PENOBSCOT VALLEY CONFERENCE

GIRLS SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Time, site: Diving: 9:15-10:45 a.m., swimming 12 p.m., Husson College, Bangor

Teams competing: Bangor, Brewer, Caribou, Ellsworth, Foxcroft, Hampden, John Bapst, Mount Desert Island, Old Town, Orono, Presque Isle

Last’s season champion: Bangor

Teams/players to watch: Bangor: Cami Howard (500 free, 100 fly), Samantha Hartery (diving), Lucy Gross (50 free, 100 fly); Brewer: Kallie Pottle (100 fly, 100 back); Old Town: Libby Caldwell (50 free, 100 back), Janai Bernholz (200 free, 100 free); MDI: Jamie Garver (100 free, 200 free), Iris Meehan (200 IM, 100 breaststroke)

Outlook: The real battle here should come down to Old Town and MDI for second place as Bangor is one of the most well-rounded teams in the state. The Rams should have little problem winning this meet because of size and depth. Bangor will also rely on Candida Carvajal, Isobel Herbold, Kayle Shapero, Amanda Gist and Erica Simpson. Garver is among the top swimmers in the state, and Andrea Eaton will also be key for the Trojans. Jen Caron and Kiva Hermansen should also provide points for Old Town. Presque Isle’s Heather Griffen is seeded in the top six for both the 200 and 500 free.

Notes: Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for students and programs cost $1. Swimmers can still qualify for states at this meet or use the competition as a final tune-up for the big championship. Divers will do 11 dives with the first eight rounds starting at 9:15 a.m. and the final three dives immediately after the 50 freestyle event. Top 12 relays and individual finishers will receive ribbons and the top two teams will receive awards.

TRACK & FIELD

EMITL/PVC CHAMPIONSHIP

Time, site: 4 p.m. (warmups), 4:45 p.m. (field events begin), 5:30 p.m. (running events begin), 6 p.m. (sprint/hurdles trials), 7:15 p.m. (running finals begin); University of Maine field house, Orono

Teams competing: Bangor, Bangor Christian, Brewer, Bucksport, Ellsworth, Foxcroft Academy, George Stevens Academy, Hampden Academy, Hermon, Mattanawcook Academy, Mount Desert Island, Narraguagus, Old Town, Orono, Sumner

Last’s season champion: Ellsworth boys and Bangor girls

Teams/players to watch: Boys – Bangor: Eric Libby (60 dash, 200), Brewer: David Haluska (two-mile, mile), Bucksport: Gunner Siverly (200, 400); Hampden: Brian Herasymchuck (two-mile, mile, 800), Trainer Kapler (60, 200), Hermon: Adam Haggerty (pole vault); Girls – Brewer: Heather Clark (two-mile, mile, 800), Danielle Lainez (hurdles, pole vault, triple jump); Hampden: MacKenzie Rawcliffe (hurdles, triple jump, long jump), Oriana Farley (mile, 800, 400), Old Town: Cassie Hintz (two-mile, mile)

Outlook: Both the Brewer boys and girls are favored and poised to win their seventh conference titles in the last 10 years, with Hampden Academy and Bangor being the Witches’ chief competition. Brewer’s boys must do it with depth, a major strength in the regular season which can become a weakness in postseason when those second, third, and fourth-place finishes can become 4, 5 and 6. Brewer’s girls don’t have as much quantity as their male counterparts, but they make up for that with quality. Hampden’s girls also have plenty of individual standouts.

STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Time, site: Augusta Civic Center, weigh-in 7:30 a.m., opening ceremonies 9 a.m., wrestling at 9:30, finals to start no earlier than 5:30 p.m., doors open to public at 8 a.m., $5 for adults, $3 for students. Concessions open all day.

CLASS A

Teams to watch: Noble, Biddeford, Skowhegan

Last’s season champion: Noble

Wrestlers to watch: Noble’s Paul Desmaris at 103 pounds, Mt. Blue’s Shane Webber at 119, Cony’s Jing Mai at 130, Brewer’s Chris Noyes at 152, Jeff Madden at 171 and freshman Justin Bowen at 275. Sanford’s Brian Bourque was an upset winner in the Western Maine finals at 135, Skowhegan’s Brandon Hamilton at 160.

Outlook: Noble is favored to win its fifth consecutive Class A state title. The Knights were undefeated during the regular season and qualified 12 wrestlers for Augusta. EM champ Skowhegan will have 11 wrestlers on the team bus and Biddeford will have eight wrestlers competing.

CLASS B

Teams competing: Camden Hills, Belfast, Mountain Valley

Last’s season champion: Camden Hills

Wrestlers to watch: Camden Hills’ Jake Rollins at 112 pounds, Kyle Sylvester at 119, Levi Rollins at 130, Chris Remsen at 140 and Bryan Creamer at 189; Belfast’s Kyle Bonin at 103 and Norman Gilmore at 125, MCI of Pittsfield’s Jake Lasselle is undefeated at 145, Mount View of Thorndike’s Jeff Harris at 171 carries a 28-1 record to Augusta, Chris Desrosiers of Winslow is the EM champ at 215 and Jon Judkins of Caribou is 26-1 and the EM champ at 275. Mountain Valley of Rumford’s Ian Venskus at 103, Chris Cayer at 119, Ben Madigan at 140, Kirk Nelson at 160 and Jason Provencher at 189.

Outlook: Camden Hills has won three straight Class B championships and it will take a lot to keep the Windjammers from making it four. Camden Hills qualified 12 wrestlers for Augusta. If the Windjammers are to receive a serious challenge it could come from Mountain Valley. The Falcons qualified wrestlers in all but one of the 14 weight classes. Belfast was second in the EM finals and will have 10 wrestlers competing for the state championship.

CLASS C

Teams to watch: Lisbon, Dexter, Foxcroft Academy, Bucksport

Last’s season champion: Lisbon

Wrestlers to watch: Dexter’s Chris Barkac at 119, Keith Thompson (125) and John Bishop at 189; Foxcroft Academy’s Ryan Whittemore (130), Caleb Pelletier (145), Randy Briggs (171) and James McPhee at 215; Bucksport’s Adam Bourgon (140), Adam Tweedie (152) and Travis Pelletier (160); Lisbon’s Justin Cornell (103), Nate Hix (130), Derek Guisto (135), Robert Hespe (152) and Jake Sprinkle at 189; Penobscot Valley of Howland’s Rickey McKechnie at 135. The Howlers’ Ray Lane may be a sleeper at 275. Lane has been out with an injury and ran out of gas at the EM championships. Another week of conditioning will be a help.

Outlook: Lisbon appears to be the favorite. The Greyhounds are going for their third straight Class C championship. While they ran away with the WM title, the East was a dogfight with Dexter coming out on top, edging Foxcroft by three points. Look for a close championship race. Each team point will be important and the title could be decided in the consolation finals.

STATE CHEERLEADING CHAMPIONSHIPS

CLASS A

Time, site: 4 p.m., Bangor Auditorium

Teams competing (in order of competition): Marshwood, Oxford Hills, Bonny Eagle, Brewer, Scarborough, Gardiner, Lewiston, Bangor

Last’s season champion: Biddeford

Teams to watch: Bangor, Brewer, Gardiner, Lewiston, Scarborough

Outlook: As Biddeford did not make it past the Western Maine Class A regional round, the competition for the state title would seem to be up in the air. Lewiston posted an 853/4, the top score of any of the teams at the regional meets. Bonny Eagle has won four state titles since 1994 and Oxford Hills won two straight in 1999 and 2000. The Rams won last week’s Eastern Maine Class A title with a score of 81. Gardiner was second and Brewer finished third.

Notes: Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students. Tickets will be available starting at 7:30 a.m. and are good for the Class A and Class B competitions. Videos will be available for purchase in the Auditorium lobby and cost $21 per class. The field is made up of the top four finishers from the Eastern and Western Maine competitions. Each team will perform its routine once in the first round and the top four teams will be called back to perform in the final round.

CLASS B

Time, site: 2:10 p.m., Bangor Auditorium

Teams competing (in order of competition): Gray-New Gloucester, John Bapst, Mountain Valley, Houlton, Wells, Old Town, Poland, Rockland

Last’s season champion: Houlton

Teams/players to watch: Rockland, Old Town, Poland, Houlton, Wells

Outlook: Considering the scores posted at the Eastern Maine regional two weeks ago, an EM team could emerge as the winner. Rockland took home its first regional title with a 781/4, while Old Town scored a 77 and Houlton had a 763/4. Western Maine’s Poland won its first regional title, scoring a 771/2. Wells, the Western Maine runner-up, had a 72. Old Town is always dangerous and has a strong tradition with two straight state crowns in 1999 and 2000.

Notes: Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students. Tickets will be available starting at 7:30 a.m. and are good for the Class B and Class A competitions. Videos will be available for purchase in the Auditorium lobby and cost $21 per class. The field is made up of the top four finishers from the Eastern and Western Maine competitions. Each team will perform its routine once in the first round and the top four teams will be called back to perform in the final round.

CLASS C

Time, site: 11:10 a.m., Bangor Auditorium

Teams competing (in order of competition): Winthrop, Penobscot Valley, Old Orchard Beach, Sumner, Monmouth, Washington Academy, St. Dominic, Orono

Last’s season champion: Monmouth

Teams/players to watch: Monmouth, St. Dominic, Orono, Washington Academy

Outlook: Monmouth, a perennial Class D powerhouse, moved to Class C last year and immediately won a state title. This year’s WM champion, St. Dominic, had a 76 in the regional; Eastern Maine winner Orono scored a 70.25. Orono has won two straight Eastern Maine titles and was third at last year’s state meet. Washington Academy, the Eastern Maine runner-up, will be looking for a better finish at states than the Raiders had last year when they didn’t make callbacks.

Notes: Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students. Tickets will be available starting at 7:30 a.m. and are good for the Class C and Class D competitions. The Auditorium will be cleared following the Class C competition (about 12:30). Videos will be available for purchase in the Auditorium lobby and cost $21 per class. The field is made up of the top four finishers from the Eastern and Western Maine competitions. Each team will perform its routine once in the first round and the top four teams will be called back to perform in the final round.

CLASS D

Time, site: 8:40 a.m., Bangor Auditorium

Teams competing (in order of competition): Rangeley, Jonesport-Beals, Woodland, Lee, Machias, Deer Isle-Stonington, Central Aroostook, Fort Fairfield

Last’s season champion: Central Aroostook

Teams/players to watch: Fort Fairfield, Central Aroostook

Outlook: This is essentially the same competition as the Class D meet that was held two weeks ago (Eastern and Western Maine are combined into one regional meet because there are so few teams). That leaves the door open for Fort Fairfield which scored 67 point at the regional competition. That’s 5.25 points more than runner-up Central Aroostook. The Tigers were third at states last year. Rangeley is the only Western Maine team that qualified for this competition.

Notes: Doors open to the public at 7:30 a.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students. Tickets will be available starting at 7:30 and are good for the Class C and Class D competitions. The Auditorium will be cleared following the Class C competition (about 12:30). Videos will be available for purchase in the Auditorium lobby and cost $21 per class. The field is made up of the top four finishers from the Eastern and Western Maine competitions. Each team will perform its routine once in the first round and the top four teams will be called back to perform in the final round.