Sanford Hall of Honor reveals second class of inductees

Five historic Sanford athletes will be honored for their achievements in an annual ceremony

by Aiden Cote – Junior Staff Writer

Established in 2023, the Sanford Athletics Hall of Honor Committee has revealed its second class of inductees. Five former Sanford community members have been selected for their athletic achievements and their impact on the community. A ceremony honoring these impressive athletes will be held in the Sanford Performing Arts Center on Nov. 29, at 1 P.M.

Athletic director Zachary Lemelin stated, “The Sanford Athletic Department is very excited to induct our second class into the Hall of Honor. We look forward to recognizing and celebrating with the inductees and the community for their success and the great memories of their time as student-athletes and coaches.”

The five new inductees to the Sanford High School Hall of Honor include:

Andy Adams, Class of 1978
Theodore “Teddy” Gardner, Class of 1957
Keith Kalman, Class of 1964
Kelly (Nobert) LaFountain, Class of 1984
Kristy (Parent) Richards, Class of 1994

Andy Adams, class of 1978

Andy Adams had an exceptional high school baseball career, going 7-0 as a freshman and finishing with a 17-5 overall record. Adams pitched on the 1974 Maine Babe Ruth State Championship team. During his senior year, he dominated the 1978 playoffs by winning three games in one week, leading Sanford to the Maine State Class A championship. Following high school, Adams continued his success at the University of New Hampshire, compiling All-New England honors and finishing 2nd on the all-time career wins list. He played semi-professional baseball, including a stint with the Cape Cod League, before being signed by the Chicago Cubs in 1982, where he went 5-2 with a 2.06 ERA in the Gulf Coast League.

Theodore “Teddy” Gardner, class of 1957

Theodore “Teddy” Gardner established himself as one of Sanford High School’s greatest multi-sport athletes, earning 14 varsity letters across four sports. He was named All-State Quarterback in 1955 and 1956 and received Honorable Mention All-American honors in 1957. Gardner set a new Maine state single-season scoring record with over 150 points while leading Sanford to the 1956 state championship.

In basketball, he became Sanford High’s all-time scoring leader with more than 1,300 points, and in baseball, he earned two All-Telegram League selections as a second baseman. He concluded his senior year by being recognized with the prestigious Campbell Cup. Following his remarkable high school career, Ted received a football scholarship to Notre Dame before transferring to Bowdoin College, where he lettered in football, baseball, and golf. His extraordinary contributions to Maine athletics were recognized with his induction into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

Keith Kalman, class of 1964

Keith Kalman was a football player, wrestler, and track athlete at Sanford High School, and was honored with the Campbell Cup. Kalman was named to the Maine All-State Football team in 1963. He helped his wrestling teams win three straight state championships while winning individual championships in 1963 and 1964. In 1964, he placed first in his weight class at the New England Wrestling Championship and helped Sanford to finish fourth overall, the highest a Maine team had ever placed.

Kalman continued his football career at the University of Maine Orono, where he was a co-captain during his senior year and a member of the 1965 Maine team that won the Yankee Conference & Lambert Cup. This team went on to play in the 1965 Tangerine Bowl. Following his collegiate career, he returned to Sanford High School to teach science while coaching football and wrestling. Kalman’s teams went on to win the state titles in wrestling in 1976, 1977, and 1979. Kalman was inducted into the Maine Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008 and was instrumental in founding the Redskin Invitational Wrestling Tournament.

Kelly (Nobert) LaFountain Class of 1984

Kelly LaFountain was a three-sport athlete at Sanford High School, honored with the Tribune Cup. As a field hockey, basketball, and softball player, she was recognized as an all-SMAA league player in multiple sports and earned Prep All-American honors during her senior year. On the hardwood, LaFountain averaged a double-double in junior and senior seasons at SHS while surpassing 500 points, which helped her earn a Division One scholarship to the University of Maine Orono for basketball, a first for female Sanford High School students. During her four-year career at the University of Maine, she led the Black Bears in assists in the 84/85 season and was named captain during her junior and senior seasons, which became two of the winningest teams in Maine women’s basketball history. LaFountain has continued her playing career, earning a silver medal in 2022 and a gold medal in 2023 in the National Senior Basketball Games.

Kristy (Parent) Richards, class of 1994

Kristy Richards was a standout three-sport athlete while at Sanford. Excelling in soccer, basketball, and softball, she earned SMAA All-Star Awards in all three sports. Following graduation, Richards attended the University of Maine Farmington, where she served as a captain and continued her basketball career, playing twice in the National tournament. Over her four-year career, she finished with 301 assists, 241 rebounds, and 668 points. After earning her degree in education, she began working in the Sanford School District, where she coached the Sanford Girls Varsity Basketball team for 17 seasons. Richard’s team went on to become the 2005-2006 SMAA Champions, MPA Sportsmanship recipients, Western Maine Champions, and Class A State Champions. She earned coach of the year honors in 2006, coached in the Maine McDonald’s All-Star game, helped develop Miss Maine Basketball players, and coached countless SMAA All-Conference players.