Hard to imagine a higher degree of difficulty in any “best of” list than trying to enumerate the 10 most influential people in the 30-year history of the Maine Principals’ Association girls’ basketball tournament. You’re sure to offend someone’s memory.
Do a little digging in 1975, for instance, and you’ll discover that Crystal Pazdziorko of Gardiner and Carla Cyr of Hall-Dale each scored 33 points in one of the inaugural state championship games. Tough to leave them out.
Fast forward to the present. How do you overlook Coach Liz Rickett and star player Sarah Marshall, both of whom helped make Catherine McAuley High School the program to watch in southern Maine?
The greater girls’ basketball grows in Maine, the tougher it is to determine the Hall of Famers. That said, with that word “influential” in mind, here’s one observer’s highly unscientific roster of peerless players and coaches, in alphabetical order:
Tammy Anair Anderson: Set regional tournament records at Winthrop more than 20 years ago that still stand today. Still the fifth all-time leading scorer at the University of Southern Maine.
Dick Barstow: By all accounts, the winningest coach in Maine basketball history. Has coached girls’ hoop for more than 45 years. Won his 600th game in January 2001 at Katahdin High School and is still going strong. Won state titles at Central Aroostook and Presque Isle, too.
Lisa Blais Manning: Part of four Class A championship teams at Westbrook. One of Old Dominion University’s starting five when it won the NCAA title in 1985.
Cindy Blodgett: The Queen of Maine basketball, and arguably the person who did the most to put it on the map. Duplicated Blais’ feat of four straight high school championships, then led the University of Maine to its first four national tournament appearances.
Rachel Bouchard: Maine’s first unstoppable 6-footer. As engaging with young fans as she was tall and athletic, Bouchard scored almost 2,000 points at Hall-Dale and set many of the records Blodgett broke at Maine.
Heather Ernest: Surprised many by leading Mt. Blue to a win over Lewiston in the state final her junior year. Backed it up with a second title as a senior. University of Maine recently retired her uniform number.
Ed Feeney: Coached Portland to 11 Western Maine championships and three state titles and more than 400 wins.
Gavin Kane: Just won his sixth Class C championship and his 11th straight regional title as coach at Dirigo High in Dixfield.
Joanne Palombo: As a player, shone at Brunswick and Northwestern. As a coach, helped build a Maine program that gave Blodgett, Ernest and others a place to excel.
Paul and Amy Vachon: A dual entry. Vachon’s teams have used pressure defense and the 3-point shot to dominate Eastern Class A. His daughter, Amy, was arguably his greatest individual player and also made it big in Orono.
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