Brad Veilleux of Cony High School in Augusta, who has been instrumental in the Rams’ 12-4 record this spring, has been selected as the Gatorade Circle of Champions Maine High School Baseball Player of the Year.

Veilleux joins 45 other winners from across the United States in receiving the award.

The senior lefthander has been the ace of the Cony staff, compiling a 3-1 record. Veilleux, who features an outstanding fastball and a sharp curve, has recorded 56 strikeouts in 33 innings this season.

“He’s got a good arm,” said Cony Coach Jeff Trundy. “I think that he’s gotten stronger through his career. He has a decent fastball and a pretty decent breaking ball.”

When he’s not pitching, Veilleux contributes either as the right fielder or in the designated hitter role. He’s batting in the high .300s.

Veilleux, who will lead Cony into the Eastern Maine Class A quarterfinals Saturday against Gardiner, has received a partial baseball scholarship from the University of Maine. He plans to share a room with Skowhegan ace righthander Garrett Quinn, another Black Bear baseball recruit.

Previous Maine winners of the Gatorade award include Steve Coombs, Mark O’Brien, Vern Paradie, Chad White, Mike D’Andrea, Bob Prince and Bill Anthoine.

– – –

With the start of the regional baseball tournament only a few days away, coaches likely have already begun to contemplate how to set up their pitching rotations for the playoffs.

This season, the tournament format is slightly different than in recent years. The entire event will be played in a span of 10 days, beginning with a handful of preliminary games on Thursday.

The quarterfinals are scheduled for Saturday and the regional semifinals are set for Tuesday, June 8. They’ll be followed by the regional championships on Thursday, June 10, and the state title games on Saturday, June 12.

Thus, under the pitching restrictions, any pitcher who works more than three innings in Saturday’s quarterfinals would not be eligible to throw again until the regional title game on June 10.

If, instead, coaches saved their aces for the June 8 regional semis, those pitchers could come back and work again in the event they advanced to the state finals.

The possibilities are numerous, depending upon a coach’s familiarity with early round opponents. However, most coaches agree that the best approach is to go with your best from the outset and play everything by ear from that point on.

As coaches find out every year, the end of the season can come quickly. Often, when the “ace” is saved for the next round, the team doesn’t even make it to the next game. – – –

Fans who would like to relive the excitement of Bangor High School’s tournament drive to the Class A basketball state championship should be excited about the release of a new videotape that features highlights of the feat.

John Beaulieu of WABI-TV, Channel 5, has produced a 16-minute capsule look at Bangor’s victories in the regional tournament and the Rams’ state title win over South Portland.

Bangor Coach Roger Reed says the video is a professionally produced account of the Rams’ triumph and will be a lasting momento of the championship season. Tapes will be available, at cost, for $16 each, which includes tax.

This is a limited-time offer, so copies should be reserved as soon as possible. Once all the orders have been received, the tapes will be reproduced on a one-time-only basis.

At least 3-4 weeks are required for delivery.

Anyone interested in purchasing the tape should send a check made out to WABI-TV, care of Roger Reed, Bangor High School, 885 Broadway, Bangor 04401. For more information, contact Reed at 942-7938 (evenings). – – –

Brian Beaury, head basketball coach at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y., will direct the fourth Golden Buck Basketball Camp.

The clinic, which will place emphasis on learning the fundamentals of basketball, is scheduled for July 26-30 in Bucksport. The clinic is open to boys and girls in grades four through 12, with sessions running daily from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The cost is $70 for those who register prior to July 9, $80 thereafter.

Shooting, skill development, lectures and games will make up each day’s activities. The camp staff also will consist of high school varsity coaches, college coaches and college players.

For more information, contact Bucksport High School Athletic Director Bob Carmichael at P.O. Box 524, Bucksport, 04416 (tel. 469-6650).