Bouchard has been playing basketball for as long as she can remember. Her first organized team was in second grade.
“I have played with so many wonderful teammates and have created lasting friendships through competing in basketball that I will forever cherish,” she said.
Other known 1,000 point scorers for Houlton, whose names are featured on a plaque inside the school’s gymnasium, include Lisa Collett (1984), Carol Bubar (1984), Mary Harrigan (1985), Terry Cummings (1986), Diane Nagle (1986), Elizabeth Nelson (1993), Lucas Ritchie (1998), Hannah Socoby (2002), Rachel Foster (2008), Vanessa Sanderson (2010) and Kyle Bouchard (2014),
Foster is believed to be the girls all-time leading scorer with 1,493 points, according to Ken Holck, radio broadcaster for WHOU.
Bouchard is the daughter of Karen and Marty Bouchard of Houlton.
