The Fort Kent Community High School boys basketball team has endured some tough times in recent years, but Tim Farrar hopes to turn that around.

Farrar has been hired as the Warriors’ new coach, replacing Mark Baxter, who stepped down after last season.

Farrar already has been involved with the Fort Kent summer basketball program, and currently he is relocating back to the area full time.

“He’s a graduate of the University of Maine at Fort Kent who wanted to return to the St. John Valley,” said Fort Kent athletic director Paul Michaud.

Fort Kent finished 2-16 last year and 7-29 overall during Baxter’s two years as the Fort Kent coach.

The 2003-04 Warriors will seek to have their first winning season since 1997, when they went 14-3 under longtime coach Larry Murphy.

“I know Tim’s excited about coaching here, and he’s got the kids excited about basketball,” said Michaud.

Fort Kent currently competes in Eastern Maine Class B in most sports. The school has 411 students, according to Michaud, just above the 399-student cutoff for Class C. The school’s ski program recently was reclassified to Class C, as enrollment guidelines for that sport are different than those for basketball.

Harvey adds AD duties

Bucksport High School girls’ basketball coach Brendan Harvey has been named the school’s new athletic director.

Harvey replaces Tish Frazier, who left that post after six years.

Harvey, also a special education teacher at the school, has coached in the system for 10 years.

He has served as girls’ varsity basketball coach for four years, after previously coaching the boys freshman and girls junior varsity squads.

Harvey also has been involved with the football program at Bucksport High, most recently serving as coach of freshman team.

In fact, the only fall sports coaching vacancy Harvey has had to deal with since taking the AD’s post was his own freshman football job.

FA names soccer field for Alfond

Foxcroft Academy recently dedicated its new competition soccer field in honor of philanthropist and former Dexter Shoe Co. owner Harold Alfond.

The field, located on the school’s West Main Street campus in Dover-Foxcroft, was created during a recent overhaul of the school’s outdoor athletic facilities .

Through his affiliation with the Boston Red Sox Foundation, Alfond recently made a $100,000 gift to Foxcroft Academy in support of its recent capital campaign. In recognition of that generosity, the competition soccer field is now named the Harold Alfond Soccer Field.

Alfond is a longtime benefactor of high schools, college and community programs throughout Maine, including the University of Maine, Colby College in Waterville, St. Joseph’s College in Standish and Good-Will Hinckley School in Hinckley.

Tracy wins Carmihalis Award

Chris Tracy of Westbrook High School has been named the 2003 recipient of the John Carmihalis Award presented by the Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance.

The award, given each year to the state’s top wrestler as chosen by the MAWA, is named for John Carmihalis, the longtime former Sanford High School coach who is considered by many to be the father of wrestling in Maine.

Tracy was 35-0 during his senior season and won the Class A state championship at 215 pounds.

He posted 113 career victories at Westbrook.

Other finalists for the Carmihalis Award were Levi Rollins of Camden Hills Regional High School in Rockport and Brandon Hamilton of Skowhegan Area High School.

Ernie Clark may be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or eclark@bangordailynews.net