Well folks, that’s it. Just like that, another basketball season has come and gone. Though players may be putting their sneakers in storage for a few months, and coaches are hanging up the clipboard until next season, it’s hard not to think back at just how special a season it was.
The Deer Isle girls went 16-0 on the regular season. That’s on top of a 16-0 record last year. Even though they didn’t reach the ultimate goal of bringing home a title, that’s 32-0. These kids haven’t lost a regular season game since 2017.
I got to really watch these girls play over tournament week, and it was obvious, watching them on the court, that the sense of family is strong with this team. They rallied behind each other, and never gave up until the final buzzer sounded in the regional finals. They impressed me, and I think even surprised a few people by getting to where they did.
Their fans were anything but surprised, and if half the island wasn’t in those stands cheering Saturday morning, I’ll eat my media pass.
While the perfect season came to an end for the Mariners, so too did the Class C reign for the George Stevens Academy boys basketball team. After back-to-back-to-back state championships in 2016, 2017 and 2018, the Eagles were stunned in a regional finals loss to Houlton. And while the record books will say that in 2019, the George Stevens Academy Eagles did not win a state championship, we cannot forget everything these young men have accomplished over the last four years. Top three finishes in the Class C North regular season standings, 15-1 in the post season and 82-6 overall in the last four seasons.
For me, this was the first season since moving here in late 2015 that I have not watched the Eagles take home a gold ball. I have watched them play a regional final four times. I have watched these kids celebrate success on the Cross Insurance Center floor 14 times. I have seen the success that comes from having a coaching team as in sync as Dwayne Carter and Matt Mattson. So, perhaps it is the end of a streak that, admittedly, I wasn’t quite ready to see end, but as a pure fan of the game of basketball, and particularly Maine high school basketball, it has been a privilege to watch what this team has done.
It’s cold outside, there’s still some snow on the ground, but keep heart, fellow sports fans. Baseball, softball, tennis and track are all on the horizon.