The season may be over, but it has been quite a ride for the Kane family.
The Mt. Blue High School girls basketball team fell off the pace in the fourth quarter of its Class A North quarterfinal against Gardiner Area High School on Friday at the Augusta Civic Center in a 43-35 loss to the Tigers. The defeat also marked the final time on the court for Cougars coach Gavin Kane and his three children.
“It’s been a tremendous experience,” Kane said. “I’ve always enjoyed sitting back and watching them play but I wouldn’t trade these last two years in for anything.”
Kane’s eldest daughter, Caitlin, was a senior on this season’s team while his youngest child, Chelsea, was a junior. Their brother, Connor, graduated in 2015 and was the team’s manager.
“It’s nice because even when you’re not home, you’re home,” said Caitlin Kane, who had 11 points against Gardiner and will continue her basketball career at Maine Maritime Academy. “They’re always there.”
Gavin Kane did not always get to watch his children play. He went from coaching at Dirigo High School to an assistant on Cindy Blodgett’s staff with the University of Maine women’s basketball team. Those years away has made these past few years that much more special.
“I’ve always gone off in different directions. When I was coaching UMaine, I saw very little of my kids during those two years and then I was at Spruce Mountain for three years.
“…Just to be able to have our family together at the gym for practices and games has been a blessing for us.”
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While Sophie Holmes and McKenna Brodeur combined for 49 points for Messalonskee in the Eagles’ 64-44 win over Waterville, the work of sophomore guard Ally Turner should not be overlooked.
When the 5-foot-10 Turner was on the court, the Eagles offense found its rhythm. When Turner was on the bench in foul trouble in the third quarter, Messalonskee struggled with turnovers.
“She handles the ball so well. She really limits other teams’ abilities to turn us over, just because how crafty she is. She’s long, she’s tall, and she can do so many things,” Messalonskee coach Keith Derosby said. “She’s a tough matchup. When she’s on the floor, the decisions are a little cleaner, the passes are a little better. She’s been steady for us all year.”
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A win for his alma mater was a loss for Rob Rodrigue on Friday.
Rodrigue serves as the head coach of the Waterville Senior High School girls basketball team, but is also a Messalonskee High graduate. Friday his Purple Panthers were no match for the Eagles, as Messalonskee rolled to a 64-44 win at the Augusta Civic Center in a Class A North quarterfinal contest.
“It’s tough,” said Rodrigue, who has been a special education teacher at Messalonskee Middle School for 13 years. “You want them to be successful but at the same time I’m also over at Waterville as the basketball coach so we want to beat them as bad as we want to beat everyone else.”
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