Eastern Maine Tournament basketball and the Bangor Auditorium are now indelibly etched into the Rollins family tree.

Katie Rollins had already begun writing a successful second chapter in her family’s basketball book this season. The 6-foot-2 center not only made an already deep and talented Cony lineup as a freshman, she became a starter.

Saturday, she scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds to help lead the Cony girls to their seventh – and the Rollins family’s third – Eastern Maine championship in the last 30 years.

You see, late winter trips to Bangor and long stays at the Auditorium, are becoming a tradition for the Rollins’. Katie’s father Dave was a star player for the Cony boys who led the Rams to back-to-back East titles in 1972 and 1973 and the ’73 Class A state title.

“That was a few pounds ago,” Dave Rollins said with a laugh after wrapping his daughter in a big postgame bear hug. “This brings back a lot of memories, a lot of emotions, and it’s a lot of fun. I don’t think I’m in shape to wear a jersey again, but I’m enjoying this just as much.”

One of Rollins’ teammates on those great boys teams was Paul Vachon, who’s known better these days as coach of Cony’s powerhouse girls team.

“David was a great player. He was recruited by a lot of teams in the country. As big as he was, he also played guard with me,” said Vachon, who grew up with Rollins.

In fact, Rollins, who is now a full-time substitute teacher and varsity baseball coach for the Hall-Dale school system, played center, forward, and guard for the Rams.

Katie probably won’t match that feat, but she has a good chance of earning family bragging rights.

“I was fortunate enough to play 11 times here in the Auditorium, but if she keeps going, she’ll play more than that with coach Vachon’s program,” said Dave Rollins, who has spent a lot of time with his daughter on the court.

“He started me when I was really young and helped me along,” said Katie Rollins. “He’s gone shooting with me on Saturdays. He’s always helped me and supported me along the way and I love him to death for it.”

Her father’s tutelage has obviously been beneficial to Katie, who also credits her mother Jan for helping her despite not being a sports fan.

Jan Rollins, who grew up in Portsmouth, N.H., and lived and worked several years in Maine, is the main reason Katie’s attending her father’s alma mater. She and Dave moved to Massachusetts, but came back when Katie was born because she wanted to raise their only child in Maine – luckily for Vachon.

“Obviously, Katie’s been well taught. What she has is great hands, great footwork, and she’s really cool. … But that might be her mom’s influence,” Vachon said with a chuckle. “She doesn’t get frustrated and plays big in big games. Katie is a student of the game. She loves to play and her parents are very proud of her.”

Foss family appreciates support

Perhaps no team had it harder this winter than the Nokomis girls, who had to deal with the death of junior guard Mandi Foss in December.

Foss’ father, Rick Foss, has been touched by the outpouring of support for the Warriors from fans and teams around the state who sent condolences.

“It was awesome,” Foss said after Nokomis fell to Cony of Augusta in Saturday’s Eastern Maine title game. “It really touches your heart, seeing all the support for Mandi. It’s been nice.”

Foss said he’s been to many of the Warriors’ games this season.

“It was hard the first game but after that it’s been good,” he said. “It’s nice to see all the support from everyone.”

The team had Foss in their thoughts all season – the Warriors had stitched an angel halo on their uniforms, and also kept a teddy bear on the bench, which they kissed as they were introduced. Fans who attended tourney games at the Bangor Auditorium posted and waved signs that read “All for Mandi” and Foss’ name was read during the postgame ceremony in which the Warriors received their runner-up medals and plaque.

Black Bears cheer on alma maters

They used to be college teammates, but when their old high school squads met for the Eastern Maine girls basketball championship Saturday night, former University of Maine standouts Amy Vachon and Kelly Bowman weren’t about to sit together.

Bowman is a 1995 graduate of Nokomis High in Newport. Vachon is a 1996 graduate of Cony High in Augusta, the daughter of Rams coach Paul Vachon and the sister of current Cony sophomore guard Adam Vachon.

Bowman wore a gray Nokomis sweatshirt with red lettering; Vachon was clad in a red Cony sweatshirt with white lettering.

“I’m not saying anything. No predictions,” Bowman said with a laugh before the game at the Bangor Auditorium. “We’re just both hoping that our teams play well and that’s the important thing. The outcome doesn’t really affect us.”

Bowman amended that.

“Well, actually, you have to go home with your dad,” she said, eliciting a laugh from Vachon.

“That’s true,” Vachon responded.

Amy Vachon, who coached the Waterville girls basketball team in the 2000-01 season, is a graduate student at the University of North Carolina and will have a degree in school counseling this July.

Bowman is married and teaching fifth- and sixth-graders in Pittsfield. She also coached an eighth- grade girls basketball team in Pittsfield.

“My team made tremendous improvements from last season,” Bowman said. “We won some games.”

Current UMaine player and Cony graduate Julie Veilleux also took in the game Saturday night. Veilleux played on Cony’s last state championship team (1998).

From the court to the bench

Brunswick boys coach Todd Hanson was no stranger to an Eastern Maine basketball title game, although his Dragons were.

Hanson was a senior starter who helped lead Waterville to the 1985 Class A state title as a point guard.

After coaching Brunswick to its first-ever regional hoops title, he said it’s a lot easier – nerve-wise – as a player.

“Kids always ask me if I’m ready and I say, ‘If I could play, I’d feel a lot better,'” Hanson said.

“There’s much more responsibility as a coach, but as a point guard, you have some responsibility as well, so I think that’s served me well as a coach,” he added.

Fashion statement

The last few times Cony of Augusta boys coach Bruce Hunt has brought his Rams to the Eastern Maine tourney, the coaching staff and players wore a different style of pre- and postgame dress.

Staffers were outfitted in matching long-sleeve red sweaters that resemble the ones Bobby Knight was known for wearing at Indiana while the players wore warmup suits featuring long-sleeve shooting shirts and buttoned, breakaway long pants.

“We went with travel gear for the kids the last couple years, but they started to look really sloppy in it, so we decided to go first class all the way, and if the kids have to look good, the coaches have to put the ties on, too,” Hunt explained.

This year, Hunt decided a change of fashion was in order, so coaches and players alike went with dress shirts, ties, and coats. The new style coincides with Cony’s deepest tournament run in 20 years. Coincidence?

“I’m not sure, but I guess I’ll have to stay with it now,” Hunt said with a laugh. “My wife’s already set to add to my wardrobe.”