Class of 2008

Raymond Alley

A standout all-around athlete who attended Vinalhaven High School, scored more than 2,000 basketball points in high school and at Husson College, where he was a multi-time All-American. He is the state's all-time schoolboy career scoring leader with 2,306 points. He has been inducted into the Husson College Athletic Hall of Fame and has had his basketball jersey number retired at Vinalhaven High School and at Husson. Alley is arguably the best to play basketball at Husson. He is Husson’s all-time leading scorer with 2,657 points. He was named an honorable mention All-American in his sophomore year and a first-team All-American his junior year. He was named to numerous all-tourney teams and was named a tournament most valuable player seven times. He is fifth all-time in assists and had a career scoring average of 20.1 points.

At Husson, Alley is first in career 3-point field goal attempts (957), first in 3-pointers made (370), second in scoring average (20.1), seventh in career free-throw percentage (78.6), third in assists (530), tied for fourth in steals (201), fourth in games played (132), second in field goal attempts (2,135), second in field goals made (951), fourth in foul shots attempted (486) and third in free throws made (385).

In 2005, 10 years after he graduated from the school, Alley was inducted into the Husson College Athletic Hall of Fame.

In high school, he finished with 2,306 career points and averaged 36 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals his senior year. He averaged 28 points, eight assists and five steals his junior year; 28 points, eight assists and five steals his sophomore year; and 25 points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals as a freshman. He even averaged seven points as an eighth grader.

Alley was honored as Mr. Maine Basketball his senior year.

In his acceptance speech, Alley told the high school student-athletes to cherish every moment they had to play sports and said he would never forget how athletics and the success in sports shape his life.

Christina Strong D'Appolonia

She is perhaps the finest all-around female high school athlete ever to come from the Midcoast. She starred in track, soccer and basketball at Georges Valley High School and was an All-State caliber player in each sport. She was a key member of the Buccaneer boys soccer team and is the school's all-time schoolgirl basketball career scoring leader (more than 1,300 points). She played four years of Division I basketball at the University of Maine in Orono, where she, at one point, held school assist and steal records.Although her complete collegiate statistics were unavailable, in her first three years at UMaine, despite being hampered by a serious knee injury suffered during her sophomore season, she played in 68 games, starting 53, shot 71 percent from the free-throw line, scored 322 points, had 265 assists, grabbed 244 rebounds and had 86 steals. She was the only Black Bear to start all 29 games her junior year. She led the team in assists (141) and steals (36) that year. She was a team co-most valuable player and coach's award recipient at Maine

In her senior year in high school, she averaged 22.5 points, nine rebounds, six assists and six steals in basketball. She was the team's most valuable player three times. She was a two-time Bangor Daily News All-State selection.

She also was a state track champion in the 100- and 30-meter hurdles and placed seventh in the nation the 400-meter hurdles.

D'Appolonia was a starter on the boys soccer team for coach Sam Pendleton. She had 10 goals and 11 assists her final two seasons.

D'Appolonia also was honored as Miss Maine Basketball her senior year.

In her acceptance speech, D'Appolonia told a story about how an accident when she was young nearly cost her one of her legs. She remembered how that had a profound affect on her and always things how lucky she was to be able to run around like other children and play sports at a high level.

Mike DiRenzo(*)

DiRenzo was highly involved in high school basketball for many years and, at one point, served as commissioner of the sport for the state. He was honored in the Maine Sports Legends Hall of Honors in 2002. DiRenzo made his mark on Maine athletics during a 28-year career as a basketball official working 1,800 high school and college games. A 43-year member of the International Association of Approved Basketball Officials, he officiated in nine state final games and served as commissioner of Maine high school basketball. He was a member of the undefeated 1941 Edward Little (Auburn) basketball team that won the state championship and he also lettered at the University of Maine. He was head basketball coach at Rockland High School for 10 years before he made the jump to officiating.

DiRenzo has been elected to the Auburn-Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame, was named Man of Year by the Maine College Basketball Coaches and Writers Association and received the James R. DiFrederico Award for service to Eastern Maine Basketball. In addition, the trophy for most valuable player and top sportswoman in the Western Class B tournament bears his name.

A native of Auburn, DiRenzo was a basketball official from 1947-1975. In high school, he was a member of the Red Eddies undefeated state Class A championship team in 1940-41 and honored individually that season as a member of the All-Western Maine Conference and All-Tournament teams. He lettered in basketball during the 1942-43 season at UMaine. He coached basketball in Rockland from 1950-59 and also coached a state championship golf team with Rockland. He officiated in the Maine high school tournament 16 years, officiated 14 sectional games and nine state final games.

In his acceptance speech, DiRenzo talked about how when he was a standout basketball player decades ago one coud be shorter and still do well. However, he laughed when he saw 6-foot-8-inch Wootton and said how now he might just be a basketball team's manager.

Wayne "Butch" Farley

He is considered by many to be among the most talented all-around male athletes to come from the Midcoast, and he proved it with a stellar career at Rockport High School and athletic success long into his adulthood with fine play in baseball, basketball and golf, among other activities.

Farley forged a tremendous athletic career playing and coaching in baseball and basketball, playing golf, and umpiring baseball. He was on Rockport's first Little League baseball team in 1952. He played baseball, basketball and ran cross country at Rockport High School.

In basketball, he played on the first Rockport High School team to make the state tournament and played all four years of high school at the state level. He was the most valuable player of one playoff tournament. He was an All-State honorable mention in basketball in 1956, scored more than 1,000 career points in high school, played for the Augusta all stars for seven or eight years and played in local men's hoop leagues well into adulthood, including scoring a bundle of points, sometimes 40 to 50 or more in a single game.

Farley was a baseball star from Little League through the Twiglight League in Rockland. In fact, he played in the Twilight League when he was only 15. He was so good he had opportunities to play in college and perhaps even the pros. Due to his love of baseball, he later played softball in local league until age 59, including playing the last few years with his sons Barry and Scott.

In golf, he won five Rockland Golf Club club championships and four senior club championships. He won the state couples title one year, won five state team championships with other RGC members, won a father and son tourney, won two Spudland tournaments in Presque Isle, played in many Maine and New England amateurs and even qualified for the United State Senior Amateur. He has six career holes-in-one.

He helped start the Union Little League team and coached Little League, Babe Ruth and school basketball. He has umpired baseball for about 20 years.

In his acceptance speech, Farley talked about his passion for sports and how he was happy to be able to continue to play long into his adulthood.

Emery "Doc" Howard

While many local residents know him as "Doc" because he has served as a pediatrician to generations of children since 1963 at an office about an easy pitching wedge shot from his home, he is well known for playing golf year round despite the tough Maine winter weather. There are few days that go by when Howard is not on the links, where he has forged a tremendous amateur career. He also was, at one point, the pro at the Rockland Golf Club. He also has been a consistent, respected part of the local community as a pediatrician and spent many years on the sidelines at Rockland District High School football games caring for injured young student-athletes.

Howard graduated from Rockland High School in 1952 (he was class salutatorian). He later attended the University of Maine and Tufts Medical School. Howard was an ace in basketball and golf and played for coach DiRenzo's basketball squad. He was a champion at the Rockland Golf Club in 1951 at the age of 17. Even today in his 70s, Doc is known for playing golf year round, including more than 150 rounds in most years. Even when it is bitterly cold, if the course is clear, Howard is probably trying to get in a round.

Howard, who also has earned the nickname "Grumpy" for his perceived demeanor, is "addicted" to golf because "you can never have the same shot twice." He often posts the most rounds of anyone in Maine. From the late-1970s through the mid-90s, he averaged 325 rounds per year. In 1979, he played 404 rounds.

Howard, a Maine School Administrative District 5 board member from 1964 through 1978 (chairman for four years), started playing golf at age 12. He shot 157 for 18 holes in his first round. He improved quickly and, at age 16, won a junior tournament with an 18-hole round of 69. He has been known to buzz around the course in a golf cart to get in as many holes as possible. When he was younger, he could play 18 holes, with a cart, in less than two hours. In the past, he would start playing golf at 4:15 a.m. and by 7:30 a.m. had played 36 holes.

Howard, who grew up in Rockland has been a scratch amateur golfer and served as pro at RGC in the mid-1950s. He was the 1955 state intercollegiate golf champion as a University of Maine in Orono senior. He has about 10 career holes-in-ones, including a double-eagle on the par-4 17th hole at RGC, won many club championships and once played 13 1/2 rounds of golf in one day.

He was a member of the RGC board of directors from 1982-87 and president for three years. He followed Wes Wasgatt (whom the field is named after) as the doctor on the sidelines at RDHS football games for 20 years. He played for many years in local adult softball and basketball leagues.

Howard won RGC club championships in 1951, 1970, 1972, 1973 and 1986. His other golf accomplishments include: MSGA interscholastic runner-up in 1952; Maine intercollegiate runner-up in 1954; Maine Intercollegiate champion in 1955; University of Maine golf team 1952-56 and captain in 1956; helped RDH go unbeaten 1951-52; Paul Bunyan Clinton Dill winner for players ages 50 and older; RGC senior club champion in 1995, 1996 and 1999; Wotton Cup Champion at RGC in 1985, 1999 and 2005; two-ball champion at RGC in 1990; three ball-champion at RGC in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1990; and couples champion at RGC in 1992, 1993 and 1996.

In high school, he was the second leading scorer for Tigers in 1952 with 12 points per game.

In his acceptance speech, Howard said playing sports shaped his life and the guidance he received from people like coach DiRenzo were instrumental in shaping his success.

John Kelly

He has coached many sports at the high school level, but his greatest accomplishments have come on the wrestling mat where he led Camden-Rockport High School and Camden Hills Regional High School to many league, regional and state titles. His Windjammer squads were nationally ranked and were always among New England's best each winter.

Kelly competed in wrestling his senior year at Camden-Rockport High School in 1976-77, finishing with an 10-7 mark. He competed in the sport at the University of Presque Isle in 1978-79, finishing 23-5.

In 1988-2002, he was the Windjammers varsity wrestling coach, also returning in 2006-07. As a wrestling coach, his career mark is 322-31, including 280-31 in dual-meets. He guided the Windjammers to 42 tournament championships. He had four undefeated dual-meet seasons, coached 42 undefeated state champions and one All-American. He was Maine coach of the year three times and national coach of the year in 1998. He is a member of the Maine Wrestling Hall of Fame.

He led the Windjammer wrestling team to eight state titles (1990, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2007), state runners-up four times (1988, 1996, 1997 and 1999), 11 Eastern Class B crowns (1988, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2007) and eight Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference titles (1991, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2007).

His teams also were champions at the Redskin Classic in Sanford, Windjammer Invitational, Belfast Invitational, Penobscot Valley Conference (three times) and Atlantic Invitational (nine times).

Kelly also has coached varsity baseball and softball for the Windjammers and has been a standout adult softball player for decades.

In his acceptance speech, Kelly thanked his extended "wrestling family" for supporting him through the years and said he could not have accomplished what he did without their help and guidance.

Frank Leary

He served in education for many decades and was an athletic director at Georges Valley High School and Thomaston Grammar School for 30 years. He is the golf professional at the Megunticook Golf Club and recently was inducted into the Maine State Golf Association Hall of Fame. Leary studied at Springfield College and the University of Maine. He was a teacher at Thomaston High School and then Georges Valley High School from 1954-1989. He has coached school baseball, basketball, golf and cross country. He was athletic director of the high school and grammar school in Thomaston for 32 years. He was an assistant principal for 12 years.

Leary has been a golf pro at the Megunticook Golf Club for 40 years and a Class A PGA pro for 27 years. He was a football official for 33 years and served as president for Maine football officials for two years and state football rules interpreter for five years. He was the president of the Maine Athletic Directors Association for two years.

In golf, he has served as president of the Maine Chapter of the NEPGA for two years, on the executive committee of the New England Section of PGA for three years, was the Maine Chapter Professional of Year in 2003 and 2004, New England Section Horton Smith Award winner in 1998 and 2004, Maine Chapter Senior champion in 1985 and Maine Chapter Junior/Senior champion three years with Peter Hodgkins, a former pro at RGC and current pro at Northport Golf Club (Hodgkins was elected to the Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame last year).

In his acceptance speech, Leary talked about being able to teach both children and adults, whether in the classroom, as an athletic director or on the golf course.

Charlie Wooton

At 6-feet 8-inches tall, Wootton is an imposing figure and he used his talent and height to dominate on the basketball court in high school at Camden-Rockport and in college at Bentley. When on the court, Wootton controlled the boards and scored plenty of points, leading the unbeaten Windjammers to the 1974 state Class B championship. Wootton has done more for his schools and the communities he has lived in than most. He graduated from Camden-Rockport High School in 1974 where he was a four-year varsity baseball player and three-year varsity basketball player. He was a first-team Bangor Daily News All-Maine Basketball Team selection his senior year and a second-team selection by the newspaper his junior season. During Wootton's three years on the Windjammer varsity basketball team, the squad compiled a 61-5 overall record, including 45-1 his final two years (Camden-Rockport was undefeated both years except a loss in the state final to Orono in 1973).

He was co-captain his senior year of basketball and scholastic All-American that year. He averaged 22 points and 17 rebounds his senior year and jointly holds the school's single-game scoring record of 41 points. He was then recruited to play basketball by 80 colleges, and opted to attend Bentley College in Waltham, Mass. on a full athletic scholarship.

At Bentley, he was a three-year starter for the school and finished his career with 1,365 points and 981 rebounds. He is the only player in Bentley history to average more than 11 rebounds a game for three consecutive years. He was an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American his junior and senior years, and All-New England those seasons. He was ECAC player of the week many times his final two seasons. He was scouted by the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers. He was drafted by the 76ers in the NBA supplemental draft and Quincy Chiefs (Celtics' affiliate) in the first round of the Eastern League draft.

In his acceptance speech, Wootton thanked his family for supporting him in his younger athletic life and into adulthood. He told about how his parents never missed any of his collegiate basketball games at Bentley.

Special thanks to Ken Waltz of VillageSoup for content and photos on this page.