Editor’s note: The NEWS has received an overwhelming response to a Sounding Off item published Saturday by Nick Montrose of Bangor in which he criticized high school girls basketball and the format for the Eastern Maine tourney. Portions of the responses follow:

I attended my first tournament game in 1969. I consider myself a basketball purist, and I was not pleased when the boys and girls tournaments were first merged. With the marked improvement in the girls games over the past 20 years, I now find that I sit down to watch basketball. Not boys or girls basketball, but Maine High School Basketball.

Without the tournament exposure many Maine fans might have never heard of Cindy Blodgett. That would have been a shame. A much larger shame than the gripe voiced by Mr. Montrose.

– Steve Smith, Ellsworth

It’s one thing to have an opinion. We all have a right to our own opinion. But when it insults hundreds of hard-working female athletes all over the state of Maine, it’s time to draw the line.

It’s hard to believe that in this day and age there are still people so narrowminded as to put forth such a ridiculous set of statements as Montrose did for all of Eastern Maine to read. And I have an idea I am not the only person that will be responding to your ill thought out letter.

– Peter Douvarjo, girls varsity coach Deer Isle-Stonington

The only thing nauseating about schoolgirl basketball is the perception that it does not belong in the same arena with schoolboy basketball.

I wish everyone had a daughter who played ball so they could experience the same excitement as did the MDI-Mount View fans last Saturday. Many of the men who trek to Orono to watch the Maine women play probably discovered the second “real game” from watching a daughter play ball in a cramped, hot, high school gym somewhere in Maine.

They, like me, enjoy watching Maine high school basketball – girls and boys.

– Alicia Nichols, Veazie

I am not the type of person to get into spitting contests with people but Nick Montrose’s article really takes the cake.

His statement about the caliber of girls basketball being very nauseating to watch is very cruel and abusive.

I for one feel he owes an apology to the hard-working young ladies, their coaches and parents.

– Marvin Collier, Oakfield

I am a team member of the Washington Academy Lady Raiders. We came in 17th place on the season this year. I am still very proud to be a part of the team becasue we work just as hard as the other teams, including the boys teams.

I would also like to add that Nick Montrose, who obviously knows nothing about the “real game,” does not deserve to watch the exciting game of girls basketball.

– Kristen Sawyer, Pembroke

What the girls may lack in pure athleticism they more than make up for in tenacity. The fans at this weekend’s Class B Eastern Maine final girls game were treated to an excellent, intense, and hard-fought game. The girls played just as intensely as the boys game that followed.

The court was the same size, the basket the same height, the 3-point line the same distance, and the rules were the same. I wonder if he would be able to look at any of the participants of Saturday evening’s and the other girls games in the eye and say that their play was “nauseating to watch.”

– Harold Coombs III, Trenton

After attending the last women’s University of Maine game at Orono, I had believed that girls basketball had finally arrived in this part of the state of Maine.

Needless to say, Nick Montrose’s letter makes me realize that it may never arrive in some people’s minds.

I could name the excellent players that our state has turned out, but I feel that with your attitude it would be useless.

I feel that you should be allowed to pay half price for a ticket, so that you won’t be forced to watch “a lower caliber version of basketball” (Your words, certainly not mine).

– Rebecca Johnston, Guilford

As for saying that women’s basketball is a lower caliber of basketball, implying that women can’t do as good as men is a bunch of garbage.

Week after week I’ve watched Bucksport’s point guard, Kara Henderson, compete with the guys from the basketball team and she does well, she holds her own.

Not only does she sink the outside shots, she shuts them off on `D’ and penetrates the middle just like she does with the girls.

… Montrose had absolutely no right to criticize women’s basketball because men may play the game faster. Often women play it smarter. Some even feel that women play better basketball but they have the dignity and respect to keep their mouths closed and their ideas to themselves.

– Jana Richards, Bucksport, grade 7

Despite athletic achievement of Southern Aroostook Community School being overlooked repeatedly, always the optimist, I was sure I would find a picture of the Lady Warriors in the Bangor Daily News on Monday. Afterall, they were the only team from Aroostook County to bring home the Eastern Maine title from Classes B, C or D.

Imagine my surprise when I couldn’t find a picture of our Lady Warriors! On Monday, the BDN had about a dozen pictures covering weekend tournament action held at the Bangor Auditorium and not one picture of the Lady Warriors. Southern Aroostook had been in existence since 1973.

Compared to other public schools, Southern Aroostook is still in its infancy stage and yet athletes (boys and girls) from SA have brought home 15 Eastern Maine Championships and eight state championships. Southern Aroostook has almost as many trophies in the trophy case as some schools that have been in existence for 50-70 years.

I know of nine Eastern Maine championships that athletes from SA brought home without having a photo in the BDN. If I take the time to research, I am sure I will find other times our athletes have won and did not receive coverage from the BDN.

With or without photos in the BDN, we in the community are very proud of the accompishments of our Lady Warriors. I offer congratulations on a job well done to Coach Porter and Lady Warriors.

– Candis Roy, Merrill, Oakfield and Smyrna town manager

The University of Maine’s hockey program has once again exhibited its resilience.

The Bears’ impressive sweep of Boston University last weekend, which left BU Coach Jack Parker and his players singing Maine’s praises, was one of the most meaningful in the program’s 20-year history.

The sweep, along with Tuesday’s win over New Hampshire, indicates that the seemingly endless NCAA mess is past tense and the Bears haven’t let that significant distraction cause irreparable damage to the program.

The 10,886 who rocked the Alfond for the BU series indicated that they were willing to forgive and look ahead to the future.

For the record, Maine has gone 32-14-5 in Hockey East, including last year’s playoffs, over the past two seasons with one game left.

BU is the only team with a better record .

Seniors Reg Cardinal, Jason Mansoff, Trevor Roenick and Dan Shermerhorn refused to allow the NCAA problems, including the two-year ban on NCAA tournament play, to make them victims.

Their leadership and performances have enabled Maine to maintain a level among the nation’s elite in college hockey.

Maine, with just two NHL draft picks in Roenick and defenseman Brian White, went 3-0 against a BU team possessing 11 draft choices.

The Bears, in the words of Parker, will be one of the teams to beat in the league next season.

The BU series became an invaluable weekend of healing.

Mansoff, Shermerhorn, Cardinal and Roenick should be applauded for their loyalty and perseverance in overcoming adversity above and beyond the call of duty. Their contributions should never be forgotten. They will have paved the way for any future championships at Maine.

It’s much easier to recruit for a winning program than a losing one.

Their consolation comes in the fact they did have the opportunity to play in an NCAA championship game as sophomores – most players never get that chance – and they have preserved the prominence of a program that has produced 22 players who have seen playing time in the NHL.

There are nine currently on NHL rosters.

Maine’s coaching staff also deserves a great deal of credit, including former interim head coach Greg Cronin, for keeping the Bears formidable.

– Larry Mahoney, BDN