It was a difficult season for Calais High School girls basketball coach Dana Redding.
He said he soon will need to make a decision on whether to return for his eighth season, but the trials and tribulations of the 2014-15 season won’t play a major role in his decision.
An altercation between two of his players in a Jan. 10 game against Houlton resulted in a 3½-day investigation that led to one starter being dismissed from the team and another being suspended.
Redding’s wife, a volunteer assistant coach, was pushed by one of the players.
However, the penalty was appealed to the Calais School Committee, which voted to reduce the penalty, allowing the player who had been dismissed to return after serving a suspension.
Superintendent of Schools Robert F. Moholland resigned six days later.
Neither player saw any action the rest of the way; Redding’s team, which already lost six seniors from last year’s state Class C championship team, was even more inexperienced.
But Redding received some quality minutes from sophomores Kayli Doten and Katie Cavanaugh along with freshmen Faith Tirrell and Prue Maxwell and junior Felicia Moholland to complement seniors Maddy McVicar and Carson Hold. It turned out to be a positive season.
The Blue Devils went 13-5 during the regular season to earn the No. 5 seed and lost a heart-breaker to No. 4 Dexter, 41-40 in overtime, on a last-second shot by Abbey Jordan.
“I’ve had some good teams, but I’ve never been more proud of these kids and the way they stuck together,” Redding said. “Maddy was the only one with game experience from last year.
“They worked hard and did everything I ever asked them to do,” Redding added.
He noted the experience his returning players received this year will be beneficial for next season.
“It will do nothing but help them, and I’ve have had some eighth-graders who have come up to me and said they can’t wait to play next year. They’re excited already,” Redding said.
He did say McVicar will be hard to replace, as will fellow co-captain Carson Hold.
“Maddy was such a leader for the younger kids. She and Carson were two of the best captains I’ve ever had,” Redding said.
The 62-year-old coach didn’t know whether he would return for the 2014-2015 season after he had heart valve surgery, but he did.
And don’t be surprised if he returns next season.
He led Calais to three Eastern Maine titles and two state championships in his seven seasons.
“I’m not getting any younger, and I have six grandchildren — four in this area and two in Hampden — so this might be the time to leave,” Redding said.
“But I’ve got a good group of eighth-graders coming in. I’m afraid if I come back, I’ll want to stay four more years,” he quipped.