Bulldogs’ Holmes chosen for Czech Hockey trip

Casey Holmes, a student at Lawrence High School in Fairfield, has been selected to play in the Czech Hockey Challenge Cup in Prague, Czech Republic.

The senior goalie from Albion joins left wing Jeremy Delaney of Westbrook as the only Mainers on the 15-member team which will travel to Europe as part of a goodwill tour organized by Sports Challenge International Inc., and the Czech Hockey Federation.

The weeklong event takes place Aug. 9-16. Although SCII covers some of the expenses, each athlete must raise at least $2,100 toward the trip. Anyone wishing to contribute to Holmes’ fund-raising drive can call him or his parents at 437-9263.

The participants were selected by SCCI through recommendations by area coaches, scouting services, media representatives, and state associations.

SCII has been organizing similar tours and tournaments since 1986. This year, more than 7,000 participants will compete in similar events throughout Europe, Australia, and the Caribbean.

Former Brewer High and Husson College assistant coach Harold Williams was confirmed by the school board Tuesday night as the new girls varsity basketball coach at Sumner in East Sullivan.

Williams takes over for Michael Eastman, who resigned for personal reasons after five seasons in which the Tigers went 47-41 with two trips to the tournament. Eastman, the 1995 Hancock County Coach of the Year, is retaining his job teaching business at Sumner.

Also confirmed Tuesday was Andrea Sponberg, who takes over as girls varsity soccer coach and JV girls basketball coach. It is the first varsity coaching job for Sponberg, the recreation director at the Mount Desert Island YMCA.

Sponberg replaces Tom Hart, who’s decided after five seasons to devote a little more time to his family. Hart directs a school-to-work transition program at Sumner through Jobs for Maine Graduates.

The local high school football coaching fraternity suffered a loss Tuesday as former Orono, Old Town and Mattanawcook Academy football coach Ed Paul died at the age of 66.

The Massachusetts native compiled a 98-66-8 record during his 27-year coaching career – 25 as a head coach – at nine different New England schools, including Berwick Academy and Bangor High School.

Paul’s most successful season came in 1977 when he led the Orono Red Riots to a 9-0 record and the LTC championship. He was named the LTC Coach of the Year. A University of Maine graduate and Old Town resident, Paul coached teams to five league titles.

Visiting hours for Paul are 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Thursday at Birmingham Funeral Home in Old Town. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Friday at the United Methodist Church in Old Town.

The R.H. Foster/Mobil Wall of Fame, which has garnered rave reviews since being unveiled at the Eastern Maine High School Basketball Tournament last year, will take to the road now that the 1999 tourney is over.

The first stop for the feature attraction of the annual Hoop Town exhibition during tournament week will be Guilford, for the 16th Penquis Valley Region Expo this weekend.

The Wall of Fame, a 100-foot-wide display made up of five, eight-foot-tall panels displaying the names and photos of all 2,000-plus members of each Bangor Daily News All-Tournament team since 1946, will be on display Saturday, April 9, at Piscataquis Community High School.

At 12:30 p.m., a special ceremony is scheduled during which the 1999 Piscataquis County All-Stars and All-Penquis League selections will be presented. Also, the members of the Piscataquis County All-Star teams from the 1940s and ’50s will be honored, and Ryan Rivera of Central High School will be awarded the 1999 William C. Warner Tournament MVP plaque.