Ben Lothrop spent tourney week getting into Eastern Maine Class B mode.

Lothrop has left his position as Ashland’s athletic administrator to take an assistant principal position at Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln. He was to start his new position Monday.

Lothrop was offered the MA job earlier this month but stayed at Ashland until the Eastern Maine Class D basketball tournament was over.

“I’ve wanted to be a full-time administrator now for the past couple of years,” Lothrop said as he and daughters Kylee and Emilee watched the Mattanawcook boys play Camden Hills in Saturday afternoon’s Eastern Maine Class B final. “I love the administrative end of it and this is an incredible opportunity for me.”

The job change also puts Lothrop closer to UMaine in Orono, where he’s working on a master’s degree.

Lothrop will live in Lincoln during the school week. His family will stay in Ashland and he’ll go home on weekends.

“That’s going to be kind of hard, but [the family knows] it’s something I need to do,” Lothrop said. “It’s a chance I couldn’t pass up.”

Lothrop said Ashland has brought back former athletic administrator Ron Grover to serve in that position on an interim basis for the rest of the year. Grover will also teach Lothrop’s social studies and journalism classes.

A 1988 Ashland graduate, Lothrop was the Hornets’ girls basketball coach for nine years and baseball coach for four. His 2004-05 girls basketball team was the Eastern Maine Class D runner-up.

GHCA girls to get new coach

The Greater Houlton Christian Academy girls basketball team had another good season this year in reaching the Eastern Maine Class D semifinals, but the Eagles likely will have their third coach in three years next season.

Interim coach Terry Cummings, who was coaching both the Eagles boys and girls teams, said the school will look for a new girls coach for the 2007-08 season.

“We’re hoping to have somebody in place for next year,” Cummings said. “At this point in time, that would be the plan.”

Cummings, who has been the GHCA boys coach since the 2002-03 season, took over the girls team the first day of this season after coach Vaughn Farrar was not rehired.

In the more distant future, Cummings, who is also the school’s athletic director, said GHCA is exploring options for a secondary campus that would include a gymnasium with a basketball court.

The Eagles currently play home games at the University of Maine-Presque Isle and practice at the Houlton Armory. Cummings said Hodgdon High also provided practice space once the Hawks were eliminated from the postseason.

“We’ve had great community support,” Cummings said.

GHCA would likely keep its elementary school in its current location in the old Houlton High School and build another facility for the older students.

“There’s a lot of land out there and we’re looking at our options,” Cummings said. “Right now there’s nothing concrete but we’re hoping that it happens soon.”

Big East banquet set

The top players, coaches and scholar-athletes in the Class B Big East Conference will be honored Saturday during a banquet at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer. The banquet starts at 1 p.m.

Awards to be handed out include all-conference and all-defensive teams, scholar-athletes, team sportsmanship, spirit awards and player and coach of the year.

Tickets are $12 and must be purchased from the teams’ schools by Wednesday. A limited number of tickets will be available Saturday.

Cimino named All-American

McAuley of Portland star Ashley Cimino can now call herself a double McDonald’s all-star.

Cimino, who is a Maine McDonald’s senior all-star, has been named to the McDonald’s national team. The Stanford-bound 6-foot-3 forward, one of 12 East all-stars, has been invited to take part in a March 28 All-America game in Louisville, Ky. The game will be shown live on ESPNU.

She is also a Miss Maine Basketball finalist, it was announced Monday.

Girls All-America nominees from Maine included Hampden’s Tanna Ross, Cony of Augusta’s Cassie Cooper and Mt. Blue of Farmington’s Christina Mosher. Boys nominees were Mountain Valley of Rumford’s Andy Shorey, Travis O’Dell of Brunswick, Sean McNally of Gardiner, Owen Johnson of Boothbay, Edward Little of Auburn’s Troy Barnies, and Justin Burrell of Bridgton Academy.

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