Coach Adam Leach had some harsh words for the Bangor boys soccer team at halftime of their game against Presque Isle Saturday.

What Leach told the Rams, who were behind at that point, wasn’t just for sheer motivation. He told them the cold truth: Without a win over the Wildcats, the Rams probably wouldn’t have a shot at finishing No. 1 in the Eastern Maine Class A standings.

The speech worked. Bangor rallied for a 3-2 win and remains alive in the hunt for the top seed.

The way Leach sees it, the top spot in Class A will come down to Bangor, Brunswick or Hampden. The Broncos are 8-0, including a 4-2 win over Bangor, which is the Rams’ only loss. Brunswick, which plays in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference, is also 8-0. Bangor is 7-1 after Saturday’s win.

Leach saw Brunswick’s 7-1 victory over Cony of Augusta Friday and said he thinks the Dragons can go 14-0.

Bangor and Hampden play again Oct. 7 and a win would put Bangor into better position. And here’s where Saturday’s win over the Wildcats would come into play: Bangor has beaten Presque Isle (7-2) twice. The Rams also own a 3-2 win over Ellsworth, which was the Eagles’ only loss. Both PI and Ellsworth should be ranked in the top four in Eastern Maine Class B when the Heal Point standings are released today.

No other Class A teams play those two particular Class B teams.

“We are gonna pile up a ton of points and if we get another win against Ellsworth we’re in great shape,” Leach said.

Ellsworth hosts Bangor Oct. 15.

Of course, all is not lost for Presque Isle, which is currently on its harvest break. Leach said he believes the highly skilled Wildcats are good enough to win the Eastern Maine Class B title this year.

PI coach Scott Young is hoping his team can put everything together by the end of the season. The ‘Cats have games against Fort Kent, Orono, Foxcroft and Mount Desert Island remaining on their schedule and have already beaten those teams by a combined 14-2.

“We are that talented. If we ever get consistent, watch out,” Young said. “That’s my goal and I think that’s their goal and they want to do that and I think there’s going to be a point where we can do that. That’s called peaking.”

Hampden tabs Schwarz

Longtime area ice hockey coach Bill Schwarz has been hired to coach the Hampden Academy team this winter.

Schwarz was most recently the coach of the Penbay Mariners, a junior hockey team based in Brewer.

His last high school coaching job was at Bangor High, where he skippered the Rams for six years. Bangor went to the Eastern Maine Class A playoffs in five of those seasons, won a school-record 17 games during the 2000-01 season and won the Maine Principals’ Association sportsmanship award for the 2001-02 season after advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

Bangor Superintendent of Schools Sandy Ervin decided not to renew Schwarz’s contract after that season.

Schwarz also served as head coach at Brewer for eight years, guiding the Witches to Eastern Maine Class B titles in 1994 and 1995, and as head coach at Foxcroft Academy for two years. He twice was named the Eastern B Coach of the Year while at Brewer.

He also coaches the Brewer girls soccer team.

“We are very happy to have him aboard,” Hampden athletic director David Shapiro said.

Schwarz replaces Tom King, who guided Hampden to a 10-10 record and a sixth place in Eastern Maine Class B last winter. King, who took over the team in 1999, resigned because of time constraints, Shapiro said.

Bucksport ends skid

The Bucksport boys soccer team ended a more than two-year losing streak with a 2-1 win over Orono on Saturday at home.

Caleb Grindle scored the winning goal after the Golden Bucks (now 1-5-1) were awarded a penalty kick. He converted with 12:03 left in the game to break a 1-1 tie.

“It means quite a bit,” said Bucksport coach Larry Clement. “Hopefully it’ll give the kids a fresh start for the rest of the season.”

Clement, who is in his first year as the varsity coach, was the JV coach when Bucksport last won a game on Oct. 15, 2002, also against Orono. The score was 1-0.

The Bucks had gone 0-20-1 since then.

Teddy Cooke also scored a goal for Bucksport Saturday but Orono’s Chris McConnon tied the game with 19:02 left in the second half.

Bucksport goalie Miles Bisher made eight saves on nine shots while Orono’s Mat Lint stopped three of five shots.

The Red Riots are also 1-5-1.

High school bowlers wanted

Area high school students interested in bowling can participate in High School Bowling USA at the Family Fun Lanes in Bangor.

Students compete in the Penobscot Area Bowling Conference, which will start its second season this November. Any student currently in high school can participate in this program.

For more information contact coach and area coordinator Ed Cotter at 884-6205 or e-mail cotter5@netzero.net. Family Fun Lanes manager Andy Meucci can be reached at 942-6701 or by e-mail at bowl@familyfunlanes.com.

The program’s Web site is www.familyfunlanes.com/91101.html.

Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.