Week 1 Friday, Sept. 5 googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
Cody Andrews has spent numerous memorable summer days on the Maine coast, taking trips on the family speedboat out of Bucks Harbor. Those experiences created in Andrews an affection for being on the water, so perhaps it is no surprise he chose to attend Maine… Read More
BANGOR – Cory Smith is a young man who isn’t afraid to take on a difficult challenge. Smith is a starting defensive tackle and senior captain for coach Gabby Price at Husson College in Bangor. He also is a strong student in the school’s criminal… Read More
ORONO – Jordan Stevens had a considerable presence on the football field last season as a linebacker for the University of Maine. This fall, coach Jack Cosgrove and his staff have found a way for Stevens to make that presence felt more often for the… Read More
BELFAST – No matter how flashy an offense may be, if there’s no blocking up front, chances are you’re not going to gain many yards. The Belfast Lions shouldn’t face that problem this season, at least coach Butch Richards hopes not. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
The program is now in its third year, but the players have yet to be on the field for one varsity play. The Camden Hills Windjammers will play a full schedule this season, but that elusive varsity status is still at least a year away… Read More
Wes Littlefield looks around and sees neighboring towns with school enrollments about the same or slightly higher than his and admits to being just a tad envious. Many of those towns’ schools, such as Waterville, Winslow and Nokomis of Newport, have football teams playing at… Read More
CALAIS – It’s an offense that combines power and misdirection, and the Calais-Woodland Silverados hope it leads to respectability during their inaugural season as a varsity football program this fall. The double wing offense has been a productive tool of the game for coach Ian… Read More
FAIRFIELD – The resurgence of the Lawrence High School football program during the last three years has left rival teams in the Pine Tree Conference Class A ranks in its wake. The Bulldogs are 28-3 during that span, with a state championship in 2006 and… Read More
Tim Wilson remembers the glory days of Dexter High School football. That’s because he was one of the architects behind the success. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0;… Read More
When you’re a three-time defending regional champion and defending state champ, it’s safe to say expectations will be running high for your program. That’s certainly the case with Foxcroft Academy’s varsity football team as they try to follow up an unbeaten season with a fourth… Read More
WINSLOW – Mike Siviski typically is understated when assessing the potential of the Winslow High football team, especially during preseason. And especially this year. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
HAMPDEN – On a still youthful Hampden Academy football team, Shawn Smith provides a veteran presence most rivals envy. One of just four returning seniors on the Broncos’ roster, the 6-foot-2, 175-pound Smith returns as a fourth-year starter at quarterback, one of the top safeties… Read More
BREWER – The Brewer Witches’ return to the Class A football ranks for the first time in nearly a decade last fall was much less than a ringing success. An 0-8 record left the team wondering what hit it and prompted coach Don Farnham and… Read More
BANGOR – The Bangor High School football roster featured considerable star power during the last three years. Edwards, Walton, Vanidestine, McDade and Weston were the dominant names and personalities of the time. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
BANGOR – For the last few years, talk heard around the John Bapst football practice field had to do almost exclusively with not just making the playoffs but sticking around awhile. After a 9-2 season that ended with a 14-7 loss to three-time LTC Class… Read More
It’s almost formulaic now for the Skowhegan Indians as they head into each new football season. Fifth-year head coach Mike Marston can pretty much count on high numbers each season, and this year is no exception as 93 players – 33 of them freshmen –… Read More
LINCOLN – Expectations are always high come football season in this mill town. In other words, a formidable group of juniors and seniors that will don the silver and red of Mattanawcook Academy this fall won’t accept anything similar to last year’s LTC semifinal loss. Read More
PITTSFIELD – Last year was a struggle for Maine Central Institute, but head coach Tom Bertrand hopes he can steer his team in the right direction. “We absolutely want to be one of those teams who plays for the championship this year,” said Bertrand. “Our… Read More
Things may be turning around in Madison. After literally nursing a fairly young team through a nine-game schedule each of the last two years, despite total player numbers in the teens, numbers – as well as expectations – are up for the Bulldogs. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
BAR HARBOR – When training camp starts, every football team’s goal is understandably the same: Win your last game. On Mount Desert Island, however, the Trojans have a bit of a different goal. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
NEWPORT – The Nokomis Warriors won their inaugural varsity football game last fall. But the rest of their season was more typical of a first-year program. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
Waterville’s experience could carry it to playoffs Depth a concern, but Panthers have solid veterans
Three years ago, perennial Class A contender Waterville was adjusting to life as a Class B program. New league, new schedule, new opponents… It seemed very strange and unsettling for the Purple Panthers. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
ORONO – The flip of a coin ended Orono’s season last year. Head coach Bob Sinclair wants to make sure that doesn’t happen again. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
OLD TOWN – It’s going to take something special to bring Old Town out of its recent rut. And new head coach Josh Curtis thinks he knows what it is. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More
ROCKLAND – The Rockland Tigers experienced a breakthrough season in 2007, earning their first trip to the playoffs in 18 years. But the aftermath of that success – coming after the program’s fifth consecutive 5-4 regular season – has been surprising. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
After winless seasons in 2005 and 2006, the Stearns High School Minutemen finally tasted victory last fall. The Minutemen went 3-6, and they are hoping to build on that success this season. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
Jack Brady didn’t know what to expect when he took over as Mount View’s head football coach on Aug. 18. After 14 seasons as an assistant at Belfast High, he arrived in Thorndike to begin guiding a program that went 0-9 last fall during its… Read More
BUCKSPORT – The folks here are used to seeing postseason high school football come late October and early November. At the end of last season, the Bucksport Golden Bucks got hot at the right time and were in prime position to slip into the playoffs… Read More
CASTINE – Joe Blier didn’t start playing football until he was in the eighth grade. However, during his development in the Bangor High School program, he learned the importance of hard work in the weight room and on the practice field and intensity during games. Read More
WEEK 1 Friday, Aug. 31 googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
ORONO – Josh Caldwell enjoyed considerable success playing football, hockey and baseball at Brewer High School. Nothing could have prepared him, though, for the exhilaration he would experience the evening of Sept. 3, 2005. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
They may have finished with a losing record last year, but the Belfast Lions were still a playoff team just two plays away from a 6-3 mark and a spot in the semifinals. With 62 students total out for the team and 22 of them… Read More
BANGOR – Jason Cross prefers to do things on his own terms. That helps explain why during training camp the Husson College senior slept in the Newman Gymnasium complex parking lot – in the back of his pickup truck – rather than in the dormitory. Read More
BUCKSPORT – While the sun was setting over the nearby Penobscot Narrows Bridge on a recent late-August afternoon, it is beginning to rise on a new football season at Bucksport High School. Expectations are always high in Bucksport, but they may be higher this year… Read More
DEXTER – After a 2-7 record last season, you’d think things would be a little down in Dexter High School’s preseason camp. That is not the case, says head coach Tim Wilson. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – The Foxcroft Academy football team is hoping to channel last year’s letdown into this year’s success. With a number of talented skill players and one of the best defenses coach Paul Withee has had in his 18 seasons in charge of the program,… Read More
BANGOR – What does it say about the 2007 football forecast for John Bapst of Bangor when even a returning 1,000-yard rusher is being challenged for playing time in the preseason? “Well, it tells me we have a lot of those ‘good problems’ to have,… Read More
HAMPDEN – Two years under the tutelage of Harry McCluskey have brought steady progress to the Hampden Academy varsity football team. In 2005 the Broncos reached the Pine Tree Conference Class B quarterfinals. Last fall a senior-laden team rallied from a 1-3 start to earn… Read More
Lawrence High School graduated 19 seniors off last year’s team. Ordinarily, that might be cause for concern. However, the Bulldogs of Fairfield also are coming off an undefeated 11-0 season that culminated in the Class A state championship. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
BREWER – Two years after winning the Class B state championship, the Brewer High School football program is now one of the smaller combatants in Eastern Maine Class A. Reclassification has elevated the Witches up to the state’s large-school class in the sport for the… Read More
BANGOR – Many of the key players are the same, but the approach to offense will be different this fall as the Bangor High School football team seeks to return to the Class A championship game for the first time in three years. Seventh-year coach… Read More
LINCOLN – For the last two years, the Mattanawcook Academy football team has been one victory away from its first LTC championship since 1999. However, one thing has stood in the Lynx’s way: Foxcroft Academy. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
PITTSFIELD – It has nearly been a year since the Maine Central Institute football team has earned a victory, a 37-36 win over Stearns of Millinocket on Sept. 1, 2006. It was a promising first game of the 2006 season, especially considering that the Huskies… Read More
At the end the 2006 season, Madison football coach Joe Hayden had 17 total players on his team roster and only 14 of them were in uniform. The Bulldogs lived up to their nickname and gutted out a tough 1-8 season despite exceptionally low player… Read More
BAR HARBOR – After dire seasons, the Mount Desert Island football team is on an upward trajectory. The Trojans have shown progress since an 0-9 season in 2004, right up to last year, when they went 5-4 and earned a spot in the PTC Class… Read More
With six starters returning on offense and five on defense from last season’s playoff team, Wes Littlefield has reason for optimism. Considering Messalonskee of Oakland’s football coach has a solid nucleus of 12 seniors leading a squad of 65 total players – 25 of whom… Read More
NEWPORT – The motto on the T-shirts says it all about the state of the program – Nokomis Football: The Tradition Begins. And so the several communities that comprise SAD 48 now have a varsity football team to call their own, and with it an… Read More
THORNDIKE – Ron Simmons already has seen his share of growing pains guiding the evolution of football in the Unity-Thorndike area from a nonaffiliated eight-on-eight youth league program to club status for the past two years at Mount View High School. Now comes the biggest… Read More
ORONO – Bob Sinclair remembers last October rather vividly. After the Orono Red Riots lost their three straight games at the end of September by a combined score of 126-0 and fell to 1-4, Sinclair watched his young team mature in a big way. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
OLD TOWN – Give credit to George McKay. In one of the bleakest hours of the history of the Old Town High School football program, the new coach of the Coyotes – and 22-year coach of Mount Desert Island High School – sees a bright… Read More
ROCKLAND – The emphasis in the Rockland District High School football camp heading into the 2007 is on all that is new with the Tigers. There are new tweaks on offense, new wrinkles on defense, new uniforms, new responsibilities for assistant coaches – and a… Read More
With just five seniors on a team of 69 players, the Skowhegan Indians knew the 2006 season would be one of development. This year, 21 of Skowhegan’s 72 players are seniors and another 19 are juniors, so the learning curve shouldn’t be nearly as drastic… Read More
After being asked if his team was one of the Pine Tree Conference Class B favorites, Waterville football coach Frank Knight paused in midthought. “Well… a week ago I would have thought we were,” he said. “Offensively, we could be capable of spreading people out,… Read More
MILLINOCKET – While they’re playing in the shadow of Maine’s tallest mountain, the Stearns football team has a mountain to climb of its own. The Minutemen are coming off an 0-9 2006 campaign, but with a solid junior class coming back for seventh-year head coach… Read More
WINSLOW – The Winslow Black Raiders traditionally have had great success within the Class B football world thanks to a combination of speed, quickness, agility, talent and toughness. This year coach Mike Siviski’s club plans to add size to the mix. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
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BANGOR – Tyler Libbey enjoys nothing more than throwing his weight around on the football field. At 6-foot-4, 300 pounds, that can be a relatively easy chore for the Lincoln native, who is a fourth-year starter this season at Husson College. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
ORONO – Matt King was poised last fall to have a breakout season for the University of Maine football team. It literally slipped through his fingertips. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
The season ended a little more abruptly last year than players, coaches and fans are used to at Belfast High School. The fourth-seeded Lions hosted a Pine Tree Conference Class B quarterfinal against newly transplanted Class A power Waterville and the Purple Panthers shocked Belfast… Read More
BUCKSPORT – Soon Class C will feel the effects of the youth movement taking hold on the hill overlooking Broadway. When a high school football team starts a junior under center and a sophomore in the backfield, most think the team will suffer a down… Read More
DEXTER – In 1966, Tim Wilson took over as the head coach of the Dexter football team, the start of a six-year span that included two Class C co-state championships and two LTC titles. Now, after several years of teaching and serving others, the last… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – At first glance, the loss of two quarterbacks and a slew of running backs might mean a football team had some rebuilding to do. But this is Foxcroft Academy, where football teams have perennial success. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
HAMPDEN – After leading the Hampden Academy football team to a Pine Tree Conference Class B playoff berth last fall in his first year as the Broncos’ head coach, Harry McCluskey sought to build on that momentum with a little help from his friends. So… Read More
BANGOR – Looking back, the end of the 2005 season may serve as the unofficial start of the 2006 season for the John Bapst Crusaders. The Crusaders expected to be in the thick of the playoff chase last fall, but early struggles took them out… Read More
FAIRFIELD – Pound the rock, knock a piece off until it splits. The translation: keep working hard everyday until the ultimate is achieved. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i =… Read More
BANGOR – The Bangor High School football team’s quest to make the 2006 Pine Tree Conference Class A playoffs actually began with the final game of the 2005 season. The Rams trekked to South Paris to face Oxford Hills in a season finale rendered meaningless… Read More
BREWER – The 2005 season ended with the Brewer Witches bringing home the Class B state championship trophy, the ultimate prize for a dominating late-season run that concluded with a 33-0 blitzing of York in the title game. But much has changed since Brewer captured… Read More
The 2006 preseason started out with a good news-bad news scenario for Madison High School head football coach Joe Hayden. The good news is the cupboard wasn’t completely bare, as has been the case more than once the last few seasons, with six starters back. Read More
LINCOLN – Like any good Broadway production, a high school football team has understudies ready to step in to take over when needed. The Mattanawcook Academy football team will be looking to several juniors and seniors who have waited in the wings over the past… Read More
PITTSFIELD – Maine Central Institute returns its leading rusher, quarterback-turned-running back, Victor Quint. He is also the team’s leading tackler and had the most interceptions. The Huskies also bring back its sack leader, C.J. Laselle, from a season ago. In contrast, the Huskies lost four… Read More
BAR HARBOR – Three senior members of the Mount Desert Island football team didn’t want to make any predictions about the upcoming season before a recent afternoon practice. They all agree, however, that the Trojans have a lot of potential for another successful season. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
ORONO – What do the 2006 Orono Red Riots and the 1988 Permian Panthers have in common? A lot. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length;… Read More
NEWPORT – The fledgling Nokomis football program enters its second year of club play well advanced of where it started a year ago, at ground zero. “We’re 200 percent ahead of where we were last year,” said Warriors’ coach David Evans, the former Dexter, Stearns… Read More
OLD TOWN – There is often one player on a football team who is not the biggest, strongest, or fastest, but has the biggest heart and most desire. Back in the 1970s, Notre Dame had a guy named Rudy Ruettiger who fit that description, and… Read More
ROCKLAND – After flirting with extinction less than 10 years ago, the Rockland High School football team has posted three consecutive 5-4 seasons – its first winning campaigns since the late 1980s. But what that success has yet to bring the Tigers is a trip… Read More
Mike Marston has only been Skowhegan’s varsity football coach for three years, but he has already been in this situation before. Two years ago, he took over a team that had enjoyed some success, but had no returning starters, was largely unproven, and not expected… Read More
OAKLAND – When you start a season reeling off four consecutive victories in an eight-game season, that’s usually a recipe for a playoff spot at the worst. However, sometimes, adversity creeps up when you least expect it. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
MILLINOCKET – For the Stearns Minutemen, there’s nowhere to go but up after suffering through a winless 2005 season. “I hope we’re better,” said coach Chris Preble. “I can’t imagine it getting a whole lot worse.” googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
WINSLOW – Two years ago, a talented sophomore class led Winslow to an Eastern Maine Class B championship. Last year as juniors, they led the undefeated Black Raiders back to the regional final, where their season ended with a 21-10 loss to a red-hot Brewer… Read More
You wouldn’t think things would be so rosy in the preseason for the Purple Panthers. Losing arguably your best player – an evasive and mercurial veteran quarterback who made Waterville’s option offense even more difficult to defend – would normally be a crippling blow, but… Read More
WEEK 1 Friday, Sept. 2 googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
BUCKSPORT – When you win a state championship you’re going to have a big target on your chest. That’s an obstacle the Bucksport High football team will face this fall. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More
BANGOR – Whether choosing a pair of shoes or a college, Colby Horne knows the importance of a good fit. Since he was 15, Horne has worked at Colburn’s Shoe Store on Main Street in Belfast. The business, owned by his father, Brian Horne, has… Read More
BELFAST – The Belfast football team’s co-head coaches didn’t make many changes to what their team does on the field this year. Instead, the biggest change was made for them – the Lions have what will likely be an even tougher schedule this year as… Read More
DEXTER – Over the years, Dexter has usually managed to have one of the top rushing attacks in the LTC. The running game will again be key for the Tigers this season, according to coach Haggie Pratt. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
The 2004 season for the Foxcroft Academy football team ended one point and one minute too short. The personnel is a bit different this year – in some cases dramatically so, in others it’s the same faces as last year – but after last year’s… Read More
HAMPDEN – As Harry McCluskey learns about his Hampden Academy football team and its opposition within the Pine Tree Conference Class B ranks, his priorities for the Broncos remain constant. “My goal is that if these kids play hard, and we get better every week,… Read More
FAIRFIELD – Even teams that had their glory days go through some rough times. That’s the way things are in high school and college sports. Take the Lawrence High of Fairfield football team, for example. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
BANGOR – Soon after John Bapst head football coach Dan O’Connell appointed his brother Matt O’Connell to the position of offensive coordinator, Matt approached Dan with an idea that will make for a dramatically different look to this year’s Crusaders. It’s a change Dan O’Connell… Read More
When you only have 23 total players on your team roster, the most important thing to work on in practice is conditioning, conditioning, and conditioning. “Yeah, we have a LOT of two-way starters so we’re emphasizing conditioning and versatility,” said Joe Hayden, who enters his… Read More
BREWER – They are not three of a kind, but in Ricky Porter, Zach Wilson and Ben Caldwell, the Brewer Witches have three offensive weapons with a like-minded capability for making game-breaking plays. Porter is the quarterback, with option speed around the corner of the… Read More
BANGOR – As Tyson Barron prepares to kick a field goal, he thinks about many things. There’s the weather, and which way the wind is blowing and how hard, or whether it’s raining or snowing. There’s the field conditions, and whether the ground is solid… Read More
BANGOR – OK, so four key players from the 2004 Eastern Maine Class A champion Bangor High football team are off pursuing college football careers. Two others are poised to play collegiate baseball, while another has graduated to junior hockey. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
LINCOLN – While he’s the new head coach of Mattanawcook Academy, Art Greenlaw is no stranger to the Lynx football program. After working as an assistant for MA coach Mike Bisson last season, Greenlaw has become a head coach again, this time taking over for… Read More
PITTSFIELD – Sometimes in football, when you don’t have top-notch talent, you have to rely on team chemistry to get the job done on the field. For the 2005 Maine Central Institute Huskies, that just may be the case. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
OAKLAND – The linemen for the Messalonskee Eagles are hogs, but sympathy isn’t needed, they like it that way. “That’s our nickname for them,” coach Wes Littlefield said. “It’s a pride thing, they know it coming through that they’re hogs.” googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
NEWPORT – There they were, 10 to 15 football players challenging each other to contests of strength in the weight room about 45 minutes after another practice during the annual survival of the fittest known as double sessions. The scene is played out at nearly… Read More
BAR HARBOR – Two years ago, when Mount Desert Island’s freshman football team went 6-1, football was fun for the young Trojans. But when last year’s varsity went winless, things didn’t have the same feel for the sophomore class. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
OLD TOWN – Jarrett Lukas is experiencing the rebuilding process taking place within the Old Town football program from the ground floor, for as a freshman he was thrust into the role of starting quarterback. Now a junior, Lukas is beginning to see that rebuilding… Read More