Sports Editor
AUGUSTA — Winning a gold basketball is something every hoop fan dreams of from the time they first pick up a basketball and start shooting in their driveway.
So when the opportunity to win a state title not only for themselves, but for the first time in school history, the Fort Fairfield girls basketball team was not about to leave the Augusta Civic Center empty-handed. Fort Fairfield rallied from an 11-point, third quarter deficit to beat Greenville 67-59 Saturday to win the first gold ball for their school.
Fort Fairfield fans had plenty to cheer about Saturday at the Augusta Civic Center, as the Tiger girls were the winners of the Class D state basketball championship.
For seniors Courtney Churchill and Kelsie Wilson, winning the state title in their final high school basketball game was a storybook ending.
“Oh my God, this is unbelievable,” Churchill said. “I’m so ecstatic. I don’t know what to say.”
“I dreamed about it, but I never imagined this would happen,” Wilson said as she clutched the gold ball. “I knew we were good, but I think in my mind, a team that wins states is so much above the others. We are just an average team that works incredibly hard every game.”
For Wilson, the reality of the moment kicked in for her in the fourth quarter when the gold ball was brought out to the scorer’s table.
“When I saw them bring out the gold ball, I was like ‘I want that,’” Wilson said. “There was no way I was giving up at that point.”
Junior Brooke Beaulieu added that Saturday’s game was the culmination of all the hard work and energy the team has devoted to the sport over the past few seasons.
“This is what I’ve been dreaming of for the past three years,” Beaulieu said. “Our whole goal has been winning a gold ball. Words cannot even begin to describe it until you experience it for yourself.”
Sophomore Amanda Hotham, winning states in just her second season was beyond describing in words.
“It feels great,” said Hotham, holding the game ball that was presented to her by assistant coach Vaughn McLaughlin. “I’m speechless.”
The floor of the Augusta Civic Center was far different from the Bangor Auditorium, according to Hotham.
“When I first came out to practice on the floor, I was like ‘Whoa,’” she said. “The team thought the floor was much better than Bangor and the rim looked huge.”
With a week to prepare for the title game, the Tigers almost had too much time on their hands.
“Coach was so stressed this past week,” Wilson said.
“It was a tough week because we were not getting our focus,” coach Larry Gardner said. “After the Eastern Maine game, the girls were tired … I was tired. You’re back in school. We didn’t have a good practice all week. Probably our best practice was this morning here at the Civic Center. We were more relaxed and focused than I had seen them all week.”
