This photograph of Coach John Shaw shows him accepting the 1976 New England Champion trophy for high school basketball. The Rumford High basketball team of 1976 was a powerhouse team, scoring an average of 83 points per game while holding opponents to an average of 48 points per game. They went undefeated (18–0) in their regular season and beat Lawrence High in the State Class A Championship game in Augusta (and Lake Region in the A/B playoff).

The New England Championship tournament was held in Durham, New Hampshire, at the University of New Hampshire. There the Panthers would go on to beat a strong New Hampshire team in the opening round and ultimately beat Mt. Anthony Union High School of Vermont to win the New England Championship.