CALAIS – When Calais girls basketball coaches Bob McShane and Brenda Batson wanted to think of a theme for this year’s squad – something that would go on the Blue Devils’ warmup T-shirts – they found they were inspired by the events of Sept. 11.

The girls have been wearing shirts with a red, white, and blue basketball on the front. Printed on the back is the expression “Let’s roll.”

That’s part of what Todd Beamer was heard to have said on United Airlines Flight 93 before he and other passengers took action against the hijackers of the plane which eventually crashed in Pennsylvania. The action Beamer and the other passengers took is said to have averted another devastating terrorist act on the day other planes flew into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington.

McShane and Batson ordered the shirts with the patriotic basketball on the front, and students at the Calais High technology education department printed “Let’s Roll – Todd Beamer” on the back of enough shirts for the varsity and junior varsity girls teams. The squads also want to send shirts and a team photograph to Beamer’s wife Lisa and former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani (and possibly President Bush, too).

“That’s the whole reason we wanted to do this,” said center Katie Smith, one of five seniors on the team.

The Devils wear the shirts during their pregame warmup.

At first, opposing teams didn’t get the message or realize where it came from. But as the girls have explained the shirts, the other teams have come to understand who Todd Beamer was.

“We figured if we got [the shirts] early enough and played in all the games all over the state in the regular season that by the time we got to the tournament everyone would know,” said guard Nanci Feck.

“When you wear it and somebody asks you about it, you have a little more pride,” forward Morgan Drew said.

McShane has also used the shirts as a motivational tool. He reminded the Blue Devils of their T-shirts before a key game against Houlton earlier this season.

“He told us that we had [Beamer’s words] on the back of our T-shirts, so we should go out there and live up to it,” guard-forward Lanna Martin said.

Not only have the Blue Devils been inspired by the saying, it’s become a euphemism for their season. The defending state Class C champions have rolled to a 12-0 record entering Saturday’s home game against Madawaska.

A big key this season has been an emphasis on defense. Finally, in their fourth year, the seniors say, the Blue Devils are getting better and better at both man-to-man and a variety of zones, both in full-court and half-court sets. Last season they tried to hold teams to less than 40 points; this year they’ve done even better.

“That had always been our goal,” guard Katie Frost said. “Now it’s like, we want to hold them to under 25.”

Alley back on the bench

The Jonesport-Beals boys basketball team may be having a bit of an inconsistent season at 6-5, but at least one constant is there: coach Ordie Alley is back on the bench.

The coach, in his 34th season at the Royals’ helm, has struggled for the past few years with health problems including a neuro-muscular autoimmune disorder called myasthenia gravis and prostate cancer. He was receiving treatment to prepare for prostate surgery last March when he contracted pneumonia and was placed on a ventilator.

Last season Alley’s son Troy coached the team, and now with Ordie back with the team, Troy is at his side as an assistant and the junior varsity coach. This year Alley said he has missed a few practices and a preseason game, but has been on the bench for every regular-season contest.

“I’m glad that Troy is with me,” he said. “That’s one of the main things, being able to coach with him. Last year was so off-and-on, I would do a game and then be sick, be in the hospital. I’d sit up and wait for Troy to call to let me know how things went.”

Alley isn’t sure if he’ll be back to coach again next year, preferring to “play it by ear.” Right now he’s got his hands full with the Royals, who have only one returning starter.

“We’ll see how the rest of the season goes,” he said. “When the season started, I figured we’d be .500, or 10-8 would be a good year, with losing four starters. And we’re 6-5. If we play like we did against DI-S, we can play with a lot of teams.”