Five Maine high school cheerleading teams are getting ready for Saturday’s New England Spirit Championships, which will be held at Woburn (Mass.) High School.

John Bapst of Bangor and Central Aroostook of Mars Hill will be among those squads attending New Englands.

The first session of the competition will start at 10 a.m., followed by the second session at 3:30 p.m.

Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 8:30 a.m. Admission is $7.

Although 12 Maine teams qualified for New Englands, Maine Principals’ Association assistant executive director Larry LaBrie said the four weeks between the high school championships in Maine and the distance to Woburn played a part in so few teams accepting their invitations.

“[Four weeks is] a long time to have to maintain interest for one meet,” he said. “That and travel concerns. For some schools, it’s a long way.”

John Bapst was the Class B state runner-up. Central Aroostook, which won the Class D state crown, will compete in the co-ed division.

Class A Marshwood of Eliot, which was the state runner-up this year, and third-place Scarborough will also represent Maine, as will Poland, which won the Class B state title.

Last year eight teams went to New Englands, which was the first year Maine squads participated. Brewer, which won the 2007 Class A state championship, placed fourth at New Englands, which were held at the Whittemore Center on the campus of the University of New Hampshire.

Sportsmanship prevails

In addition to all the state basketball gold balls that were handed out last week, 16 teams also won sportsmanship banners.

In Eastern Maine, the Brunswick boys and Skowhegan girls took the Class A awards, while the Presque Isle boys and Belfast girls earned the honors in Class B. In Class C, the Fort Kent boys and Narraguagus of Harrington girls prevailed. The Woodland boys and Jonesport-Beals girls won banners in Class D.

In Western Maine, the South Portland boys and Westbrook girls were Class A winners. Freeport and Falmouth won the boys and girls awards, respectively, in Class B. The Hyde of Bath boys and Monmouth girls won banners in Class C. The Forest Hills of Jackman boys and Vinalhaven girls were the Class D winners.

Softball rules changes

Several changes will go into effect for the 2008 high school softball season.

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, metal cleats and toe plates will now be legal, in an effort to be consistent with the college game.

In other equipment notes, coaches are to note that if eye shields are attached to a helmet, they must be of molded, rigid material that is clear and not tinted. Also, for a bat to be legal it must meet the 2004 ASA Performance Standard, bear either the 2000 or 2004 certification mark and not be on the ASA nonapproved list.

In other changes, the penalty for a second unreported substitution will now limit the head coach as well as the offender to the dugout. Batters must now take their position in the batters’ box within 10 seconds after the ball is returned to the pitcher in the pitcher’s circle.

The 2008 season opens the week of March 24 for pitchers and catchers only. Softball teams may bring in any combination of the same 10 players to pitch or catch.

jbloch@bangordailynews.net

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