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Pelote deserves more

I have a concern about the selections of Mr. Basketball. Ah, did we forget anybody? As I look down the listings of the nominees and the seven given honorable mention I do not see Nick Pelotte mentioned.

He is the starting point guard for the Valley High School Cavaliers of Bingham, who won their fourth Class D state championship over the highly underrated East Grand Vikings. By now everyone knows that the Cavaliers have the state record 85 wins in a row and still counting.

It seems like the most prominent reason for recognizing Mr. Basketball nominees and the other seven who received honorable mention, depends highly on what class you play in and the amount of numbers you put up. Nick Pelotte is not from a Class A school and did not score 1,500 points, but he can say he had a stellar career with one of the greatest teams assembled in Maine history.

Nick Pelotte is known for his unselfish play. Not only does he make lightning quick no-look passes and score, he also creates offense from his attack on defense. Like all of his teammates, he is on the ball like a piranha on its prey.

Other well-known teams around the state like Bangor and Deering do have excellent teams among their opponents in Class A, but I invite you to consider the gutsy play of the Valley Cavaliers and their little spark, Nick Pelotte. It is true that many say that Bingham is good, but don’t match up to teams like Bangor or Deering.

Coach DiFrederico of Nokomis High School mentioned in the Portland Press Herald that Bangor treated the game they lost to Valley, 69-41, as an exhibition. I do not agree with that statement. I believe that this matchup was much anticipated by the players and fans. I attended the game and witnessed a 19-5 Valley lead in the first quarter. I guarantee deep down inside Bangor knows they probably played one of the best teams in Maine history.

I witnessed another exhibition game between Valley and Piscataquis Community of Guilford. Piscataquis is unquestionably one of the top five teams in the state. Guilford and Bingham knew it was an exhibition game, but both teams fought like dedicated soldiers till the end. The battle ended with Valley sneaking by Guilford 75-74.

The fans of these nearby towns knew in their hearts that game would probably be one of the best high school games played all year. I guarantee if you watched this Valley team play this year you would agree that they are probably the best team in the state.

The point I am getting at is that Nick Pelotte deserves to be recognized for being a great team player and probably the best point guard in the state. He doesn’t need to show his great career statistics, he shows you his self-sacrificing and determined play on the court. I know Nick Pelotte does not need to say anything about not even getting honorable mention for Mr. Basketball.

Nick Pelotte is part of the best team in Maine high school basketball and is the best point guard in the state.

Garret Vainio

Guilford

Bangor’s best man

No Joe, the best man didn’t win.

Oh, I know you can be humble and give credit to the other guy while wearing a smile on your face, but after the state Class A championship at the Bangor Auditorium on March 17 there was a clear winning team and a best basketball player in the state who acrobatically tossed in the final basket that won yet another championship for the Bangor Rams.

Oh, you can be modest and say the other guy scored more points in his senior year and has been scouted heavily. You can even say he had commitment, dedication, and excellence and those were the criteria that gave him the award. But do you know Joe, they eliminated one very important virtue – attitude.

You’ll only have the memory of that final shot and the throng of Bangor fans running to you along with your teammates that hoisted you to the high heavens in their jubilation. Your star rose above the Bangor Auditorium and all over the city and still hovers there today.

Yes Joe, you are the All-American hero and those two gold basketballs will be polished every year at the high school and in years to come the name Joe Campbell will be synonymous with excellence. Yes Joe, those that follow the game know who Mr. Basketball really is. Your career at Bangor High School will never be matched.

Joseph Gould

Holden

Two great champs

The Warriors were Warriors.

Congratulations to two great championship T-E-A-M-S and coaches: Team Nokomis and Team Bangor!

Rick Cosmos

Bangor

Club aids youth events

There were a few key points left out of the story on junior hunting (BDN, March 9). The Penobscot County Conservation Association, which has been in existence for more than 75 years, has always dealt well with encouraging youth to hunt and fish. We were the originators of the hunter safety program to what it has evolved to today.

We were the first statewide sponsor of a Youth Conservation Camp held at Camp Jordan at Branch Lake in Ellsworth. We were the originators and campaigned statewide to solicit support for the two conservation camps held for sixth- and seventh-grade youth from all over the state at the Maine Conservation School at Bryant Pond and Greenland Point in Princeton.

Our club sponsors 140 children annually at no cost other than arriving at camp. These have all been successful programs that have helped pique the youth of Maine’s interest in the out-of-doors. Great article, though not all complete in detail. Please continue to focus on Maine’s dwindling art – the enjoyment of the out-of-doors by all, young and old alike.

Gary R. Trask, Holden

Former President PCCA

Reg. Master Maine Guide

Alcohol is evil catalyst

Even though I’m not a daily reader of the sports section, I do enjoy reading John Holyoke’s weekend column. This weekend’s, “Tourney’s underbelly exposed,” was of particular interest to me.

Holyoke is bemoaning the gradual loss of innocence and clean tournament action that occurs each year but especially at March 17’s Bangor-Deering boys state championship game because it was marred by drunk and disorderly behavior by student fans at the game. What I am more concerned about is the widespread frequent use of alcohol and other drugs by Maine teens.

Although I’m sure it is disheartening for avid sports fans to see tournament action spoiled by drunken behavior, it is even more troubling to see alcohol use spoil and disrupt whole lives. Weekend alcohol binges that lead to drunk driving, alcohol addiction, use of other dangerous drugs, domestic violence, sexual abuse and harassment – a whole slew of social ailments – that’s what’s really disheartening.

Karen Jo Young

Corea

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