Women’s basketball players Downeast have a new opportunity to improve their skills this summer.

The “Summer Squall” instructional league for high school, college and community players tipped off June 12 at the Reynolds Center at the University of Maine-Machias.

The eight-team league is the first of its kind in Washington County.

“There’s never been anything like this in Downeast Maine on the girls’ side,” said league director Tobin Slaven, the head women’s basketball coach at UMM.

High school teams and players from Calais, East Grand of Danforth, Jonesport-Beals, Shead of Eastport, Washington Academy of East Machias and Woodland have signed up for the league. There are two other teams of players from the community and current and former members of the UMM Clippers.

Slaven said he is not aware of any other leagues in the state that combine high school, collegiate and post-collegiate players.

“This is for developing basketball Downeast. It’s especially attractive for high school [players] because it’s a higher level of play. When you play against people who are better than you, that’s when you advance your game,” he said.

The league will continue for two months, with four games played every Monday and Wednesday. During the last week there will be a tournament. Admission to the games is free.

Knights involved in charity

The Narraguagus outdoor track and field team decided not to have a banquet, and chose to forgoe giving out team trophies.

Instead, the Knights donated the money that would have gone for those end-of-season treats to Athletes Helping Athletes, a charity that helps the Challenged Athletes Foundation raise money for equipment, training and travel costs.

The Knights also collected money from can drives, and donated a total of $225.

“The kids wanted to do a positive thing at Narraguagus, because so much this year wasn’t positive,” coach Jim Sawyer said, referring to a highly publicized incident last November in which 33 students were suspended from all extracurricular activities for attending a party where drugs and alcohol were present.

“They did this on their own, and I am really proud of them,” he said.

As it turns out, the Knights did have a spaghetti feed to end the season, and they did get awards. Sawyer said he told Narraguagus athletic director Tracie Martin of the team’s donation. Martin, he said, was touched, and the school decided to give the students their awards and the cost of the awards for the donation.

To encourage the team to make the donation, Sawyer showed the Knights an informational video that Athletes Helping Athletes sends out to prospective donors.

“It really gives you an idea who you’re helping,” he said. “When they saw a guy high-jump six feet with one leg, well, you could have heard a pin drop in that room.”

Sawyer said his team would like to challenge area high school teams to make a similar donation.

To contact Sawyer, call 483-6022.

Karam, Harvey nominated

Bangor High’s Jeremy Karam and Craig Harvey of Bucksport are among five finalists for the Mr. Maine Baseball award.

Mike Collar of Scarborough, Portland’s Simon Williams and Lisbon’s Jeremy Shorey are also candidates for the award.

Shorey, a standout pitcher, was to attend the University of Maine on a baseball scholarship but was picked by Milwaukee in the 21st round of the Major League Baseball draft last week. He is playing with a Brewers’ minor league team in Utah.

The Mr. Baseball winner will be announced at the Maine High School Senior All-Star Baseball Classic, which will be played June 23 at 7 p.m. at Bangor’s Mansfield Stadium.

Senior All-Stars Eastern Maine representatives

Bangor: Jeremy Karam, Barrett Dionne, Willy Baird; Belfast: Pete Klausmeyer; Bucksport: Craig Harvey, Ricky McHale; Camden-Rockport: Mike MacDonald; Cony: Scott Brawn, Brandon Royce; George Stevens: Toby Cole, John Lewandowski; Lawrence: Corey Pelletier; Lee: Charlie Worster; Mattanawcook: Zac Reed; Mt. Blue: Brent Demshar; Presque Isle: Jeff Yaeger; Searsport: Arron Tripp; Stearns: Josh Emerson, Jason Folsom; Sumner: Greg Ingalls; Winslow: Patrick Bard, Josh Plisga Western Maine representative

Biddeford: Luke Bernier; Bonny Eagle: Matt Vanderburgh; Brunswick: Eric Lemont; Cheverus: Aaron Ciesiak, Travis Ferrante; Deering: West Ridlon; Falmouth: Neils Knudson; Gorham: Jackson Schneider; Greely: Miles Hunt, Adam Lemieux; Livermore Falls: Travis Dube; Marshwood: Adam Tuttle; Oak Hill: Christian Boileau, Brian Beaulieu; Oxford Hills: Josh Wyman; Portland: J.D. Walker, Simon Williams; Sanford: Kevin Bougie; Scarborough: Mike Collar, Brendon Clark; Telstar: Josh Mowery; Wells: Lars Borssen; Westbrook: Mike DiDorato; Windham: Nick Parenteau, Shawn Littlefield