AUGUSTA — Chalk up another one for Title Town, the Tri-County Edition.
You don’t need a long memory or a strong limb to declare Dirigo High School’s streak of 11 consecutive regional girls’ basketball titles (1995 to 2005) as the most ridiculous accomplishment in a Maine high school team sport, ever.
Just in case you were wondering, though, boys from Dixfield, Peru, Canton and Carthage play sports, too.
Twenty years down the information superhighway, there won’t be an entire wing of DeFoe Gymnasium devoted to the exploits of this era in Dirigo boys’ hoop.
Saturday night’s showing at Augusta Civic Center was “only” Dirigo’s fourth consecutive appearance in the Western Class C championship. Its 69-56 victory over Livermore Falls, infinitely tougher than the raw numbers make it look, is “merely” the Cougars’ second straight title.
Six nights from now, they’ll host a state final at Augusta Civic Center and try to bring home Dirigo’s first Gold Ball of the male persuasion since 1983.
Ho, hum.
“Football’s my love,” said basketball tournament MVP and football Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist Nic Crutchfield, “but it’s always nice to play for a Gold Ball.”
Crutchfield chatted, chewed and hugged well-wishers with all the shock, awe and hyperactivity of a guy who’d just won a rousing game of checkers.
And maybe that’s the secret.
Crutchfield, Tyler Chiasson, Kyle Hutchinson and Spencer Ross were part of an unbeaten Class C state champion football team last fall, never winning a game by fewer than 17 points.
One year ago, with Notre Dame-bound Tom Knight as the hoop centerpiece, they dismissed Wiscasset with more than 3,000 partisans cheering or jeering.
They were one shot away from beating Calais in the state final.
Oh, and they aren’t bad at soccer and baseball, either.
“We’ve been together since we were little kids,” said Bolduc, who scored 12 second-half points and combined with Ross to slow Livermore Falls star Chandler White in the fourth quarter. “We’ve been here at the ACC three years as a team. When it comes down to it, we know what to expect. We have so much energy when we hit the floor.”
Watch this crop of Dirigo juniors and seniors play any sport and you can picture them eating too much pizza together, laughing at the same movie lines and finishing each other’s sentences.
The same court awareness and accountability to one another that propelled Edward Little and Richmond to their titles this week carried the Cougars, in abundance.
“It’s an indescribable feeling. Everybody’s scoring, everybody’s passing, everybody’s rebounding,” said Tyler Chiasson, who stuffed the stat sheet against the Andies to the tune of nine points, nine assists and six boards. “When you’ve got a team of best friends, you know what I mean? We’ve been through football. Look at our team.”
Yeah, look at them.
Look at Ross, a sixth man who could go two or three Mountain Valley Conference games without being noticed. All he did Saturday was knock down four 3-pointers and score a game-high 16 points.
Look at Crutchfield, a six-foot-nothing vacuum on the offensive boards. Scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half, too. Not like that kid has a flair for the dramatic or anything,
Look at Kyle Hutchinson and the 10 first-half points he put in the bank. Turned out to be heavy stuff when Livermore Falls made its inevitable run just before intermission,
Look at Tyler Gates, who seemed to get open and prevent a turnover every time Chiasson or Bolduc encountered trouble in the backcourt.
Look at their numbers. In an era where even uncontested shot making is a lost art, Dirigo shot 57 percent from the field and 88 percent from the line Saturday night.
“We stayed calm,” Crutchfield said. “They tried to rush a few shots, I think.”
For a gang of 17 and 18-year-old kids, the Cougars project themselves on and off the court as if they’re 25.
By the time they actually reach that milepost in life, their community will recall them in reverential tones. In a town and an athletic program where it isn’t easy to reach that level.
Kalle Oakes is a staff columnist. His email is [email protected].
You don’t need a long memory or a strong limb to declare Dirigo High School’s streak of 11 consecutive regional girls’ basketball titles (1995 to 2005) as the most ridiculous accomplishment in a Maine high school team sport, ever.
Just in case you were wondering, though, boys from Dixfield, Peru, Canton and Carthage play sports, too.
Twenty years down the information superhighway, there won’t be an entire wing of DeFoe Gymnasium devoted to the exploits of this era in Dirigo boys’ hoop.
Saturday night’s showing at Augusta Civic Center was “only” Dirigo’s fourth consecutive appearance in the Western Class C championship. Its 69-56 victory over Livermore Falls, infinitely tougher than the raw numbers make it look, is merely the Cougars’ second straight title.
Six nights from now, they’ll host a state final at Augusta Civic Center and try to bring home Dirigo’s first Gold Ball of the male persuasion since 1983.
Ho, hum.
“Football’s my love,” said basketball tournament MVP and football Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist Nic Crutchfield, “but it’s always nice to play for a Gold Ball.”
Crutchfield chatted, chewed and hugged well-wishers with all the shock, awe and hyperactivity of a guy who’d just won a rousing game of checkers.
And maybe that’s the secret.
Crutchfield, Tyler Chiasson, Kyle Hutchinson and Spencer Ross were part of an unbeaten Class C state champion football team last fall, never winning a game by fewer than 17 points.
One years ago, with Notre Dame-bound Tom Knight as the centerpiece, they dismissed Wiscasset with more than 3,000 partisans cheering or jeering.
They were one shot away from beating Calais in the state final.
Oh, and they aren’t bad at soccer and baseball, either.
“We’ve been together since we were little kids,” said Bolduc, who scored 12 second-half points and combined with Ross to slow Livermore Falls star Chandler White in the fourth quarter. “We’ve been here at the ACC three years as a team. When it comes down to it, we know what to expect. We have so much energy when we hit the floor.”
Watch this crop of Dirigo juniors and seniors play any sport and you can picture them eating too much pizza together, laughing at the same movie lines and finishing each other’s sentences.
The same court awareness and accountability to one another that propelled Edward Little and Richmond to their titles this week carried the Cougars, in abundance.
“It’s an indescribable feeling. Everybody’s scoring, everybody’s passing, everybody’s rebounding,” said Tyler Chiasson, who stuffed the stat sheet against the Andies to the tune of nine points, nine assists and six boards. “When you’ve got a team of best friends, you know what I mean? We’ve been through football. Look at our team.”
Yeah, look at them.
Look at Ross, a sixth man who could go two or three Mountain Valley Conference games without being noticed. All he did Saturday was knock down four 3-pointers and score a game-high 16 points.
Look at Crutchfield, a six-foot-nothing vacuum on the offensive boards. Scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half, too. Not like that kid has a flair for the dramatic or anything,
Look at Kyle Hutchinson and the 10 first-half points he put in the bank. Turned out to be heavy stuff when Livermore Falls made its inevitable run just before intermission,
Look at Tyler Gates, who seemed to get open and prevent a turnover every time Chiasson or Bolduc encountered trouble in the backcourt.
Look at their numbers. In an era where even uncontested shot making is a lost art, Dirigo shot 57 percent from the field and 88 percent from the line Saturday night.
“We stayed calm,” Crutchfield said. “They tried to rush a few shots, I think.”
For a gang of 17 and 18-year-old kids, the Cougars project themselves on and off the court as if they’re 25.
By the time they actually reach that milepost in life, their community will recall them in reverential tones. In a town and an athletic program where it isn’t easy to reach that level.
AUGUSTA – Chalk up another one for Title Town, the Tri-County Edition.
You don’t need a long memory or a strong limb to declare Dirigo High School’s streak of 11 consecutive regional girls’ basketball titles (1995 to 2005) as the most ridiculous accomplishment in a Maine high school team sport, ever.
Just in case you were wondering, though, boys from Dixfield, Peru, Canton and Carthage play sports, too.
Twenty years down the information superhighway, there won’t be an entire wing of DeFoe Gymnasium devoted to the exploits of this era in Dirigo boys’ hoop.
Saturday night’s showing at Augusta Civic Center was “only” Dirigo’s fourth consecutive appearance in the Western Class C championship. Its 69-56 victory over Livermore Falls, infinitely tougher than the raw numbers make it look, is merely the Cougars’ second straight title.
Six nights from now, they’ll host a state final at Augusta Civic Center and try to bring home Dirigo’s first Gold Ball of the male persuasion since 1983.
Ho, hum.
“Football’s my love,” said basketball tournament MVP and football Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist Nic Crutchfield, “but it’s always nice to play for a Gold Ball.”
Crutchfield chatted, chewed and hugged well-wishers with all the shock, awe and hyperactivity of a guy who’d just won a rousing game of checkers.
And maybe that’s the secret.
Crutchfield, Tyler Chiasson, Kyle Hutchinson and Spencer Ross were part of an unbeaten Class C state champion football team last fall, never winning a game by fewer than 17 points.
One years ago, with Notre Dame-bound Tom Knight as the centerpiece, they dismissed Wiscasset with more than 3,000 partisans cheering or jeering.
They were one shot away from beating Calais in the state final.
Oh, and they aren’t bad at soccer and baseball, either.
“We’ve been together since we were little kids,” said Bolduc, who scored 12 second-half points and combined with Ross to slow Livermore Falls star Chandler White in the fourth quarter. “We’ve been here at the ACC three years as a team. When it comes down to it, we know what to expect. We have so much energy when we hit the floor.”
Watch this crop of Dirigo juniors and seniors play any sport and you can picture them eating too much pizza together, laughing at the same movie lines and finishing each other’s sentences.
The same court awareness and accountability to one another that propelled Edward Little and Richmond to their titles this week carried the Cougars, in abundance.
“It’s an indescribable feeling. Everybody’s scoring, everybody’s passing, everybody’s rebounding,” said Tyler Chiasson, who stuffed the stat sheet against the Andies to the tune of nine points, nine assists and six boards. “When you’ve got a team of best friends, you know what I mean? We’ve been through football. Look at our team.”
Yeah, look at them.
Look at Ross, a sixth man who could go two or three Mountain Valley Conference games without being noticed. All he did Saturday was knock down four 3-pointers and score a game-high 16 points.
Look at Crutchfield, a six-foot-nothing vacuum on the offensive boards. Scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half, too. Not like that kid has a flair for the dramatic or anything,
Look at Kyle Hutchinson and the 10 first-half points he put in the bank. Turned out to be heavy stuff when Livermore Falls made its inevitable run just before intermission,
Look at Tyler Gates, who seemed to get open and prevent a turnover every time Chiasson or Bolduc encountered trouble in the backcourt.
Look at their numbers. In an era where even uncontested shot making is a lost art, Dirigo shot 57 percent from the field and 88 percent from the line Saturday night.
“We stayed calm,” Crutchfield said. “They tried to rush a few shots, I think.”
For a gang of 17 and 18-year-old kids, the Cougars project themselves on and off the court as if they’re 25.
By the time they actually reach that milepost in life, their community will recall them in reverential tones. In a town and an athletic program where it isn’t easy to reach that level.
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