From coping with parental pressures to working referees from the sideline, Tony Hamlin is well-versed in the political side of schoolboy basketball.

He’s thrived in that environment during more than two decades of coaching, a run highlighted by leading South Portland to the 1983 Class A state championship and guiding his alma mater, Penquis Valley of Milo, to the Class C state title in 2000.

“Basketball’s somewhat political,” said Hamlin, who guided Penquis to a 13-6 record and a berth in the Eastern C quarterfinals this winter. “It depends on how you define politics, because there’s politics in everything.”

Hamlin is defining politics more literally these days, having been elected this month to a two-year term on the Milo Board of Selectmen.

“I just decided to try to do something to generate some hope here, to try to get something positive going in town,” said Hamlin, who also teaches and serves as athletic director at Penquis.

This isn’t Hamlin’s first foray into politics; he served on the local school board for several years in the early 1990s.

But with the Milo area struggling on the jobs front, Hamlin has returned to political office in an effort to advance his hometown’s economic future.

Hamlin sees possibilities. There’s an industrial park in the works, and other assets ranging from a willing labor force to the natural beauty of the region that can be marketed, he says.

There’s a pretty good high school basketball program, too.

“We’re 45 minutes from Mount Katahdin, 35 minutes from the University of Maine, there’s three rivers and two lakes here, a lot of hunting and fishing, a lot of things to do,” Hamlin said.

“We need jobs, and there are a lot of attributes here that if you package them right, maybe someone from Lawrence, Mass., or someplace like that looking to get out might look at this, decide to come up here and take a look, and maybe bring some jobs with them.”

KVAC Class A seniors to clash

The Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A Senior Boys Basketball All Star Game will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Thomas College in Waterville.

The KVAC Class A North squad, coached by Troy Scott of Skowhegan, features Corey Tielinen of Oxford Hills of South Paris, Nate Lambert and Trevor Woods of Lawrence of Fairfield, Zach Davis of Skowhegan, Justin Rice of Medomak Valley of Waldoboro, Brian Wells of Mt. Blue of Farmington and Joe Beaudoin, John Fisher and Isaac Hutchinson, all of Messalonskee of Oakland.

The KVAC Class A South squad, coached by Dana Doran of Gardiner, consists of 2004 Mr. Maine Basketball Ralph Mims of Brunswick, Mason Loveitt and Brandon Sewall of Morse of Bath, Adam Vachon of Cony, Kenny Poulin of Edward Little of Auburn, Andy Cantrell and Colin Meyn of Mount Ararat of Topsham, Nick Beauchaine of Lewiston and Jake Witham of Leavitt of Turner Center.

Coaching milestones recognized

Several high school basketball coaches were honored for reaching career milestones during Saturday’s Maine McDonald’s East-West Senior All-Star Game festivities.

Dwight Littlefield of Valley High of Bingham was recognized for topping 400 career victories. In 27 years as the Cavaliers’ head coach, Littlefield has compiled a record of 409-107 record, including six consecutive state Class D championships between 1998 and 2003.

Jeff Hart of Camden Hills in Rockport and Rick Clark of York were honored for reaching 300 career victories, while Mike McGee of Lawrence of Fairfield, Jamie Russell of Piscataquis of Guilford and Craig Sickels of Freeport surpassed 200 career wins.

Jim Seavey of girls Class B state champion Greely of Cumberland Center, Paul True of Skowhegan and John Regan of Old Orchard Beach gained entry into the 100-win club this season.

Clark shines on mat, track

It’s been a busy winter for Troy Clark.

First the Lisbon High senior won the state Class C 140-pound individual wrestling championship.

Now he has earned All-American status in race walking.

Clark finished third in both the Nike Indoor Classic held Saturday at Landover, Md., and the National Scholastic Indoor Track and Field National Championships held in New York City on Sunday. His meet times of 6 minutes, 46.6 seconds and 6:41.64, both personal records for the mile, rank him third nationally in the high school ranks this year.

Clark now is in training for both the high school outdoor 1,600-meter walk and for a berth on the 10-kilometer U.S. Junior World Cup team that will be competing in Naumberg, Germany, in April.

Others earning All-America status include Shead of Eastport’s Helen Pottle, who placed sixth in the Nike meet and seventh at the National Scholastic meet.

Kyle Libby of Leavitt of Turner Center, Carly Lochala of Mt. Blue of Farmington and Lauren Forgues of Boothbay also earned All-American status with top-six finishes last weekend.

Ernie Clark may be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or eclark@bangordailynews.net