Presque Isle and Houlton play Unified Basketball game

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - The First Unified Basketball game involving two county teams was played today in Presque Isle. The Houlton Shiretowners made the trip north to take on the Cats.There was a lot of excitement before the game started from players, coaches and fans.

Braydon Abbott )” To be honest with you I don’t know, we will find out.”

It was an historic day for the Wildcats and Shires as two County teams met for the first time in a Unified game. The Shiretowners had a team last year and this year Caribou and Presque Isle have formed teams so the three county squads are now playing in their pod.

(Ellen Dyer):” Really excited I think it is a good opportunity for our kids to be able to play people they might see again locally. I think it is exciting for everybody to finally have this program in their own schools.”

(Carl Michaud)::”I’m excited really excited about this opportunity for the team. it has been a great four or five weeks of practice. They have come a long way and they are ready to play some basketball today.”

Houlton’s Mallory Woodie is suiting up for the Shiretowners for the second straight year. She says that being able to play another County team is special.

(Mallory Woodie):” It’s nice to get people to play with us because really last year we didn’t really have enough people to play with us and now we have people from all over the County coming to play with us.”

There were some pregame jitters from everyone. Abbott has not played for a team since he played at the Rec Center. He was looking forward to wearing the Wildcats colors.

(Braydon Abbott):” I played basketball before, I haven’t played in a while. It is good to be back.”

Coach Carl Michaud hopes that once the word gets around about this team their numbers will increase next year.

Michaud:” To showcase the game and have other interested in playing and get on the court with us.”

Houlton has embraced the program. Their student body shows up at home games and cheers on the Shires.

Dyer:” They really did. That opened up a lot for the kids. They finally see kids they get to see in the populace of the school they now get to see them in the capacity of playing a sport being successful and doing things like they do and doing good at it.”

Woodie:” They love us so much and the people around the school tell us we are doing great.”

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