With three consecutive regional championships, a drop from Class B to C and BDN All-Maine Schoolgirl Basketball first-teamer Kolleen Bouchard running the show, it would appear the Houlton High School Shiretowners are the overwhelming favorites to represent Class C North in the state championship game this season.
They lost in the Class B state title game to Gray-New Gloucester 35-31 a year ago after winning the state championship the previous two years. They won it in Class B in 2015-16 after doing so in C in 2014-15.
But Houlton coach Shawn Graham isn’t taking anything for granted.
“Teams are playing with us more so this year than in the past,” said Graham. “There’s no doubt there is plenty of competition for us to worry about.”
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One of those teams is Central of Corinth, which also dropped from Class B to Class C this season.
But Central coach Jamie Russell, whose Red Devils lost to Houlton 55-45 and 52-39, said the Shires remain the team to beat “by far.
“Number one, they have the best player around (Bouchard). But she also has other (good) players around her and she uses them well,” said Russell. “She only had two points at halftime against us (in the 52-39 game). She didn’t take many shots. She passed to her other players.
“(Aspen) Flewelling is a good shooter. (Teagan) Ewings has done a nice job against us as has the (Kristen) Graham girl. They’re all very selective. And we can’t turn them over because they take care of the basketball,” said Russell. “They are also very, very underrated, defensively. They do a real good job shutting people down. We were one and done at both ends of the court,” he added.
Bouchard is averaging over 28 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals a game. Ewings has averaged 11 points per game, Graham considers Flewelling a “great 3-point shooter” and his daughter Kristen is starting to get to full strength and mobility strength after offseason knee surgery.
Graham feels Central is one of the best teams in C.
“(Guard) Sydney Allen is a game-changer. She is explosive. She is extremely quick off the dribble,” said Graham. “She’s also a great defender.”
Allen, a 1,000-point scorer for her career, is averaging 16 points per game and sophomore center Emilee Cohen has produced 11 points and five rebounds per game. Abigail Allen, Sydney’s sister, is averaging 10 points.
Graham also expects Dexter, the defending regional champ, and Narraguagus of Harrington to be in the mix.
“I hear good things about Narraguagus. They put up a lot of points,” said Graham, who also noted that Dexter coach Jody Grant has a “pretty decent three-guard set” and that the staple of his teams have been “player-to-player defense.”
“Dexter gave us two real good games,” said Russell. “They are defense-oriented and Jody’s daughter (freshman guard Peyton Grant) is one of the best players in the league. She can score and she’s very patient.”
Russell said Piscataquis Community High of Guilford “scares me. The Speed girl (Erin) is very, very good at the point and Alivia Hunt is tough inside.”
The run-and-gun Knights of Narraguagus have averaged over 60 points per game with a balanced attack led by their only senior, point guard Madison Leighton.
Stearns, led by Peighton Ingersoll and Katherine Alley, has had a solid campaign as has Madawaska, featuring Jenna Dugal.
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In Class D, a motivated band of Southern Aroostook Community School Warriors from Dyer Brook is eager to go at least one step further after losing in the regional final to Shead of Eastport last season.
And they would appear to be a solid favorite with their only two losses being to Houlton, including a five-point setback.
But coach Cliff Urquhart said Woodland is “definitely the team to beat in Class D.”
Woodland dropped down to D from C this season.
“They’re big and strong, they rebound well and they have some kids who can shoot,” said Urquhart, who was particularly impressed by 5-10 freshman center Emily Curtis.
Curtis is averaging 12 points and 10 rebounds a game, guard Jennie Cox is also in the 12 ppg range and Calais transfer Katie Erskine is helping Curtis under the boards with 10 rebounds per game.
Cox is one of four players who also started last year along with Sadie Smith, Brooke Russell and Shaye Beers.
Urquhart also pointed out that Woodland has the benefit of playing a significantly tougher schedule than his team.
“They play primarily a C schedule. They’re battle-tested,” he said.
The Warriors do not have a senior on their roster but have four three-year starters in Kylie Vining, Sydney Brewer, Kassidy Mathers and Makaelyn Porter and the other starter is freshman center Kacy Daggett, who started as an eighth grader last season.
Urquhart feels a team that could be a factor is Schenck of East Millinocket.
“They could surprise some people. They play a tough schedule, they’re very guard-oriented and to pull off an upset you‘ve got to be a little guard-oriented and shoot the ball well,” said Urquhart.
Allison Noddin and Samantha Falone are Schenck’s catalysts.
Deer Isle-Stonington, behind Lily Gray, Katie Hutchinson and Rylee Eaton, cruised through the regular season and would be another legitimate contender.
Class B is wide open with any number of teams vying to capture the regional title.
“There are six or seven teams who could win it,” said Hermon coach Chris Cameron. “There are a lot of good teams.”
“It’s going to be a very, very interesting tournament,” said Mount Desert Island coach Brent Barker. “It will come down to who is playing the best basketball that week.”
The results were topsy-turvy with plenty of examples of low seeds either knocking off higher seeds or taking them down to the wire.
Orono, which was fighting for 11th place and the final tournament preliminary slot, upset John Bapst of Bangor, which was among the top two seeds all season.
John Bapst, under first-year coach Chris Woodside, has All-Maine honorable mention guard Crystal Bell and versatile forward Grace Philippon and the Crusaders have forced a ton of turnovers with its full-court press and impressive depth.
Hermon took Houlton to overtime in the semifinals a year ago and is another contender but the Hawks lost the services of junior forward Caitlynn Tracy to a broken wrist. Tracy was averaging nearly a double-double (points-rebounds).
But the Hawks still have plenty of weapons.
Gifted, hardworking senior Lauren Plissey is averaging 13 points, 12 rebounds, five blocked shots, two assists and two steals and Alex Allain is a veteran point guard. Guard Maddie Pullen came on strong at the end of the season as have Madi Curtis and Grace Page.
Mount Desert Island swept the series from Presque Isle and has a junior-laden team that could peak at the tournament.
Guard-forward Maddy Candage, forward-center Madeleine Good and guard Julia Watras and Alexis Clarito are the juniors in the starting lineup along with senior forward Emily Banks.
Candage has been the leading scorer and six of MDI’s top seven players stand at least 5-10 which will make the Trojans a tough matchup.
All-Maine third teamer Emily Wheaton is having a terrific senior season for Presque Isle, including notching her 1,000th career point.
Christina Skidgel and Savannah Rodriguez have complemented her on a deep team that can use nine players.
Maine Central Institute has been one of the real surprise teams behind four-year starters April McAlpine and Sydney Morton and is very much in the hunt as is perennial contender Winslow, which has been paced by Weslee Littlefield, Paige Trask and Haley Ward.
Ellsworth, led by Trinity Montigny, Hannah Sargent and Katelynn Bagley, had an upset win over John Bapst and could be a sleeper as could Caribou, which is led by guards Gabrielle Marquis and Searra Herbert. Waterville and Oceanside also have some impressive wins and Orono, under head coach John Donato, has improved and has been competitive.
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