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Time for coaching change at Bangor?

Another high school basketball season is all but over and the same lingering question remains from years past. Why aren’t the Bangor girls playing for championships?

With one of the largest enrollments in the state, it would seem to the outside observer, that Bangor should be highly competitive in all sports. Indeed, in many sports they are.

Over the past 20 years of so, there have been dozens of Eastern Maine championships for Bangor High. Baseball, 15 titles, boys basketball, seven EM titles; football, 10 EM championships. Swimming at Bangor High should be in a class by itself, with 34 state championships for boys and girls combined.

So, in the face of all that, why does the girls basketball teams only have two EM championships in this same period? For the fans of Bangor High and for the student-athletes at Bangor High, this should be, and is, highly unacceptable. The time has come for a change at the top of the girls basketball program. Tom Tennett is not getting the job done for the students or the citizens of Bangor. It is beyond time to replace him.

The athletic department at the Bangor High School should immediately ask for the resignation of Tom Tennett and begin the search for a coach that can bring the girls basketball team the same accolades that so many other programs and Bangor High School have enjoyed over the years.

The citizens of Bangor deserve it. The fans of Bangor High basketball deserve it, and most important of all, the student athletes at Bangor High deserve more out of their head coach than they have been getting.

Reg Bamford

Bangor

Ref made poor call

As the final seconds ticked away for the players, the coach, and everyone else from Presque Isle, I felt cheated and disrespected in last week’s girls quarterfinal against Mount Ararat of Topsham. Our final year in Class A and it was ended by a controversial call by a southeastern Maine official to a southern Maine team.

Though we didn’t have a good shooting night or a good game, overall it looked like one of those amazing comebacks the ‘Cats had worked so hard for the season. With Mount Ararat’s lead cut to one with under one minute remaining, we did what any other Maine girls basketball team would have done: fouled to regain possession.

To the horror and disappointment of Presque Isle, the hand swat for the ball that Melissa DeMerchant delivered was called intentional! In every close game in basketball history, the team behind would foul. This referee gave the game to the Eagles. We played a clean game as numerous violations were not called on the Eagles.

I, as everyone else in Aroostook County, and the two girls from Brewer with basketball experience, would like to know where the respect in that call was. It was our last season in Class A, and that was not an intentional foul in any other game. As it has been said, Aroostook County is a whole different Maine. That call wedges the spike farther into the coffin.

Matthew E. Clifford

Presque Isle

‘A’ belongs on WABI

I have been following the Eastern Maine girls and boys Class A basketball games for many years. I have always looked forward to seeing these games televised by WABI-TV 5 of Bangor. Not only did I enjoy the actual game, but also the commercials to let us know of the upcoming games. However, this year is a horse of another color.

I believe Maine PBS is a wonderful station for educational programming, but not for sports coverage. The announcers drone on with no excitement in their voices, I’ve seen few instant replays and to be honest, I tire of them requesting money at every break.

I also miss the interviews with coaches and players. Not only that, but where was the coverage of the quarterfinals of Class A? I was told they are only going to provide TV coverage for the final games.

Channel 5 has always been a class act in providing this coverage to the fans. I would like to think the Maine Principals’ Association would rethink this decision next year to go back to WABI. By doing this they would be doing both the players and fans a big favor. Give us back coverage of the games at the level we are accustomed to viewing.

Kelli Richardson

Corinna

Don’t change anthem

When anyone sings the national anthem at a sports event, why do they add extra notes and foul up the song instead of singing it as it was originally written?

I was disgusted by the way it was sung at the Maine hockey game in Orono on Friday, Feb. 28.

Kay Mitchell

Eddington