thenewenglandhighschoolchampionships
The New England High School Championships
1931 (at Newport, R.I.)
QF
Northampton, Mass 28 Dover, NH 21
Rogers, Newport, RI 25 Burlington, VT 23
Central, Bridgeport, CT 25 Cheverus, Maine 18
Edward Little, Maine 31 Rindge Tech, Mass 24
SF
Central, Bridgeport, CT 18 Edward Little, Maine 16
Rogers, Newport, RI 31 Northampton, Mass 13
Consolation
Edward Little, Maine 20 Northampton, Mass 18
Final
Rogers, Newport, RI 28 Central, Bridgeport, CT 17
1932 (at Newport, R.I.)
QF
New Bedford, Mass 31 Winslow, Maine 30
Northampton, Mass 33 Spaulding, Barre, VT 22
Pawtucket, RI 26 Saint Josephs, Manchester, NH 12
Rogers, Newport, RI 27 New Britain Trade, CT 10
SF
Northampton, Mass 32 New Bedford, Mass 20
Pawtucket, RI 26 Rogers, Newport, RI 21
Consolation
New Bedford, Mass 35 Rogers, Newport, RI 19
Final
Northampton, Mass 31 Pawtucket, RI 22
1933 (at Newport, R.I.)
QF
Bristol, CT 63 Stearns, Millinocket, Maine 23
De La Salle Academy, Newport, RI 52 Berlin, NH 38
Fitchburg, Mass 42 Orleans, VT 32
Mass? vs. CT?
SF
Bristol, CT defeated De La Salle Academy, Newport, RI
Fitchburg, Mass vs. defeated ?
Consolation
?
Final
Bristol, CT 48 Fitchburg, Mass 20
1934 (at Medford, Mass.)
QF
Central, Bridgeport, CT 44 South Portland, Maine 10
Chelsea, Mass 35 Manchester, NH 19
Bristol, CT 43 Barre, VT 13
Pawtucket, RI 40 Westfield, Mass 26
SF
Central, Bridgeport, CT 24 Chelsea, Mass 18
Bristol, CT 23 Pawtucket, RI 11
Consolation
none
Final
Central, Bridgeport, CT 37 Bristol, CT 32
1935 (at New Haven, CT.)
QF
Warren Hardy, Bridgeport, CT 50 Rumford, Maine 31
Meridan, CT 54 Montpelier, VT 31
Chelsea, Mass 34 Pawtucket, RI 25
Westfield, Mass 30 Portsmouth, NH 25 (overtime)
SF
Meridan, CT 38 Chelsea, Mass 22
Warren Hardy, Bridgeport, CT 45 Westfield, Mass 34
Consolation
none
Final
Meridan, CT 40 Warren Hardy, Bridgeport, CT 22
1936 (at Burlington, VT.)
QF
Portland, Maine defeated Fitchburg, Mass
Meridan, CT 46 Berlin, NH 14
Pittsfield, Mass 35 De Lasalle, Newport, RI 26
Burlington, VT 29 Branford, CT 20
SF
Portland, Maine 32 Pittsfield, Mass 24
Meridan, CT 33 Burlington, VT 15
Consolation
none
Final
Meridan, CT 32 Portland, Maine 30 (3 overtimes)
1937 (at Portland, Maine)
QF
Lowell, Mass 43 Berlin, NH 26
Burlington, VT 30 West Springfield, Mass 25
Winslow, Maine 39 Bristol, CT 37
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 32 Pawtucket, RI 20
SF
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 56 Winslow, Maine 21
Burlington, VT 24 Lowell, Mass 22
Consolation
none
Final
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 29 Burlington, VT 23
1938 (at Providence, R.I.)
QF
Pawtucket, RI 36 Chelsea, Mass 25
Westfield, Mass 37 Winslow, Maine 21
Naugatuck, CT 34 Spaulding, Barre, VT 23
Manchester, CT 47 Portsmouth, NH 36
SF
Manchester, CT 38 Naugatuck, CT 33
Pawtucket, RI 43 Westfield, Mass 29
Consolation
none
Final
Manchester, CT 28 Pawtucket, RI 26
1939 (at Springfield, Mass.)
QF
Bassick, Bridgeport, CT 44 Winslow, Maine 37
Central, Bridgeport, CT 43 Cathedral, Burlington, VT 31
Adams, Mass 39 Portsmouth, NH 17
Hope, Providence, RI 30 Lynn, Mass 24
SF
Bassick, Bridgeport, CT 25 Central, Bridgeport, CT 23
Hope, Providence, RI 29 Adams, Mass 24
Consolation
none
Final
Bassick, Bridgeport, CT 40 Hope, Providence, RI 38
1940 (at Portland, Maine)
QF
Cheverus, Maine 24 West Springfield, Mass. 15
Pawtucket, RI 48 New Bedford, Mass 40
Bassick, Bridgeport, CT 45 Berlin, NH 20
Cathedral, VT 28 Stratford, CT 22
SF
Pawtucket, RI 27 Cheverus, Maine 25 (overtime)
Bassick, Bridgeport, CT 42 Cathedral, VT 26
Consolation
none
Final
Bassick, Bridgeport, CT 39 Pawtucket, RI 37
1941 (at Manchester, N.H.)
QF
Rindge Tech, Cambridge, Mass 28 Manchester Central, NH 13
Pawtucket West, RI 35 Northampton, Mass 23
Windham, Willimatic, CT 45 Edward Little, Maine 22
Bristol, CT 29 Burlington, VT 16
SF
Rindge Tech, Cambridge, Mass 29 Pawtucket West, RI 28
Bristol, CT 37 Windham, Willimatic, CT 34
Consolation
none
Final
Bristol, CT 23 Rindge Tech, Cambridge, Mass 16
1942 (at New Haven, CT.)
no Vermont entry
QF
Portland, Maine 33 Rindge Tech, Cambridge, Mass 28
Worcester North, Mass 32 Dover, NH 28
Naugatuck, CT 57 Pawtucket West, RI 41
Crosby, Waterville, CT 49 Pawtucket, RI 46
SF
Worcester North, Mass 39 Portland, Maine 32
Naugatuck, CT 47 Crosby, Waterville, CT 44
Consolation
none
Final
Naugatuck, CT defeated Worcester North, Mass (no score)
1943
THERE WAS NOT A NEW ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYED THIS YEAR
1944 (at Providence, R.I.)
QF
Waterville, Maine 58 Portsmouth, NH 38
De La Salle, Newport, RI 40 Montpelier, VT 30
Holyoke, Mass 45 Torrington, CT 44
Somerville, Mass 50 New Britain, CT 31
SF
Waterville, Maine 42 De La Salle, Newport, RI 37
Somerville, Mass 37 Holyoke, Mass 34
Consolation
none
Final
Waterville, Maine 47 Somerville, Mass 34
1945 (at Boston Garden)
First Year at Boston
QF
Waterville, Maine 56 Weaver, Hartford, CT 51 (overtime)
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 36 East Providence, RI 35
Adams, Mass 30 Manchester, NH 27
Somerville, Mass 47 Barre, VT 33
SF
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 53 Waterville, Maine 35
Adams, Mass 37 Somerville, Mass 29
Consolation
none
Final
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 31 Adams, Mass 29
1946 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 52 Edward Little, Lewiston, Maine 13
Westfield, Mass 50 Pawtucket East, RI 48
Nashua, NH 32 New Bedford, Mass 28
Springfield, VT 34 Bristol, CT 30
SF
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 35 Springfield, VT 26
Westfield, Mass 27 Nashua, NH 24
Consolation
none
Final
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 41 Westfield, Mass 38
1947 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Durfee, Fall River, Mass 59 Bangor, Maine 28
Portsmouth, NH 32 Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 28
South High, Worcester, Mass 31 Rutland, VT 29 (overtime)
Leavenworth, Waterbury, CT 40 Westerly, RI 39
SF
Leavenworth, Waterbury, CT 32 Portsmouth, NH 29
Durfee, Fall River, Mass 41 South High, Worcester, Mass 38
Consolation
none
Final
Leavenworth, Waterbury, CT 51 Durfee, Fall River, Mass 44
1948 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 47 Burlington, VT 20
Cheverus, Portland, Maine 50 Springfield Classical, Mass 34
Torrington, CT 35 Concord, NH 29
Durfee, Fall River, Mass 50 Westerly, RI 43
SF
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 37 Torrington, CT 33
Durfee, Fall River, Mass 35 Cheverus, Portland, Maine 23
Consolation
none
Final
Durfee, Fall River, Mass 41 Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 30
1949 (at Boston Garden)
QF
East Hartford, CT 58 Montpelier, VT 37
Pawtucket West, RI 52 Cathedral, Springfield, Mass 40
New Britain, CT 41 Nashua, NH 28
Somerville, Mass 42 Waterville, Maine 37
SF
Somerville, Mass 47 Pawtucket West, RI 40
New Britain, CT 53 East Hartford, CT 37
Consolation
none
Final
Somerville, Mass 38 New Britain, CT 37
1950 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Central, Bridgeport, CT 43 Portland, Maine 35
Somerville, Mass 56 Spaulding, Barre, VT 45
New Britain, CT 44 Portsmouth, NH 35
Adams, Mass 32 De La Rosa, Newport, RI 31
SF
Central, Bridgeport, CT 57 New Britain, CT 42
Somerville, Mass 46 Adams, Mass 35
Consolation
none
Final
Central, Bridgeport, CT 51 Somerville, Mass 46
1951 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Saint Johns, Worcester, Mass 69 Westbrook, Maine 61
Central, Bridgeport, CT 51 Spaulding, Barre, VT 39
Bulkeley, New London, CT 65 Westerly, RI 63
Quincy, Mass 64 Portsmouth, NH 43
SF
Bulkeley, New London, CT 56 Central, Bridgeport, CT 55
Quincy, Mass 76 Saint Johns, Worcester, Mass 59
Consolation
none
Final
Bulkeley, New London, CT 62 Quincy, Mass 51
1952 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 60 Old Town, Maine 39
Rogers, Newport, RI 40 Durfee, Fall River, Mass 35
Springfield Tech, Mass 43 Rutland, VT 37
Warren Harding, Bridgeport, CT 49 Portsmouth, NH 41
SF
Rogers, Newport, RI 45 Springfield Tech, Mass 42
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 59 Warren Harding, Bridgeport, CT 55
Consolation
none
Final
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 43 Rogers, Newport, RI 38
1953 (at Boston Garden)
QF
New London, CT 75 Ellsworth, Maine 67
Wilby, Waterbury, CT 70 Portsmouth, NH 45
De La Rosa, Newport, RI 58 Mission, Boston, Mass 52
Burlington, VT 65 Adams, Mass 62
SF
New London, CT 69 Wilby, Waterbury, CT 63
De La Rosa, Newport, RI 52 Burlington, VT 37
Consolation
none
Final
New London, CT 71 De La Rosa, Newport, RI 42
1954 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 84 Weaver, Hartford, CT 76
Ellsworth, Maine 54 East Providence, RI 47
Cathedral, Springfield, Mass 69 Mount Saint Joseph, Rutland, VT 42
Brockton, Mass 65 Nashua, NH 38
SF
Cathedral, Springfield, Mass 66 Brockton, Mass 51
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 54 Ellsworth, Maine 53
Consolation
none
Final
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 53 Cathedral, Springfield, Mass 50
1955 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 85 Saint Johns, Worcester, Mass 62
Somerville, Mass 74 Westerly, RI 70
Roger Ludlowe, Fairfield, CT 76 Manchester Central, NH 59
Bangor, Maine 71 Burlington, VT 66
SF
Roger Ludlowe, Fairfield, CT 58 Bangor, Maine 55
Somerville, Mass 67 Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 65
Consolation
Bangor, Maine 66 Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 60
Final
Roger Ludlowe, Fairfield, CT 62 Somerville, Mass 58
1956 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Morse, Auburn, Maine 78 Weaver, Hartford, CT 57
Westerly, RI 72 Springfield, VT 62
Concord, NH 68 Commerce, Worcester, Mass 64
Durfee, Fall River, Mass 72 Manchester, CT
SF
Durfee, Fall River, Mass 89 Morse, Auburn, Maine 71
Westerly, RI 73 Concord, NH 64
Consolation
Morse, Auburn, Maine 74 Concord, NH 59
Final
Durfee, Fall River, Mass 53 Westerly, RI 43
1957 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Weaver, Hartford, CT 75 LaSalle, Providence, RI 59
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 66 Assumption Prep, Worcester, Mass 50
Central Catholic, Lawrence, Mass 75 Springfield, VT 64
Manchester Central, NH 90 Old Town, Maine 82
SF
Weaver, Hartford, CT 60 Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 53
Central Catholic, Lawrence, Mass 75 Springfield, VT defeated Manchester Central, NH
Consolation
Manchester Central, NH vs. Hillhouse, New Haven, CT
Final
Weaver, Hartford, CT 85 Central Catholic, Lawrence, Mass 73 (overtime)
1958 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Bulkeley, Hartford, CT 68 South Portland, Maine 48
Somerville, Mass 71 Saint Johns, Worcester, CT 64
Wilbur Cross, New Haven, CT 64 Rutland, VT 41
Westerly, RI 68 Bishop Bradley, Manchester, NH 50
SF
Wilbur Cross, New Haven, CT 62 Bulkeley, Hartford, CT 44
Somerville, Mass 69 Westerly, RI 53
Consolation
Bulkeley, Hartford, CT 71 Westerly, RI 70
Final
Wilbur Cross, New Haven, CT 68 Somerville, Mass 55
1959 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Bangor, Maine 72 Holyoke, Mass 58
Nashua, NH 51 Bellows Free Academy, Saint Albans, VT 46
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 66 Hope, Providence, RI 56
Everett, Mass 74 Wilbur Cross, new Haven, CT 49
SF
Bangor, Maine 69 Nashua, NH 50
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 66 Everett, Mass 61
Consolation
Everett, Mass 63 Nashua, NH 57
Final
Hillhouse, New Haven, CT 59 Bangor, Maine 47
1960 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Westerly, RI 61 Smith Academy, Hatfield, Mass 59
Notre Dame, West Haven, CT 70 Springfield, VT 47
Lewiston, Maine 70 Malden, Mass 66
Wilbur Cross, New Haven, CT 67 Nashua, NH 45
SF
Wilbur Cross, New Haven, CT 106 Westerly, RI 60
Lewiston, Maine 76 Notre Dame, West Haven, CT 67
Consolation
Notre Dame, West Haven, CT 76 Westerly, RI 69
Final
Wilbur Cross, New Haven, CT 70 Lewiston, Maine 58
1961 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Cheverus, Portland, Maine 52 Portsmouth, NH 52
Hartford Public, CT 63 Smith Academy, Hatfield, Mass 42
Hope, Providence, RI 91 Spaulding, Barre, VT 64
Wilbur Cross, New Haven, CT 52 New Bedford, Mass 49
SF
Wilbur Cross, New Haven, CT 65 Hope, Providence, RI 56
Hartford Public, CT 82 Cheverus, Portland, Maine 55
Consolation
none
Final
Hartford Public, CT 68 Wilbur Cross, New Haven, CT 62
1962 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Spaulding, Barre, VT 63 Concord, NH 59
Hartford Public, CT 78 Pittsfield, Mass 65
East Providence, RI 55 Morse, Bath, Maine 53
Bulkeley, Hartford, CT 53 Rindge Tech, Cambridge, Mass 31
SF
Hartford Public, CT 92 Spaulding, Barre, VT 58
Bulkeley, Hartford, CT 57 East Providence, RI 40
Consolation
none
Final
Hartford Public, CT 47 Bulkeley, Hartford, CT 39
1963 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Morse, Bath, Maine 61 Bishop Bradley, Manchester, NH 52
Stearns, Millinocket, Maine 69 Rogers, Newport, RI 61
Rindge Tech, Cambridge, Mass 82 Spaulding, Barre, VT 66
Tolman, Pawtucket, RI 72 Saint Johns, Shrewsbury, Mass 65
SF
Morse, Bath, Maine 60 Tolman, Pawtucket, RI 45
Stearns, Millinocket, Maine 62 Rindge Tech, Cambridge, Mass 58
Consolation
none
Final
Stearns, Millinocket, Maine 56 Morse, Bath, Maine 54
1964 (at Boston Garden)
QF
Saint Mary’s, Worcester, Mass 71 Stearns, Millinocket, Maine 50
East Providence, RI 67 Bishop Bradley, Manchester, NH 65
Tolman, Pawtucket, RI 78 Cheverus, Portland, Maine 53
Malden, Mass defeated Spaulding, Barre, VT
SF
Saint Mary’s, Worcester, Mass defeated East Providence, RI
Malden, Mass 66 Tolman, Pawtucket, RI 59
Consolation
none
Final
Saint Mary’s, Worcester, Mass 77 Malden, Mass 65
1974 (at Bangor Auditorium, Maine)
SF
Providence Central, R.I. 89 Rumford, Maine 75
Mount Anthony Union, VT. 88 Manchester Central, N.H. 82
Consolation
Manchester Central, N.H. 107 Rumford, Maine 94
Final
Providence Central, R.I. 77 Mount Anthony Union, VT. 75
1975 (at Augusta Civic Center, Maine)
SF
Mount Anthony Union, VT. 68 Westbrook, Maine 66
Providence Central, R.I. 81 Trinity, N.H. 61
Consolation
Westbrook, Maine 72 Trinity, N.H. 63
Final
Providence Central, R.I. 73 Mount Anthony Union, VT. 59
1976 (at University of NH, Durham, NH)
SF
Rumford, Maine 67 Trinity, N.H. 66
Mount Anthony Union, VT. 61 East Providence, R.I. 57
Consolation
East Providence, R.I. 63 Trinity, N.H. 45
Final
Rumford, Maine 68 Mount Anthony Union, VT. 58
Footnote: Rumford, Maine (Class A) had to defeat Lake Region, Bridgton, Maine (Class B) for right to participate.
Final Score was Rumford 99 Lake Region 73.
This experiment ended after one year.
1977
Cancelled due to scheduling conflicts at University of NH, Durham, NH
1978 (at University of NH, Durham, NH)
SF
Cony, Augusta, Maine 75 Central High, Providence, R.I. 74
Windsor, VT. 74 Nashua, N.H. 59
Consolation
Central High, Providence, R.I. 65 Nashua, N.H. 55
Final
Cony, Augusta, Maine 82 Windsor, VT. 56
Ended after this year.
Rules:
The 1931-1964 tournaments were held throughout New England: Newport, R.I., Burlington, VT., Providence, R.I., Portland, Maine, Manchester, N.H., Springfield, Mass. and New Haven, CT. before settling in Boston in 1945.
Connecticut and Massachusetts each sent two teams to the tournament - the large-school state champions and second-place finishers -while the four other New England states entered one team until 1962 when Connecticut withdrew. Maine, Rhode Island and Massachusetts now sent two teams along with one each from New Hampshire and Vermont.
Notes:
1933 was the first year the CIAC recognized the tournament and Connecticut entered large-school state champions and second-place finishers.
The competition usually took place over three days in the middle of March, but it sometimes stretched over consecutive weekends. Spiraling costs and crowd control problems - there was a near-riot at the Garden when a brawl broke out in the waning moments of the title game between Somerville, Mass., and champion Wilbur Cross in 1958 convinced Connecticut officials to make the 1962 tourney its last.
Maine's true State Champion did not compete in the tournament from 1931-34 because the actual state game had not taken place before the New England tournament started. Rumford, in 1935, was the first true State Champ to compete.
The 1921-1926 Era of the New England Championship was vastly different. As many as 15 teams sometimes were invited. Teams had to survive many rounds to advance. Tufts University was the location of these games.
The Winners:
1921: New Haven Commercial (CT) 35 Rogers, Newport (RI) 11
1922: Brockton (Mass) 30 Burlington (VT) 23
1923: Fitchburg (Mass) 21 Northampton (Mass) 20
1924; New Haven Commercial (CT) 17 Brockton (Mass) 6
1925: Rogers, Newport (RI) 22 Medford (Mass) 15
1926: Brockton (Mass) 11 Medford (Mass) 9
Another Tournament was short-lived in the 1970's
Teams from four states: One team each from New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island competed and had no quarterfinals.
Footnote:
1947
Patten Basketball Team
It was in 1947 that Patten Academy had what many considered the best boys basketball team that ever came out of Maine. It won everything in the state, then went on to beat Boston Latin, which at that time had 5,500 students, for the mythical New England Class B title between Maine and Massachusetts teams. Patten Academy had an enrollment of around 100 that year. This was not an official New England tournament but described as an experimental exhibition.
(courtesy of RM)
Connecticut Once Dominated New England Basketball
Connecticut is a basketball state. How many times have you heard that statement? A hundred? A thousand? There is a reason. It's true. Connecticut is a basketball state. But it didn't become one in the last 10 years, or when Jim Calhoun arrived at UConn. Take a trip back in time. Jump on the train and travel to the old Boston Garden for the New England Interscholastic Basketball Tournament. Better get your tickets early though, because more than likely the place will be full.
Sellout crowds of 13,909 were common when Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut gathered to determine the high school champion of the region. From the inception of tournament in 1921 until 1962, the state of Connecticut won 26 of 37 titles. The domination was extreme in the "modern" era as Connecticut won 24 of the last 29 tournaments, including 12 of the last 13. Often, two state teams would reach the championship game. That happened in the final year Connecticut competed in the tournament when two Hartford schools -Hartford Public and Bulkeley battled in the 1962 title game.
They talk about games like the 1947 final between Leavenworth High of Waterbury and Durfee High of Fall River, Mass. Leavenworth was led by Jimmy Piersall, who went on to star as an outfielder with the Red Sox and Indians. Before a sellout crowd, Piersall scored a then tournament-record 29 points. Leavenworth won, 51-44.
They also talk about the 1957 championship game in which John Egan, who later played for the Houston Rockets, turned in the greatest individual performance in tournament history. Egan helped Weaver to its , only New England championship and a 24-0 season by scoring 36 points in the title game. Egan scored 32 in the second half and overtime. He had points in the third quarter and 10 points in the fourth, including two free throws with no time remaining to send the game into overtime. Egan scored 12 of Weaver's 21 points in overtime as the Beavers defeated Lawrence, Mass., 85-73.
The tournament was held throughout New England (Newport, R.I., Burlington, Vt.,Providence, Portland, Maine, Manchester, N.H., Springfield and New Haven) before settling in Boston in 1945. Connecticut and Massachusetts each sent two teams to the tournament - the large-school state champions and second-place finishers -while the four other New England states entered one team.
The competition usually took place over three days in the middle of March, but it sometimes stretched over consecutive weekends. Spiraling costs and crowd control problems - there was a near-riot at the Garden when a brawl broke out in the waning moments of the title game between Somerville, Mass., and champion Wilbur Cross in 1958 convinced Connecticut officials to make the '62 tourney its last.
Hartford Public, coached by Joe Kubachka and led by the lightning-quick Griffin, and Bulkeley; spurred by Reilly's heady play and expert marksmanship from the free-throw line (he made 32 of 35 free throws in the tournament) made it a fond farewell. Bulkeley and HPHS battled all season, with the Owls defeating the Bulldogs in two regular season games and the Class L final, played before a sellout crowd at the UConn Fieldhouse. Griffin, now the coach at Bulkeley; and Reilly; who coaches Portland High, each scored 26 points in the state title game, won by Hartford, 67-64.
The undersized Bulkeley team, which also included future Trinity stars Jim Belfiore and Joe Hourihan, used a ball-control style to defeat a much-taller Rindge Tech (later Cambridge Rindge & Latin) team that included St. John's coach Mike Jarvis and future NBA player Bill Hewitt and advanced to the championship game against Hartford Public. Hartford Public defeated Pittsfield, Mass., in a quarterfinal game. Griffin scored points, tile same number as Pittsfield forward-Mark .Belanger, later a Gold Glove shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles. Hartford Public beat Bulkeley in the championship game 47- 39, with Griffin scoring a decisive 11 points in the fourth quarter. Bulkeley finished the season 20-4, with all four losses against Hartford Public by a total of 15 points.
Once Connecticut pulled out, the tournament lost its luster and legitimacy. It was held after 1962 but never regained prominence and eventually was disbanded. There have been attempts over the years to bring back the tournament, but none have been successful. New England championships are still held in other sports such as track, golf, gymnastics, tennis and cross country.
Boston Garden
When Boston Garden's doors closed thousands of Mainers are left with nothing more than memories of the 67-year-old building, its unique atmosphere and the events that were contested between its four walls. For many, Boston Garden represented the ultimate goal of Class A schoolboy basketball teams and prep school teams. For several years, the prestigious New England Basketball Tournament pitted the state large school schoolboy champions from the six states.
When the Connecticut schools pulled out after the 1962 final, it became a five-state championship. The New England Prep School championships were also held there. In addition to basketball, the University of Maine has been involved in several Hockey East tournament games including the dramatic 5-4 comeback win over UMass-Lowell that sent the Bears to their first ever NCAA Tournament berth in 1987.
Chappelle's record
Thomas `Skip' Chappelle has fond memories of his first trip to Boston Garden although he never played on the parquet floor on that visit. It was 1955 and even though Chappelle's Old Town High School team had lost to Bangor in the Eastern Maine final and hadn't qualified for the New England Tournament, people in the community held a fund-raiser to send the team to Boston as spectactors. Chappelle, who was a sophomore, will never forget watching his first New England tournament from the stands.
He called it one of the most "impressionable" sights he has ever witnessed.His Indians went again as spectators in 1956 but, in 1957, Chappelle received the opportunity to play in the Garden as his Indians met Manchester Central of New Hampshire in their opening-round game. It would turn out to be a memorable game as Chappelle set a New England record by pouring in 38 points. The man he was guarding, Don Sarette, scored 34 and Manchester Central went on to post a 90-82 victory. Sarette went on to be the starting quarterback at Syracuse University. The 90 points scored by Manchester Central and the 172 rung up by the two teams were tourney records.
Red's Rams
Just two years later, Red Barry guided his state champion Bangor High School Rams to the New Englands where Archie Tracy and Joe Taylor led them to the finals. The Rams made it to the championship game even though Jim Mooney, one of the starters, was sidelined for the tourney by a thumb infection. Tracy poured in 30 points and Taylor scored 17 more as Bangor beat Holyoke, Mass., 72-58 in the first round. Bangor then eliminated Nashua, N.H., 69-50 behind Tracy's 21 points and Taylor's 16. However, powerful Hillhouse of New Haven, Conn., beat Bangor 59-47 in the final. Tracy's 21 and Taylor's nine led the Rams, who connected on only 13 of 63 shots from the floor. Still, the Garden had a lasting memory on Taylor.
Taylors' brother, Charlie, played for the Rams in the 1955 New Englands when they lost in the second round, but won the consolation game.
(courtesy of RM)
1963: An All-Maine final
Following the 1962 New Englands, in which Hartford Public beat Bulkeley 47-39 in an All-Connecticut final, the Connecticut schools pulled out. And the next season was to be a very special one in the annals of Maine sports history: an All-Maine final. In the 1963 state final, Morse of Bath nipped Stearns of Millinocket 61-60 in double overtime. Since Connecticut teams were missing, both Maine teams went to the New Englands. Terry Carr and Jon MacDonald scored 26 and 20 points, respectively, as Stearns won its tourney opener 69-61 over Rogers High School of Newport, R.I. Meanwhile, Joe Harrington's 22 and Dave Dodge's 15 led Morse past Bishop Bradley of New Hampshire, 61-52.
In the semis, Stearns stunned heavy pre-tourney favorite Rindge Tech of Cambridge, Mass., 62-58, and Morse eliminated Tolman High of Pawtucket, R.I, 60-45. Carr's 28 points, MacDonald's 11 and Dave Vaznis' 10 sparked the Stearns win while Harrington's 25 keyed the Morse triumph.That set up the All-Maine final where the Minutemen avenged their state championship loss with a thrilling 56-54 win over the Shipbuilders in front of 12,048 at the Garden. MacDonald's 16 points, Carr's 15 and Vaznis' 12 overcame a game-high 27 points from Harrington. Carr overcame a groin injury to contribute his 15. The Minutemen double-teamed the 6-foot-6 Hewitt and held him to 15 points. Vaznis remembered the Morse game as being "nip and tuck" with several lead changes. Harrington was Morse's only double-digit scorer.
Wentworth had several outstanding teams and, in fact, his team the next year returned to the Garden only to lose to eventual champ St. Mary's of Worcester, Mass. But, the 1963 team was a special one.
(courtesy of RM)
Mitchell vs. Cousy
The only other Maine team to have won a New England title was the 1944 Waterville team, but that tourney was played in Providence. The following year was the first year in Boston Garden, according to former Waterville star Johnny Mitchell.
Mitchell wound up with fonder memories playing in the Garden for the University of Rhode Island against the Holy Cross Crusaders and their star guard, Bob Cousy.In fact, they guarded each other.
There were other sports highlights involving Mainers in Boston Garden. Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield played in New England Prep School tournaments there and Coach Bert Pratt recalled losing in the final 15 seconds of a championship game to Dean Academy of Massachusetts in the 1950s. The game was played before a Celtics game.
(courtesy of RM)