The numbers are in, but the playoff picture through five-eighths of the Pine Tree Conference football season is no less murky.

Ironically, the team currently occupying the catbird seat is the one which needed a miracle run at this time last year just to make the playoffs.

The Skowhegan Indians, after starting the 2001 season 1-4 before reeling off five straight wins and advancing all the way to the PTC championship game, are the PTC’s only unbeaten team with a 5-0 record and a clear frontrunner with a Crabtree Points rating of 140.0.

Although the PTC is divided into two six-team divisions (northeast and southeast), conference standings and win-loss records are secondary to teams’ Crabtree ratings, which are the prime determinant of which teams make the eight-team playoff field.

Another irony is that the current standings have defending state champion Bangor as the PTC’s No. 2 team. The Rams started the season 0-2, but have won three straight – two against previously unbeaten teams.

Using Bangor as an example, the Crabtree system works like this: Bangor’s record is 3-2. The overall win-loss record of the five teams the Rams have played so far this season is 17-8. Bangor’s Crabtree rating is figured by computing the Rams’ winning percentage (.600) and adding it to their opponents’ (.680) and multiplying that number by 100. The result is Bangor’s score of 128. Skowhegan is currently at 140.

The next highest team rankings are owned by 3-2 Waterville at 124 and Mt. Blue of Farmington, Lewiston, and Gardiner – all at 112.

Bangor’s remaining games involve Oxford Hills of South Paris (72), Waterville, and Messalonskee of Oakland (68).

The upshot of all this is that not too many teams are out of the playoff race, although 0-5 Cony of Augusta at 72 is in need of some divine intervention to get into the postseason with only one of its remaining three opponents (Gardiner) having a high Crabtree value.

“It’s too tight for us to worry about everyone else. I told these guys we used up all the losses we can afford our first two weeks,” said Bangor coach Mark Hackett after a 10-7 win over Lawrence last Friday. “It’s like a playoff atmosphere from here on out.”

Orono man gets Noble honor

The Noble Knights have bestowed quite an honor on John Bapst Memorial High and University of Maine alumnus Bill Bourbon.

Officials of the South Berwick school have named the Knights’ football field and facility after the school’s former athletic director, principal, football coach, and physical education teacher.

William R. Bourbon Stadium was officially dedicated to him Sept. 20 as several members of Noble’s 1968 football team, which Bourbon coached to the program’s first state title, were on hand to personally honor their former coach.

The 64-year-old Bourbon, who also served as SAD 60 assistant superintendent and school superintendent, was a school official and/or coach for 40 years in the district. He lives in North Berwick with his wife, the former Charlene Murphy of Old Town.

Field hockey ref course offered

Husson College athletic director Pam Hennessey has finalized plans with the Maine Principals’ Association to offer a spring 2003 course that will teach field hockey officiating.

Hennessey, a longtime field hockey referee, said the three-credit course would be held Tuesday evenings from 5:30-8 at Husson in Bangor.

Students who pass the course as well as a field exam and written test will be certified to officiate interscholastic games.

Hennessey and state field hockey rules interpreter Shannon Whiting are working to put the course together.

It’s all part of a push to pick up more refs, Hennessey said.

“We’re trying to do every little bit we can,” she said.

For more information, call Hennessey at 941-7029.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or ANeff@bangordailynews.net

PINE TREE CONFERENCE

Crabtree Point Standings

(through Oct. 6)

Northeast Division

1. Skowhegan (5-0) 140, 2. Bangor (3-2) 128, 3. Waterville (3-2) 124, 4. Mt. Blue (4-1) 112, 5. Lawrence (1-4) 76, 6. Messalonskee (1-4) 68

Southeast Division

1. (tie) Lewiston (4-1) 112 and Gardiner (3-2) 112, 3. Edward Little (3-2) 104, 4. Brunswick (1-4) 80, 5 (tie) Oxford Hills (2-3) 72 and Cony (0-5) 72