Fri, 01/28/2022 - 12:39

KEVIN BURNHAM

Corey Pottle shoots from the lane during the quarterfinal game against Sacopee Valley at the Augusta Civic Center. Pottle, a senior, and his teammates were upset by the Hawks and their season ended abruptly. File photo

Porter Memorial Gymnasium was usually packed for a basketball game in February 1997. File photo

The BRHS student body gets into the game. File photo

Allen Lee minds the PA system during the game. File photo

Announcers for the local cable TV station, from left, Neal Verge, Gary Arsenault and Elliot Chick. File photo

Derek Averill minds the TV camera. File photo

Referee Walt Gorneau, former Seahawk coach, reports a foul. File photo

Assistant coach Dennis Rice talks about a play as Erik Morrison listens. File photo

Coach I.J. Pinkham directs traffic. File photo

Clayton Pottle and Lee Lorrain help at the concession stand. File photo

Ricky Grant cheers on the Seahawks with other familiar faces standing in the crowd. File photo

Merritt Grover joins TV announcers Neal Verge and Gary Arsenault. File photo

Tom and Ben Nickerson’s sign which was erected outside the Boothbay fire station before the tournament. File photo

The BRHS cheerleaders perform during a timeout. File photo

Girls coach Lauren Brown counsels Lisa Arsenault. File photo

Future Seahawk star basketball players Ian McConnell and Emily Harrison. Here they hold Busline League free throw contest trophies. McConnell won the boys contest (shooting 20 for 20) and Harrison took second place (shooting 16 for 20). File photo

Barbara Grover sports a tournament-ready T-shirt. File photo

Grover’s Hardware salutes the Wildcats’ perfect seasons.

Porter Memorial Gymnasium was usually packed for a basketball game in February 1997. File photo

The BRHS student body gets into the game. File photo

Allen Lee minds the PA system during the game. File photo

Announcers for the local cable TV station, from left, Neal Verge, Gary Arsenault and Elliot Chick. File photo

Derek Averill minds the TV camera. File photo

Referee Walt Gorneau, former Seahawk coach, reports a foul. File photo

Assistant coach Dennis Rice talks about a play as Erik Morrison listens. File photo

Coach I.J. Pinkham directs traffic. File photo

Clayton Pottle and Lee Lorrain help at the concession stand. File photo

Ricky Grant cheers on the Seahawks with other familiar faces standing in the crowd. File photo

Merritt Grover joins TV announcers Neal Verge and Gary Arsenault. File photo

Tom and Ben Nickerson’s sign which was erected outside the Boothbay fire station before the tournament. File photo

The BRHS cheerleaders perform during a timeout. File photo

Girls coach Lauren Brown counsels Lisa Arsenault. File photo

Barbara Grover sports a tournament-ready T-shirt. File photo

Grover’s Hardware salutes the Wildcats’ perfect seasons.

Seahawk and Wildcat basketball fans turned out in big numbers for home games during the 1996-1997 season. The varsity boys went to Augusta for the state tournament with an 18-0 record – but in one of the big upsets in tournament history, the top-seeded Seahawks were shocked by eighth-seeded Sacopee Valley, 56-54. Boothbay had a cold shooting night from the floor (and only four of 10 from the foul line in the final quarter), making only 22 of 55 shots while “Shockapee” shot 22 of 41 from the floor, according to Register sports reporter Keith Alley.

Better days would come, however, as the Boothbay Region Middle School Wildcats, featuring members of the 2001 state champion Seahawks, won the Busline League title for the second straight year, going undefeated both seasons. In 1997, BRMS took the title with a 62-49 victory over Camden.

Here we feature photos of some of the fans, players, coaches, cheerleaders and announcers from February 1997, as taken by John Edwards and Kevin Burnham.