In November 2021, the University of Maine-Farmington Men’s basketball team traveled to Gorham to play the University of Southern Maine Men’s Huskies in a non-conference game. The game was well attended by many local fans. Sports fans are eager to continue being in person, cheering and sharing time with their friends and family, watching basketball.
Gorham resident, Daren Meader was in attendance with his family to cheer on his alma mater, the University of Maine-Farmington (UMF) Beavers, and friend of the family, Terion Moss.
Meader’s father, Dick Meader, was also the UMF team coach for 27 seasons before retiring in 2020. Prior to UMF, Dick was the head coach for 17 years at Thomas College. Daren, a UMF alumnus (and transfer from Brandeis University), had an impressive career at UMF, scoring 1,819 career points. Daren Meader also held another record until this year.
On November 20, during this game, his 21-year, one-game UMF scoring record of 44 points was broken by Terion Moss, and Daren was in person to see it.
Photo Credit: Jennifer Banks MeaderUMF player, Terion Moss (left), breaks record formerly held by Daren Meader (right).
Moss was a transfer student from the University of Maine at Orono before joining Coach Meader’s team in 2019. “Every record is meant to be broken. I nearly watched it happen five years ago when Billy Ruby (GHS ‘16) was nearing 40 points at Husson. I watched that game live from home with nerves, but hoping he would break it,” Meader explained.
He also shared, two years ago Moss had a huge 1st half-game with 25 points, but with such a big lead his minutes were limited in the 2nd half. After that game, he knew it was a matter of time with two more years of eligibility. “I believe he will score 50 points before his career is over, leaving a record that may take many years to break.”
Basketball runs deep in the Meader family; their hearts are all in for hoops, whether they are cheering for a family member or rooting for a young athlete who may be chasing their own personal record.
Meaders’s youngest son, Bode Meader (GHS ‘21), now plays college hoops for the Southern Maine Community College Seawolves. Coach Meader was in attendance to watch his grandson play on December 4 v. Mass Bay Bucs. Meader dropped 10 points in that game.