Shires break into win column against Hawks

    In a Class C clash, the Shiretowners edged cross town rivals Hodgdon, 55-52 last Wednesday at Houlton’s Alumni Gymnasium.
    “I am very pleased with how the boys played,” said Houlton coach Mike Fogarty. “We actually came out and competed.”
    It was freshman Nick Guiod who led Houlton’s offense with 20 points, including two 3-pointers.
    “We needed to get out on Nick Guiod. He was knocking down big shots for a freshman from three or four feet behind the 3-point line,” said Hodgdon coach Robbie Smith.
Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
IN THE OPEN — Hodgdon’s Nick Lunn sprints to the hoop during last Wednesday night’s game against host Houlton. The Shiretowners held off the Hawks for a 55-52 win.
    The Shires opened the game with an 11-7 lead, extending it to 29-18 at halftime.
    “The Houlton-Hodgdon game is always exciting,” Fogarty said. “Emotions are high even before the ball is tossed in the air. We did a nice job in converting on some of the turnovers our defense created. We were fortunate enough to have built a comfortable lead to hold on to.”
    With Houlton facing some foul trouble, starters had to watch from the bench.
    “Fouls have not been an issue so far this season,” explained Fogarty. “I attribute [the fouls this game] to the boys being more aggressive, which in itself is not a bad thing. We just need to play a little smarter so we don’t pick up some cheap fouls early in the game.”
    Smith said his players just didn’t show up offensively through the first three quarters of the game.
    “We did not get a lot of shots off and when we did, we either forced them or the ones we made were off steals,” he said. “Free throws in the first half would of helped keep us in the game, but we were 7-of-15 from the line.”
    Knowing that “free throws win and lose close games,” Smith noted how true that statement is from the first half to the second. The Hawks were 8-for-18 from the line in the second half of play. However, shooting only 39 percent (13-for-33) from the line was costly.
    The Shires seemed to be in control after three quarters leading 41-25.
    “In the first three quarters, we were down anywhere from 3 to 16,” Smith said. But, the Hawks didn’t fold, as they made a fourth-quarter comeback bid, outscoring Houlton 27-14 down the stretch.
    “Hodgdon did not give up,” Fogarty said. “They kept working hard to keep themselves in the game.”
    “At the end of the third, the team had to make up their mind if they were going to lay down or keep playing,” Smith explained. “These Hawks decided to play and show up for the fourth quarter.”
    Smith explained his players began hitting shots that weren’t falling earlier in the game, while also attacking the inside and they took the ball to the hole more drawing fouls on Houlton’s players. Defensively, Smith said his players “stepped it up” and started forcing turnovers, while making Houlton force some shots of their own.
Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
GOOD LOOK — Houlton’s Doug Dickison shakes free of Hodgdon’s Devon Logie for a good look at the rim during last Wednesday’s game in Houlton.
    “We were now getting a hand in their face and challenging shots,” said Smith of his team’s rally.
    Leading the way offensively for the Hawks down the stretch were Josh Hudson with 10 points, along with Nick Lunn and Devon Logie’s seven points apiece.
    “We cannot be a one-quarter team,” Smith said. “We have to play a full four quarters. When we start to play for four quarters, we will put the points on the board. We also need to play defense for four quarters. We have started to break down the games into one quarter at a time. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, I told the team ‘let’s win one quarter.’ We did and it doubled our score.”
    Late in the game, the Hawks had a chance to tie the game, but they couldn’t convert.
    “We did not get a good look at the basket,” said Smith. “I am just proud of these boys for not giving up. They fought their way back into a game and made a quiet gym turn loud in the last eight minutes. I was excited to see both sides cheering and getting into the game. It was a rivalry game and I think it lived up to the Houlton-Hodgdon rivalry.”
    Fogarty is hoping this win instills more confidence in his players and carries over.
    Adding to Houlton’s offense push was Doug Dickison who netted 13 points and Elyjah Crockett added 10 more.
    For the Hawks, Hudson scored a game-high 22 points, while Lunn knocked down 15 points and Logie added seven points, all in the fourth.
    Last Monday, the Shiretowners played close to the visiting Schenck Wolverines, but couldn’t overcome the defending Class C state champs, who won 58-43.
    The Shires had a 13-12 first-quarter lead only to see it dissolve to a 26-18 halftime deficit. In the third, the Houlton boys were within three points, 35-32, but in the final quarter, Schenck more than doubled Houlton’s offense, outscoring them 23-11.
Pioneer Times photograph/Joseph Cyr
FOCUSED — Hodgdon’s Josh Hudson keeps focused on the hoop as Houlton’s Micah Goetsch races by.
    Guiod once again paced Houlton’s offense with 13 points, while Micah Goetsch added nine; Chris Anderson eight points and Crockett six.
    Last Thursday, the Shiretowners were routed 56-17 by host Stearns, which jumped to a 16-2 opening-quarter lead and cruised. At halftime, Houlton trailed 32-13 and they were held scoreless in the third.
    Guiod again was Houlton’s lead scorer with just six points, while Dickison and Zach Harvey each chipped in with five points.