Special to The Star-Herald
The decade of the 70’s was an excellent one for the Wildcats. During a ten year span the local team qualified for the Eastern Maine Class ‘A’ tournament eight times including six consecutive years from 1974-1979. Varsity boys coaches during the era were Gary Osgood (1969-1971), Sterling LeBlanc (1972-75) and Bob Beaulieu (1976-79). Osgood amassed a regular season record of 45-9, LeBlanc 37-35 and Beaulieu 53-11.
1969-70
The 69-70 Wildcats finished the season with a 14-4 record, good enough for a fourth place seed in the EM Tournament. Key players for the Wildcats were veteran Andy Packard, 6’6” Mark Tuttle, Steve Condon, Bill Angelos, Bill Fox, Pat Robertson, and Chuck Hilsabeck. The Wildcats met the Caribou Vikings in the opening game and used solid defensive play, strong rebounding to a 76-51 win. Presque Isle blew the game open in the third period behind Condon, Angelos and Tuttle and took a 50-31 lead going into the fourth quarter. The Wildcats were led offensively by Andy Packard, who despite foul trouble tallied 21 points; he was followed by Tuttle with 19, Angelos 17, and Steve Condon with 12. Packard and Tuttle virtually controlled the rebounding action on both ends of the court while Angelos, Fox and Robertson turned in outstanding defensive games.
The Wildcats took on number one Stearns in the semifinal in front of a capacity crowd at the Bangor Auditorium in what many thought was the most exciting game of the season. Both teams came out very aggressively, and Presque Isle jumped out to an early lead. The locals received a severe setback when Packard fell to the floor in heavy rebounding under the basket with a severely sprained ankle with just 30 seconds left in the quarter. Despite the absence of Packard (who returned near the end of the 2nd quarter) and the hot shooting of Stearns, the Wildcat players picked up the slack and kept the game close with neither team enjoying more that a three point lead. With less than a minute and a half to play in the game and Stearns leading 63-60, the Wildcats controlled a jump ball and Steve Condon converted to make the score 63-62. The last 43 seconds saw Presque Isle put up several desperate attempts, but the basket seemed to have a cover on it. Stearns held on to win 63-62 and move on to the semi-finals. Condon played an outstanding game and led the offense with 20 points; Tuttle was again strong off the boards and fired in 18 points while Andy Packard hampered his injury scored 15 points. All-State selections were Andy Packard –second team, Steve Condon – third team and Mark Tuttle – honorable mention.
1970-71
The 1970-71 team with a veteran line-up closed out the season with a 17-1 record, good enough to be ranked number two in Eastern Maine and was pre-tourney favorites along with Bangor and Cony. The team featured size, scoring, ball handling and a strong defense. With Steve Condon and Bill Angelos the Wildcats had one of the best backcourts in the state. Condon was thought to be one of the best all-around guards in Maine. Up front the locals were strong with 6’6” Mark Tuttle and 6’4” Ted Ireland. Bill Fox and Chuck Hilsabeck alternated starting assignments throughout most of the season. When the club was hit with injuries early in the season, Bob Fitzgerald and Bill Kilpatrick came off the bench and stood out in several early season victories.
Presque Isle had to ward off a fired up Fort Kent team playing in their first tournament since 1934 in the quarter finals. The Warriors carried the battle to the locals for three periods before superior height took its toll to give the Wildcats a 73 to 60 victory. Steve Condon with 19 points and Tuttle with 16 points paced the team in their opening round win. Angelos and Fox also turned in clutch performances with 11 and 10 points respectively. The Wildcats faced the Cony Rams in the semi-final in what turned out to be a pressure packed game. In the final minute of the third period Angelos hit three consecutive hoops to put Presque Isle on top 52-49. Tuttle had already fouled out and Condon fouled out on the first play of the fourth period. The Wildcat bench teaming with Fox, Ireland and Angelos took over. These three, along with Bob Fitzgerald and Chuck Hilsabeck, dazzled the Rams with some fancy ball-handling setting up easy lay-ups as the Wildcats blew it open. Angelos led the scoring with 19 points, Tuttle netted 14 and a bundle of rebounds, Condon hit for 12, Ireland 11, while Fox and Hilsabeck contributed 6 points and sparkling defensive work.
The Wildcats met Lawrence in the Eastern Maine Final and the two teams battled on even terms at the end of the first quarter 18-18. During the second period Tuttle and Ireland controlled the boards and the locals took a 38 to 31 lead at half time. In the third period the Wildcats virtually put the game out of reach, displaying a smooth floor game and balanced scoring. The Wildcats outscored the Bulldogs 21 to 9 during the period to take a twenty point lead 59 to 39, going into the final period. The Wildcats went on to win the game 74-59. Steve Condon sent the crowd home talking with his dazzling ball handling and 27 point performance. Tuttle turned in another fine tournament performance with 14 points and a host of rebounds. Bill Fox struck for 12 points to go along with his usual fine defensive game and Bill Angelos contributed 11 points.
The Cats faced a very good South Portland team in the State Final at the Bangor Auditorium. The championship game was played in front of more than 5,000 fans. The Wildcats gave it everything they had but encountered some rugged defensive play and rebounding which slowed their usual high scoring offense and lost 55 to 53. The “Wildcats” were led by Steve Condon’s 16 points and Mark Tuttle’s 15 plus a strong performance off the boards. The Presque Isle team was welcomed home by some 2000 fans. There was a giant parade and ceremonies in the high school gymnasium. All-state selections were Steve Condon – First team, Mark Tuttle – Third team and Bill Angelo’s honorable mention. Coach Osgood resigned his coaching and teaching positions at the end of the 1971 season and assumed a new position at Lee Academy.
1971-72
Sterling LeBlanc was the new head coach for the 1971-72 Wildcats. He had inherited a team that had lost a large number of significant players the previous season. There were a number of seasoned veterans returning like Chuck Hilsabeck, Ted Ireland, Bill Garland, Randy Norsworthy, Steve Wile and Joe Bouchard. The Wildcats finished the season with a record of 5-13 and in 14th place in the Heal Point ratings. This was the worse record in many years for a Presque Isle High School basketball team. The team was led offensively by Hilsabeck, Norsworthy, Ireland, Garland and Rusty Hansen. Hilsabeck was named to the second team All-Aroostook squad.
The 1973 campaign saw a young team who were led by veterans Randy Norsworthy, Russ Hansen, Joe Bouchard. The Wildcats had a season very similar to the previous won concluding with a record of 5-13 and in 16th place. The team did improve tremendously during the season but because of a lack of experience could not hold on to leads late in the game. They ended their season with an impressive 80-59 win over Old Town in the Canoe City. Clark Fasching led the Cats with 22 points, Norsworthy 19, Bob Palmer had 14 points and a host or rebounds, and Matt Stevens was also in double figures. The Wildcats average 71.5 ppg and allowed opposition 60 ppg. Norsworthy led the team in scoring with 330 points on the season, Bob Palmer 265 points and Ron Carter had 211. Russ Hansen, Joe Bouchard and Matt Stevens all contributed effectively during the season.
1973
The 1973 season saw the return of girl’s basketball at PIHS after a four year absence. The athletic department decided to resurrect the sport since most high schools in the area had teams. The team finished the season at 0-10. According to Coach Terry Condon this was a young team with very little experience but they did show improvement as the season progressed. The team consisted of: Mary Jane Graves, Karen Forbes, Judy Turner, Connie Michaud, Gabrielle Martin Sue Wentworth, Debbie Dean, Cathy Cray, Kathy McPherson, Theresa Underwood, Sherry Cleaves, Lindy Lynch and Michelle Dunn was manager. Leading scorer for the Wildcats was Judy Turner while Mary Jane Graves was the most improved player.
1974
The 1974 basketball team entered the tournament after a two year absence. Coached by Sterling LeBlanc, the team compiled a 13-5 record during the regular season and entered the tournament in sixth place. The Wildcats averaged 71.5 points per game while holding opponents to 60 points. Randy Norsworthy averaged better than 18. points per game, Bob Palmer nearly 14 ppg, Ron Carter 11 ppg.
The Wildcats took on the number three rated Lawrence Bulldogs in the quarter-finals. The game was an evenly matched contest with neither team able to secure a comfortable lead. The Cats were plagued by foul trouble late in the game when Bob Palmer fouled out and Randy Norsworthy had to play with four fouls. With one second left in the game, Lawrence converted two free throws to seal the 70 to 67 win. The Wildcats displayed balanced scoring with Randy Norsworthy leading the way with 16, Ron Carter 13, Palmer 12 and Joey Bouchard 11. Lawrence went on to win the Eastern Maine Championship. Randy Norsworthy was an All-State honorable mention selection.
1975
The 1975 season saw the Wildcats go 14 and 4 and finish fourth in the Heal Point Ratings. Randy Norsworthy led the team in scoring with an 18.5 ppg and 8.6 rebounds per game. Ron Carter average 12.6 ppg, Scott Carlin 11 ppg and Steve Lamoreau 10.9 ppg and 8.5 rpg. The Wildcats took on five seed Cony Rams of Augusta. The two teams were evenly matched, however Presque Isle built a ten point lead in the second quarter but then the Rams began intercepting wildcat passes and ran of 8 straight points and the game was close the rest of the way. Cony took a two point lead early in the fourth quarter and held on to win 59 to 56. Randy Norsworthy provided another fine all-around performance and scored 20 points. Steve Lamoreau played one of his best games, scoring 16 points and hauling down a number of rebounds. The Caribou Vikings defeated Cony in the Eastern Maine Final 65 to 57 to wind the Class A Championship. Randy Norsworthy was selected to the All-State second team.
1976
In 1976 the Wildcats played to a 13 and 5 record and earned the number five seed in the Eastern Maine Tournament. During the season the Wildcats were paced by Scott Carlin’s 17.8 ppg, Dave Steele’s 12.9 ppg and 10 rpg, and John Richardson’s 11.2 ppg. and Mike Goslin’s 9.3 ppg. Presque Isle drew Brewer, the number four seed in the quarter-finals. Early in the second quarter Presque Isle took an 18 to 10 lead only to have the Witches fight back and trail by only three 23 to 20 at half time. The third period eventually determined the outcome of the game; Presque Isle was only able to come up with six points while Brewer put 15 on the board. The Wildcats could not overcome their offensive woes (shooting 22% from the floor in the 2nd half) and lost to Brewer 51 to 47. Dave Steele was the only Presque Isle player to reach double figures, scoring 16 points and pulling down a bushel of rebounds.
1977
The 1977 season saw a youthful Wildcat team enjoy another successful season. During the regular season they finished with an 11-5 record and a sixth place finish in the Heal point ratings. The Wildcats average 58.1 ppg and allowed 51.4 ppg. Leading scores for the team were Roger Waldron with 13.7 ppg, Eric Wieder 11.7, John Dean 11.2, John Richardson 10.7 and Steve Thompson 10 ppg. It did not appear that the Wildcats would make it to the tournament but thanks to two big wins near the end of the season (PI 50 Bangor 48 and PI 71 Caribou 54) they finished in the sixth spot. The Cats took on number three seed Nokomis of Newport. The Wildcats built a an 11 point lead in the first quarter only to have Nokomis to come back and make it a four point game at the end of the first period. Nokomis too a two point lead in the second quarter and controlled the remainder of the game coming away with a 78-71 victory. John Dean had one of his finest nights scoring 21 while Roger Waldron used a hot hand for his 21 points. Jeff Norsworthy had a strong game scoring 14 points while filling in for Steve Thompson.
1978
The 1978 team finished their season undefeated at 16-0 and earned the number one seed and the honor of being the only undefeated Class A team in the State. The Wildcats were a well balanced team led by: Steve Thompson 13 ppg & 10.8 rpg, Erick Wieder 11.9 ppg & 13.6 rpg, Jeff Norsworthy 11.3 ppg, Roger Waldron 11 ppg and John Dean 8.1 ppg & 7.7 rpg. The Wildcats drew eighth seeded Winslow in their first round game of the tournament. The Cats put to rest a four year, first round Eastern Maine tournament jinx by grabbing a 56 to 48 victory over the Winslow Black Raiders. Presque Isle shot 85 % from the free throw line going 18 for 21. Presque was led by John Dean’s 20 points, Roger Waldron with 16 and Eric Wieder with 10 and a strong game under the boards. The Wildcats faced Mount Desert Island in the semi-final. The Cats led throughout the game but could not nail down the win until well in the fourth quarter and eventually secured a 61-51 win. Roger Waldron let the attack with 15 points, Eric Wieder 14 points and 12 rebounds, Jeff Norsworthy 11 points and Steve Thompson 10.
The win over MDI propelled the Wildcats into the EM Final against the Cony Rams of Augusta. The game was an even contest into the second quarter when Presque Isle tied the score at 23. Cony’s pressing defense and Presque Isle’s cold shooting proved to be their undoing as Cony went on a 16-0 run and an 87 to 59 victory. Cony’s Towle had 38 points in the game for a three game total of 101 points. For Presque Isle Jeff Norsworthy had 14, Eric Wieder 11 and John Dean added 11. Cony went on to win the State and New England Championships. All-State selections were John Dean – Second team, Eric Wieder and Roger Waldron honorable mentions.
1979
The 1979 boys team was another powerful squad that gave local fans much to cheer about. With plenty of veterans headed by 6’5”, 200 lb. Eric Wieder, 6’5” Steve Thompson, 5’8” point guard Peter Norsworthy, 6’0” Dan Bouchard and James Waldron a junior guard. Other players who saw regular action off the bench were Tim Olore and Hal Stewart. The Wildcats finished the 1978-79 season with a 13-1 record and a second place finish in Eastern Maine Class ‘A’. Wieder was a dominant force inside averaging 19.9 ppg and 14.3 rebounds per game. He was followed by Steve Thompson 15.3 ppg and 9.4 rpg and excellent guard Peter Norsworthy at 14 ppg. The team was coached by Bob Beaulieu who was in his last year as head coach and had an impressive regular season record of 53 and 11.
The “Wildcats” defeated Lawrence in the quarter-finals 77 to 64. Led by Wieder’s 19 points and 18 rebounds, the Cats overpowered Lawrence. Wieder had plenty of help however as Thompson, who played a fine game, came up with 24 points and the ever so smooth Norsworthy added 23. Waldron and Bouchard also contributed effectively from their positions.
In the semifinal contest the “Cats” took on number six rated Waterville Panthers. Playing perhaps their finest game of the season the Wildcats outclassed the Panthers 86-62. Presque Isle controlled the game from the opening tap and in the second quarter went on a 22 to 6 run to lead at half time 48-22. The Wildcats continued their onslaught in the third period, leading 69-40 at the end of three. Wieder scoring from inside and out had 29 points, while Thompson doing a great job on the inside controlling the boards had 20 points. Norsworthy tallied 19 points while Jim Waldron scored 13 and Dan Bouchard played his usual solid game.
In the Eastern Maine Championship game the Cats ran into the upset-minded MDI Trojans who came in the tournament ranked fifth but upset the numbers four and one seeds to advance to the finals. Though leading all the way it was not an easy game for the locals. PI jumped out to an early 14-0 lead, but the Trojans battled back in the second quarter and cut the lead to five 31-26. The Trojans could get no closer in the second half, and Presque Isle went on to win the Championship 68-56. They controlled the boards, especially with Wieder in the line-up. The 6’5” center scored 23 points despite sitting out much of the third quarter with foul trouble. Thompson, Waldron and Norsworthy connected for 13 points to provide the team with excellent balance. Wieder, Thompson and Norsworthy were selected to the All-tournament first team, while James Waldron earned an honorable mention. In the three tourney games Wieder averaged 24 ppg, Thompson 19 ppg and Norsworthy 18 ppg.
The Wildcats met South Portland’s powerful Red Riots in the State Championship game and despite a strong effort were unable to contain the Western Maine Champions. The Red Riots were able to effectively bottle up Wieder who fouled out of the game with 12 points. Steve Thompson led the Wildcats with 18 points while Dan Bouchard added 12 and James Waldron contributed 10 points. PI’s skillful point guard was held down offensively but turned in another aggressive game. The Wildcats lost the State Championship game 102-58. All-State selections were Eric Wieder first team, Steve Thompson third team and Peter Norsworthy honorable mention.
During a 10-year span, the local team qualified for the Eastern Maine Class ‘A’ tournament eight times, including six consecutive years from 1974-1979.
Varsity boys coaches during the era were Gary Osgood (1969-1971), Sterling LeBlanc (1972-75) and Bob Beaulieu (1976-79).
ANDY PACKARD and Steve Condon were stars of the 1969-70 Presque Isle boys basktball team, which fell to Stearns 63-62 in the quartrfinals.
