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The 2011 Mister and Miss Basketball Award were presented on March 12th at Maine Association of Basketball Coaches Awards Dinner. Kayla Burchill of Deering High School High School received the Miss Basketball award. Mr. Basketball honors went to Tyler McFarland of Camden Hills High School. |
Each year the Mister and Miss Basketball Award is presented to the senior player who has exhibited outstanding skills throughout his/her career, has made a significant impact on his/her team, has demonstrated respect for the game through leadership on and off the court, has epitomized the values of sportsmanship and has been a positive school and community citizen.
Miss Basketball
Kayla Burchill epitomized the quiet and humble leader who let her play on the court do the talking.
The 6-foot guard helped Deering compile an 79-7 record, two state championships
and four Western Class A finals in her four years. A two-time Maine Gatorade Player of the Year finalist, Burchill was named Southwestern Maine Activities Association Player of the Year, averaging 22.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game for the Rams despite facing constant double and triple-teams. One of the state's most dangerous long-range threats, she tallied 1,249 career points while being named SMAA all-conference all four years.
The daughter of Timothy and Pamela Burchill, Kayla is an honors student who was invited to the national honor society in Washington, D.C. She volunteered for the Salvation Army, visited area nursing homes and coached at the Deering girls basketball camp.
Burchill will attend the University of Vermont and continue her basketball career with the Catamounts.
Other finalists for the honor of Miss Basketball were Rebecca Knight of Catherine McAuley High School and York High School's Nicole Taylor.
Mr. Basketball
Whether it's the basketball coach, faculty, fellow students, custodians or bus drivers, everyone at Camden Hills raves about Tyler McFarland - and his abilities on the basketball court have only a little to do with it.
On the court, no one was more dynamic than the 6-foot-6 McFarland, who could control a game inside and outside, on offense and defense. The school's all-time leading scorer led the Windjammers to three Eastern Class B titles in a row, becoming the first-ever three-time tournament MVP in the process.
Last week, unbeaten Camden Hills won its second state championship in three years thanks in large part to his 24 points and 11 rebounds. It was a performance consistent with his regular season excellence, when he averaged 24.6 points and 12.1 rebounds per game and won his second consecutive Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B Player of the Year Award.
The son of Paul and Deborah McFarland, Tyler has served as a role model in his school and community. He is a member of the student council, was named to the KVAC All-Academic Team and earned the MPA's Citizenship Award. McFarland plans to attend prep school and continue playing basketball.
The other finalists for the title of Mr. Basketball included Bo Leary from Edward Little High School and Graham Safford of Hampden Academy.
-Bios courtesy of Randy Whitehouse
Past Mr. and Miss Basketball Recipients
Here are recipients of the award from years past.
