Paul, Jordan will be missed by sports world

loading...

The Eastern Maine sports community has been dealt a double blow in the past 10 days.

Former 32-year University of Maine trainer Wes Jordan and Joe Paul, a coach, school administrator and University of Maine basketball clock operator, have both died and left a void.

If you attended a University of Maine football, basketball or baseball game or an Eastern Maine tournament basketball game, the odds of you not seeing at least one of them were slim.

Jordan worked the Eastern Maine basketball tournament for nearly 40 years and Paul would often be in attendance.

Paul was a fixture at Maine men’s and women’s basketball games as a clock operator.

They had contrasting personalities with three common threads: the love of sports, a genuine appreciation for the players and coaches involved and great senses of humor.

In Jordan, you had a big ex-college lineman with a resounding voice and a mischievous Cheshire cat smile.

His eyes would light up and a giddiness would come over him if you left your guard down and gave him the opportunity to nail you with a slam-dunk one-liner.

Joe Paul had a dry sense of humor but, boy, was he clever.

He was a quiet but intelligent man who was a joy to talk sports with.

He was opinionated and always validated his opinions.

Spending time with Joe and wife Nancy at an American Legion or high school baseball game was a treat. Their good-natured back-and-forth bantering was a wonderful source of entertainment and humor.

Paul and Jordan were devoted to their families and were tremendous role models.

They will be sorely missed.

Ice seniors had exceptional careers

There were several gifted Eastern Maine high school hockey players who concluded outstanding careers in the playoffs.

Orono High School will graduate nine players who lost one regular season game the last two seasons.

Opposing defensemen are rejoicing they won’t have to deal with the dynamic Red Riot line of Pat Skall, Will Toner and Mike Merritt next season.

That line had great chemistry and hockey sense to supplement their high skill level.

Slovakian exchange student Branislav Srnka’s stickhandling exhibitions and scoring touch were also memorable and all-around defenseman Ian Ferguson also stood out.

Presque Isle High School may have had the best player in Eastern B in Darren Carlisle, who returned to Presque Isle last season after playing for St. Dominic in Lewiston for two years.

Carlisle has tremendous speed and it takes him only a couple of strides to reach full throttle.

He is tenacious on the puck and doesn’t let the constant bumping he’s subjected to affect his game.

He can score and make plays.

John Bapst put together a 16-7 season with anywhere from just seven to 10 skaters (excluding skaters) and the two primary reasons were scoring machine Zach Means and defenseman Taylor Lynn.

Means scored more than 50 goals and dominated games with his skating and skills despite having to occasionally conserve his energy. He would have get just one or two shifts off per period early in the season.

Lynn is a great skater and stickhandler who, like Means, had to save his energy from time to time.

Brewer received outstanding seasons from A.J. Hayes, whose hard-working line with brother Robbie and Jeremiah Richter, dominated games, along with defenseman Andy Pooler.

Bangor High goalie Dominic Dinardo kept the youthful Rams in several games and Hampden received a lot of mileage from Mike Brooks and Patrick Bailey.

Larry Mahoney can be reached at 990-8231 or by email at lmahoney@bangordailynews. net.