Brewer sophomore defenseman Andy Thomas has played in his last hockey game of the season.

Thomas, who took an accidental stick in the stomach during last Monday’s game against Orono, suffered a lacerated spleen, and is recuperating at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, said Bob Thomas, Andy’s father.

“It’s one of those things that if he gets hit again that it could erupt and they didn’t dare take a chance on that,” Bob Thomas said.

While the 15-year-old should be able to play hockey again next year, he will remain out of school for three to four weeks and will have to have complete bedrest to allow the spleen to heal.

“He was one of our first set of `D’ that was out there,” Brewer coach Tim Kilroy said. “Andy is only a sophomore, and he was the one I was priming to be the next Trevor Watts. I paired him with Trevor to learn the intricacies of the game and he’s accepted that goal.”

Thomas’ jersey will be displayed at the Witches remaining practices and games, and the team dedicated the season to him, Kilroy said.

Bangor seniors Jason St. Pierre and Jeff Guerette were named as nominees for the 1997 McDonald’s All-American High School Basketball Team Friday.

Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield postgrads Rahim Johnson, Carl Jefferson, and Ronnie Johnson were also nominated, as were Gorham’s Mike Burke and Jason Bray of Lewiston.

The seven are among 1,500 athletes nominated nationally for the March 29 game in Colorado Spring, Colo.

That list will be pared in mid-February to 20 players.

Four goals and two assists was last week’s two-game tally for Ben Preston.

Not bad for a kid who was supposed to be done for the season after experiencing numbness in his legs following a check in a Dec. 21 ice hockey game.

The Foxcroft Academy junior forward was given the go-ahead Monday to return to play after doctors discovered a narrow cervical spinal canal was the cause of the temporary loss of feeling in his legs.

Despite the condition, Preston was told he was in no serious danger of being paralyzed if he was checked during a game.

Chris Tanis of Bangor is prospering at North Yarmouth Academy.

One of five seniors on the 9-1 squad, the right wing has notched three goals and dished out 15 assists in 22 games.

“He’s coming on as of late,” NYA coach Kevin Potter said, noting Tanis’ three assists in the Clippers 9-0 win last Monday against Falmouth.

Tanis generally is on the Clippers second line although that’s not where you’ll always find him.

“He’s all over the place. I switch my lines all the time,” Potter said, noting Tanis’ part as a defenseman on power plays. “But the power play has been the best I’ve ever had here and it’s a real weapon on our team.”

All-State swimmer Sarah Oldenburg will swim for Tufts University next winter.

“I always said I wasn’t going to swim in college but Tufts is a Division II, and they’re really laid back,” the Bangor senior said. “Academics come first so I thought it would be fun.”

Oldenburg is the defending Class A state 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly champion.

She earned two state records at the state meet last season, and helped power Bangor’s 400 free relay team to a meet record.

“I’m just going to try it and see how it goes – just for the excercise and just to meet people,” she said. “I don’t really like competing, I just like the people. That’s why I’m gonna do it. I don’t really care how fast I go next year.”