Houlton opens boys hoop post

Applications are being taken for Houlton’s boys varsity basketball head coaching position, the same one longtime Houlton resident Jerry Adams has held for the last six years.

In wake of the recent decision by the SAD 29 school board to throw open Adams’ position and conduct a wider than usual search for the best possible basketball coaching candidate, resumes are being solicited and evaluated, although the search is still in its early stages.

Houlton’s coaching positions are treated as one-year appointments which must be approved annually. In light of a season in which the Shiretowners struggled with a 7-11 record and had some distractions on and off the court – including a late December game at Ellsworth High School in which some Houlton players overreacted to taunting from the crowd, prompting referees to issue technical fouls to those players. Several players were either removed or suspended from the team after that game.

In addition to widening the search, school principal Michael Chadwick offered several recommendations to promote better communication, cooperation, respect and responsibility among and by members of the program.

“We’ve haven’t interviewed anyone yet. We likely won’t be doing that until May, but there’s no deadline. We’d like to get it done before summer in case someone wants to get the summer basketball program set up,” said Houlton athletic director Wayne Quint, who along with Chadwick and school superintendent David Wiggin, will make up the committee to select the coach.

Quint was unable to say for sure whether Adams has or will be re-applying for his job.

“I assume he will, but I don’t know that,” he said.

“At this time, I don’t have any comment,” said Adams, when asked about his interest in retaining his position.

Adams has coached the Shiretowners to five Eastern Maine tournament appearances at the Bangor Auditorium in six seasons while compiling a 74-45 record.

Kents Hill corrals Potter

Former Bowdoin College All-American hockey player Kevin Potter has been named the new boys varsity hockey coach and associate director of admissions at Kents Hill School.

Potter, who has led the North Yarmouth Academy program to two state titles and 10 postseason appearances in 12 seasons, will also be giving up his position as NYA’s athletic director. Maine’s coach of the year in 1996 also serves as head coach of the USA Hockey Select 16’s, a New England team made up of some of the best 16-year-olds in the northeast.

The 1989 Bowdoin graduate joins Kents Hill’s staff on the heels of the school’s grand opening of the new $6.4 million Alfond Athletics Center last fall. The Huskies’ new facility comprises a hockey rink, dual court basketball arena, fitness center and locker room.

Kents Hill, a private school whose teams compete in the Western Maine Class D ranks, enrolls 250 students from 19 states and 19 counties.

MPA honors Bureau

Longtime high school and college ice hockey official Norm Bureau was recently honored by the Maine Principals’ Association for his long association with high school sports.

Bureau, a Waterville native now living in Lewiston, was a high school and college hockey official from 1955 until the early 1980’s. He also served as the state assigner of officials for five years before retiring completely in 1990.

“I figured it was time to get out and let somebody else do it, but I really enjoyed my time with Maine hockey,” Bureau said. “I even reffed the first game Maine played at Alfond Arena after it opened. I’ve had a lot of fun with it.”

In fact, until about 10 years ago, the 70-year-old Bureau was still involved in hockey as an active player in an area men’s league.

Andrew Neff’s high school report is published each Wednesday. He can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600 or aneff@bangordailynews.net.