GORHAM, Maine — The New England Regional Hoop Shoot, where local youngsters compete with their counterparts from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont in a test of skills from the free-throw line, will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 23 at the Gorham Middle School.
All six state champions have won at the local, district and state level.
Among the contenders is Henry Westphal of Portland, a past national champion who was honored at the Elks National Convention in Phoenix in 2011. In addition to capturing the national championship in his age group, he won the Getty Powell Award for his perfect 25-for-25 performance in the final round.
The state champions and their sponsoring lodges are Jaycie Christopher, Skowhegan-Madison, Girls 8-9; Isabel Dawson, Portland, Girls 10-11; Sydney LeBlanc, Skowhegan-Madison, Girls 12-13; Connor Marquis, Sebasticook Valley, Boys 8-9; Westphal, Boys 10-11; and Colby Esty, Skowhegan-Madison, Boys 12-13.
Esty won the Amos A. McCallum Outstanding Shooter award in the boys’ division for the second year in a row, and Sydney LeBlanc was awarded the Alan W. Richard Outstanding Shooter trophy in the girls’ division at the state championship.
The Elks Hoop Shoot has more than three million participants each year. Scores are based on the best of 25 free throws in two segments: 10 shots and 15 shots.
The National Hoop Shoot Finals will be held at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., on April 18-21.