Presque Isle senior Gabe Cheney missed three of his team’s soccer games this fall, but you can’t argue with, as he puts it, the eternal benefits of the reason why he didn’t play in the games.

Cheney spent 11 days this fall working with a mission group from the State Road Advent Christian Church in Mapleton.

The trip coincided with the potato harvest break that many Aroostook County schools take so Cheney knew he wouldn’t miss any school.

Three soccer games out of his senior year gave him some pause. Ultimately, Cheney decided to go on the trip.

“Soccer definitely plays a big part in my life, but so does church,” he said. “I figured, I’d be affecting more people if I went on a mission. And Coach [Scott Young] supported my decision. We talked about it, and I just thought the eternal benefits would be better.”

Cheney worked at two sites in Guatemala. The group’s first stop was at the home of a missionary couple, Bryan and Richelle Buchanan, who have roots in northern Maine, where the Mapleton group helped do some repairs and helped dig a well.

The second stop, in a more remote section of the central American country, was to work on building a church. In preparation for the trip the group had already sent about $1,200 in donations for building materials. When the group got to Guatemala the materials were there for them to work on the church.

It was Cheney’s second trip to Guatemala – he was there in April on another mission – and he’s come to love it.

“It’s a really beautiful country,” said Cheney, who was named All-Aroostook County soccer for Classes B and C and second-team All-Penobscot Valley Conference for Class B. “The people are great and they’re really nice to foreigners.”

Still, the soccer games Cheney missed against Foxcroft Academy, Hermon and John Bapst of Bangor were on his mind.

Cheney and Young e-mailed frequently in the build up to the Bapst game, which was big for both teams. The Wildcats ended up winning 3-1 which was one of two regular-season losses for the Crusaders, who went on to win the Eastern Maine Class B championship.

“I guess they didn’t miss me too much,” he joked.

Cheney, who also plays basketball for Presque Isle, has joined the National Guard and will do basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri next fall. He then plans to return to Maine and attend Husson College in Bangor.

Old Town posts to be filled soon

Coaches for the vacant girls basketball, swimming and ice hockey positions at Old Town High have been hired and will be made official at a Nov. 21 school board meeting, Old Town athletic director Greg Thibodeau said.

Thibodeau declined to name the coaches pending school board approval.

Practice for those winter sports starts on Monday, Nov. 20, which means the coaches will be in place for one day before they’re officially hired.

Schools generally don’t like to hire coaches so close to the start of a season, but Thibodeau was out on medical leave for a few weeks this fall, which put a hold on the hiring process.

“It was a different situation, that’s for sure,” he said.