Consistent Hawks having fun while winning

There was likely a lot of disappointment for both the Hermon and Bucksport softball teams after their scheduled game Thursday afternoon was postponed due to thunder and lightning in Hermon.

For the undefeated Golden Bucks, a win over the Hawks would have likely meant a nice bump in Eastern Maine Class B Heal points and a season sweep. For the Hawks, a victory would have meant avenging a 5-1 loss earlier this year, maintaining their lead in the Heal point standings, and continuing what is now a seven-game winning streak.

“We were very eager to play them,” Hermon coach Stephanie Biberstein said Thursday afternoon. “Knowing we made some mistakes down there, and that we’re on a streak now and we’re hitting the ball so much better, we wanted to play them.”

Softball success is nothing new to Bucksport, but Hermon is enjoying its best season since Biberstein took over four years ago. The No. 1 Hawks are 8-3 with a game against MDI set for this afternoon.

Hermon started out 1-3 with losses to the Bucks, MDI and Ellsworth. The losses came as sophomore pitcher Ashley Kelley recovered from a hip flexor she dealt with in the preseason.

Since coming back from the injury, however, Kelley has been sharp. Her fastball has been clocked at 63 miles per hour, and she can throw a drop, a rise and a changeup. She’s been racking up the strikeouts lately, including 41 in the Hawks’ last three games.

“She’s really coming on strong,” Biberstein said of the 5-foot-11 Kelley, who is also one of the school’s top basketball players. “She’s got all of the tools. She’s just a great athlete.”

Biberstein said the Hawks have also relied on the play of senior shortstop Cassie White, another fine varsity basketball player, who is hitting at around .400, and catcher Kate Campbell.

“She’s been hitting the ball pretty well lately,” Biberstein said.

In a game against Foxcroft Saturday, Campbell racked up eight RBIs on a grand slam, a triple and a double.

While Kelley, White and Campbell have been the key players on the field, Biberstein relies on a few others off the field.

She’s got a couple of clowns on the team that keep things light – which meshes well with the squad’s personality.

The main jokesters? Freshman first baseman Erin Arnold, junior center fielder Mycah Cyr, and volunteer assistant coach Shannon Wiggin, a former standout Hermon athlete.

“This group’s a fun group,” said Biberstein, a certified athletic trainer who teaches athletic training, physical education and biology at the school. “It’s not a put-on-your-game-face type of a team that has to be really intense. They like to be loose and have fun.”

That’s translated into wins for the Hawks this season after they went a combined 20-28 in the previous three years. The program’s improvement in play has gone along with some big changes, including a junior varsity team and improvements to the field.

“We’ve come a long way,” Biberstein said. “We have a JV team now, we have tremendous community support, the youth program gets support. It’s trickled down.”

MCI’s Pullen resigns

Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield is seeking a girls basketball coach after the resignation of Bill Pullen.

MCI athletic director Julie Treadwell said Pullen, who coached the Huskies for four seasons, submitted a letter of resignation and did not give a reason for leaving the position, which he held for three seasons. The school has started a coaching search.

Pullen could not be reached for comment.

The 11-8 Huskies had their best finish under Pullen this season, making the Eastern Maine Class B preliminary round before falling to John Bapst of Bangor 43-36. The Crusaders went on to earn regional runner-up honors.

MCI should be in good shape for next season. The Huskies graduate just three seniors, although one of those is starting guard Kasey Dodge, and will welcome back guard Victoria Huff, who was the Huskies’ leading scorer, as well as 5-10 forward Jenna Lorentson, 5-11 forward Ruth Oviatt and twin sister guard sets Bianca and Amanda Asaro, and Kady and Kylie Huff.

Victoria Huff is a cousin to the twins.

The Huskies showed steady improvement in each of Pullen’s four seasons. MCI was 2-16 in 2002-03 and made the prelims twice under Pullen, losing to Hermon in the 2003-04 season. His record at MCI was 27-46.