Tree identification can be easy, even when there are no leaves to study, according to volunteers at the Sunkhaze Stream Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. The Friends of Sunkhaze Meadows NWR will host a winter twig ID hike today beginning at 8:45 a.m. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
High school is all about education, but some lessons are more painful than others. The Brewer hockey team’s final exam comes at 1 p.m. Saturday, when the Witches play the Greely Rangers of Cumberland Center for the Class B state championship at the Colisee in… Read More
The University of Maine’s hockey program has landed a defenseman from the United States National Team Development Program’s Under-17 team. Ryan Hegarty of Arlington, Mass. has verbally committed to attend Maine beginning in the fall of 2008 according to his coach, John Hynes. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
STRIVE, a non-profit organization that serves developmentally disabled children, was chosen as the beneficiary for August’s TD Banknorth Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race, TD Banknorth announced Wednesday. Race officials also announced that the Aug. 7 race in Cape Elizabeth will serve as the 10th… Read More
Don Orsillo will try to keep a straight face for at least another three years after signing a contract extension with New England Sports Network. The affable Orsillo – known for his inability to keep from giggling uncontrollably, usually due to an ad-libbed comment by… Read More
As each year’s legislative session approaches, emotions are sure to run high when constituents struggle to make their voices heard, and to sway the state’s lawmakers in a particular direction. Outdoor issues tend to get especially heated, as folks from diametrically opposing positions try to… Read More
Top-ranked Bowdoin College features considerable talent and depth on its women’s basketball roster this season. Among the players who have helped the Polar Bears maintain their status as one of the nation’s top Division III programs, and reach the NCAA Tournament “Sweet 16,” is freshman… Read More
Maine Savings Federal Credit Union announced recently it has signed multiyear sponsorship agreement with Black Bear Sports Properties to provide signage, hospitality and install the first automated teller machine at Alfond Arena in Orono. Maine Savings, which has nine branches located across eastern Maine, will… Read More
On paper, it doesn’t look good for the University of Maine hockey team. The Black Bears, 13-12-1 since an 8-0-1 start, were just swept by the University of Massachusetts and, as a result, will have to return to Amherst, Mass., for a Hockey East quarterfinal… Read More
The timing couldn’t have been better. Just days after a new trophy case was delivered to Deer Isle-Stonington High School, the Mariners’ boys basketball team earned something worthy of prominent display – a gold ball. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
CARRABASSETT VALLEY – After consistently strong race finishes in seven qualifying FIS races, four Carrabassett Valley Academy athletes have qualified for the Junior Nationals. Makayla Brown of Naples, Katie Houser of Marblehead, Mass., Kristin Waddle of Carrabassett Valley and Dominque Cyr of Van Buren will… Read More
When the warmer days of March arrive and our hard-earned snowbanks begin to diminish, two things are certain to follow. Mud season … and sporting shows. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
My friend Bill took me to a Clint Eastwood all-night film festival in Indiana one summer, and that’s all it took to make me a lifelong fan of the lanky cowboy. Those early spaghetti westerns – they derived their names because they were filmed in… Read More
With Lee Academy moving from Class D to Class C next year, it’s a logical question. Can the Lee girls basketball team win another regional championship in the 2007-08 season? googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More
ORONO – The University of Maine field hockey team had eight student-athletes named to the 2006 National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I National Academic squad announced on Monday. Only Vermont with 11 selections had more among America East Teams than the Black Bears. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
ORONO – The University of Maine athletic department is offering a bus trip to the Hockey East quarterfinals this weekend at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. The first game will be at 7 p.m. Friday. The bus will depart from the Alfond Arena parking… Read More
ORONO – The Penobscot Valley Conference Class C/D Senior All-Star basketball games will be held Thursday night at Orono High School. The girls game will tip off at 5:30 p.m. and the boys at 7 p.m. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for students. Read More
The Chinese New Year may be the year of the rat, but the Japanese new year, at least in Boston, is the year of the Matsuzaka. The arrival of Daisuke Matsuzaka to the Red Sox training camp puts an end to the endless winter of… Read More
UMaine cheerleaders need financial support Although the athletic department did give the team $1,000 at the beginning of the school year to pay for badly worn uniforms, why is the University of Maine athletic department not supporting the UMaine cheerleaders who are traveling to Daytona… Read More
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Randy Couture added to his resume Saturday night, winning the world regaining the world heavyweight title of mixed martial arts with a five-round decision over Ellsworth native Tim Sylvia before a sellout crowd of 19,049 at Nationwide Arena. Read More
AUGUSTA – A challenging senior season ended on a high note for Cony of Augusta’s Cassie Cooper. The 6-foot-1 guard, who helped the Rams win their second Class A girls basketball state championship in three years with a 46-41 victory over McAuley of Portland on… Read More
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Dexter High senior Jeremiah Barkac placed second Saturday night in the 112-pound weight class of the 43rd annual New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championships held at Hillhouse High School. Barkac outpointed his first three opponents in the two-day competition to earn a… Read More
Mountain biker Adam Craig of Corinth and Bend, Ore., will kick off his 2007 racing season next week as one of 15 riders representing the United States at the Continental Championships to be held March 6-12 at Neuquen, Argentina. That event will play a crucial… Read More
Farmington’s David Digravio has been named to the U.S. team for the freestyle world skiing championships March 6-10 in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. Digravio, a 20-year-old who was a semifinalist for football’s Fitzpatrick Award when he attended Mt. Blue High School in Farmington, will compete… Read More
DETROIT – Red Wings goalie Dominik Hasek wouldn’t dress for Friday night’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks as a precautionary measure because of some tenderness in his thigh. The team said it recalled goalie Jimmy Howard from its AHL affiliate in Grand Rapids to back… Read More
The town of Fort Kent will be bustling this weekend as organizers stage the Can-Am Crown Sled Dog races for the 15th straight year. And while a lot of familiar mushers will show up to take part in this year’s event, spectators will have yet… Read More
Gun enthusiasts can learn more about the subject on March 11 as Old Fort Western’s Winter Lecture Series features the program “Maine Made Guns and their Makers.” The program will be held at 2 p.m. in the learning gallery of Augusta City Hall on Cony… Read More
Spring is so close, yet so maddeningly far away. The birds know otherwise, though. It began a few weeks ago with the black-capped chickadees singing their two-noted “fee-bee” song. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
The other evening, after taking my evening walk, I settled in with a snack and something to drink and flicked on the tube. I was feeling a little guilty about not making it to the gym, but the brisk walk was something positive, no? Anyway,… Read More
Ed Leeman has a favorite adage that has served the Calais High School boys basketball team well during its pursuit of a second straight Class C state title. The saying goes, “a man doesn’t fall on top of the mountain, he has to climb up… Read More
ORONO – The fourth annual Super Suppah raised $35,000 in support of University of Maine student-athlete scholarships in an event held recently at the Bangor Civic Center. The $10,000 grand prize was won by Brewer’s Mark Braveman. A week-long trip to Hawaii for two and… Read More
PORTLAND – The Portland Sea Dogs have expanded their hours to include Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The office is also open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are still available for opening day and the Eastern League Championship ring… Read More
A year ago, during the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine’s annual Sportsman’s Congress, Sunday hunting was a hot topic of conversation … again. Tom Doak of the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine told that 2006 crowd the issue was something that his membership didn’t support. Read More
Ashley Hilton didn’t rest on her laurels after being named the Eastern Coast Conference Player of the Year last season. The senior forward from Skowhegan has increased her production while leading the University of New Haven to the No. 1 seed in the ECC women’s… Read More
To go directly from being a backup NHL goalie to a general manager for that franchise is virtually unheard of. There were no intermediate steps for former University of Maine goalie Garth Snow. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
GORHAM – University of Southern Maine senior forward Ashley Marble of Topsfield was named the ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA College Division Academic All-American of the Year. The award includes all women’s basketball teams competing at the Division II, III, and NAIA levels. Marble was recently named… Read More
Changes needed for ‘B’ tourney schedule Several years ago the Eastern Maine tournament committee made a decision to have four Class B basketball games on Friday. At the time this decision was made they did so to give Class D schools a chance to play… Read More
BREWER – The Brewer High School Witches were explosive during the regular season and continued that trend in the playoffs Monday night. Senior center Reid McLaughlin had three goals and sophomore center Dylan Fitzpatrick had a pair of goals as the second-seeded Witches beat seventh-seeded… Read More
Barring a miraculous recovery by starting goalie Ben Bishop, it appears as though freshman Dave Wilson will be between the pipes this weekend when the University of Maine Black Bear hockey team tries to secure home ice for the Hockey East quarterfinals. Bishop injured his… Read More
The excitement of tourney week in Bangor is only surpassed by the anticipation of the upcoming round of state championship games across the state. I had the good fortune in 1991-92 to ride the wave of euphoria which accompanies such a run at a title… Read More
PARIS – We are not this bad yet, but U.S. sports officials and fans need to take a serious look at what has happened in European soccer (football, if you are in Europe). Last month, the death of a police officer at a soccer match… Read More
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. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
BANGOR – The Lee Academy girls went out with an exclamation point Saturday morning. No, they weren’t eliminated from the Eastern Maine Class D tournament. The top-seeded Pandas actually won it with a lopsided win over No. 2 Washburn, but they won’t get a chance… Read More
BANGOR – While Camden Hills of Rockport made only six of its 18 free-throw tries during its 61-60 win over Mattanawcook Academy in Saturday’s Eastern Maine Class B boys final, MA coach Rick Sinclair was left after the game to lament one of the free throws the Windjammers… Read More
BANGOR – When Dexter girls basketball coach Jody Grant wanted to give his Tigers some inspiration this season, he used a few examples from professional and college sports. Although Grant was likely met with blank stares at the mention of the Jack Del Rio, head… Read More
BANGOR – Back when his daughters were among the star players at Calais High School, Al Martin was a regular at the Eastern Maine Class C tournament. Now that Lanna Martin and Crystal Martin have moved on to college and beyond, and Al Martin and… Read More
A lot of skill and practice go into becoming proficient at most outdoor activities. Casting a fly, wing shooting, bow hunting, paddling or poling a canoe, blowing a duck call, and even using an ax to prepare firewood all require training and repetitive practice to ensure efficiency and… Read More
Having successfully survived yet another decade, I need to publicly thank those who’ve taken the time to point out the fact that I’ve officially entered the twilight years – or is it the Twilight Zone? In recent weeks I’ve begun to take inventory, to count… Read More
More observations… . One great thing about Eastern Maine tournament week is that it brings all the best players together at various locales to test their individual skills within the team concept that’s a prerequisite for a championship run. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
Bowdoin College senior Eileen Flaherty has been named a finalist for the Josten’s Trophy, recognizing the top women’s and men’s basketball athletes in Division III. Flaherty, Bowdoin’s all-time leading scorer, recently surpassed 1,700 career points. She has been named to the All-NESCAC first team three… Read More
Bangor High School basketball fans won’t have to travel to see their Rams tonight. Despite the fact the games are on the same time as Eastern Maine Class C semifinal games in Bangor, Friday’s Eastern Maine Class A games will be aired live on local… Read More
BANGOR – Go ahead. Blame Mike Webb. Webb, who coaches the No. 2 John Bapst of Bangor girls basketball team, decided to make a few changes to his starting lineup for Wednesday afternoon’s Eastern Maine Class B semifinal against No. 5 Mount Desert Island. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
Observations…. . Could there be a better venue for a high school basketball tournament than the Bangor Auditorium? I think not. It’s old and the bleacher seats are uncomfortable but they’ve made some noteworthy improvements and you simply can’t beat the atmosphere. The fans are… Read More
The thought occurred to me recently that very few, if any, fans know what goes on behind that closed locker room door at high school basketball tourney venues such as the Bangor Auditorium. And, quite frankly, why should they? googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
This year, Amy Harrison decided to take it all off. A senior on the MDI swim team, Harrison shaved her head before Saturday’s Class B state championship meet. She had been tempted to do it in the past, but decided in a moment to go… Read More
BOSTON – University of Maine junior Jessie Ellis-Alcaide became the first Black Bear to win an ECAC Swimming and Diving Championships title after taking first in both the 50 and 100 freestyle. Ellis-Alcaide of Harpswell finished with a time of 23.91 seconds in the 50… Read More
BOSTON – University of Maine senior Arel Gordon set an America East and University of Maine record with a run of 6.19 seconds in the 55-meter dash in the preliminary round Saturday. Gordon then won the final with a time of 6.25 seconds. In the… Read More
ORONO – Twenty-seven years after he walked off the basketball court wearing a University of Maine uniform for the last time, Rufus Harris was reunited with his familiar No. 20 jersey. A dream Harris never really dared to have came true Wednesday night as he… Read More
Eyes wide, 14 second-graders sat in front of musher Doug Bruner on Friday morning as he told them everything they could possibly want to know about the sport of dog sledding … not that some of them needed much teaching. This crew, you see, isn’t… Read More
My dear departed Dad was the consummate outdoorsman. Throughout his life he traveled far and wide to angle for freshwater and saltwater fish and to hunt a wide variety of furred and feathered game animals. I saw him cast flies to spring salmon when huge chunks of ice… Read More
Usually, people ask me how to better attract birds to their yards, or how to discourage squirrels from robbing the birdseed. This is the first time someone has asked me how to discourage birds from their yard. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
Cold and snow, cold and snow! It’s a perfect time to head to your local lake and participate in one of the many ice fishing derbies on tap over the next couple of weeks. Here are a few offerings: googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
Here’s one view of the Eastern Maine boys’ basketball tournament, which begins today. CLASS A: Preseason favorite Bangor remains among the top contenders in what should shake out as a three-team race with undefeated Edward Little of Auburn and Mt. Blue of Farmington. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
The tip-off to the annual eight-day event known as the Eastern Maine Tournament is tonight, but for many of the media members assembled for this rite of late winter, it’s more of a reunion than a work assignment. So, what’s the main allure of Maine’s… Read More
Kissy Walker isn’t the kind of basketball coach who seeks attention, in spite of her considerable accomplishments. For that reason, the veteran Husson College women’s basketball coach was surprised to find out she is on the threshold of 300 career victories. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
As his fellow Mainers watched Wednesday’s snow pile up – with mixed reactions, to be sure – Bill Swain was undoubtedly one of the happier folks you could find. “I’m doing good today,” he said with a laugh during a morning phone interview. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
ORONO – The University of Maine softball team was picked to finish third out of eight teams in the America East conference according to a coaches’ poll released Wednesday. The Black Bears, who return four starters and nine letterwinners from a team that won the… Read More
One offshoot of Jeremiah Barkac’s unbeaten four-year run through the Maine high school wrestling ranks has been the development of his Dexter teammates in the lower weight classes. Barkac was one of four Tigers to win his weight class at Saturday’s state championship meet, three… Read More
NASCAR has revamped its points system this season and it’s an improvement. In case you missed it, the top 12 drivers in points after the 26-race “regular season” will qualify for the 10-race “playoff” Chase for the Championship. It used to be the top 10… Read More
BANGOR – Jimmy Clark of Hermon bowled his 15th career 300 game while competing in the Monday Night Men’s League at Family Fun Bowling Center in Bangor Monday. Clark, 27, rolled scores of 300-217-234 for a 751 series. Read More
CHICAGO – Falmouth High School senior midfielder Jordan Hale has been named the Gatorade Thirst Quencher Maine Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Hale will join other state players of the year as finalists for the Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year. State… Read More
As bird-watching venues go, the first stop on Saturday’s foray afield, offered in conjunction with Bangor’s Winter Weekend festival, wasn’t anything to write home about. At least, that’s the way it seemed at first. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
News out of Orono this week that the University of Maine will retire former Black Bear hoop sensation Rufus Harris’ number 20 Wednesday night at the Alfond Arena was good news for this old coach. I had the privilege of coaching the talented Harris for… Read More
At the beginning of the regular season, Dexter coach Jody Grant’s biggest concern was the inexperience of his backcourt. Enter Miranda Gove, a transfer from New Hampshire who solidified the point guard position and has adjusted to an offense centered around the Tigers’ post players. Read More
Technicality shouldn’t stop Down East football As a former athletic administrator and member of the Maine Principals’ Association, I am fully aware of its stringent adherence to their policies and procedures. I do however, find it ironic that in the same week that Gov. Baldacci… Read More
When Deb Henderson spent some time at home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, she wasn’t planning to embark on a whirlwind process that could change the way some Maine landowners sell their holdings. A simple TV commercial changed all that. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
The University of Maine men’s hockey program has added another defenseman to its recruiting class for next fall. Mike Banwell, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound defenseman for the Pickering Panthers of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League, has verbally committed to attend Maine according to his… Read More
Just by the nature of their wide array of outdoor pastimes, Maine sportsmen put themselves in harm’s way on a regular basis. Snowmobile accidents, ATV rollovers, firearm mishaps, falls from tree stands, and chainsaw injuries are all too frequent occurrences. Summer anglers slip and fall, capsize boats, and… Read More
Perhaps it was the conversation I had the other day with one of the reporters who works with me covering news in Bar Harbor that provided the inspiration for a sortee last weekend to that tourist mecca. Our conversation was pretty much me saying how… Read More
Students from a Unity College leadership class will teach ice-fishing skills to youngsters ages 5-15 on March 3 at the boat launch on Unity Pond. Skills that will be taught include fishing techniques, safety, handling of fish, and fish anatomy. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
Winter birding is often sparse and touch-and-go. However, certain habitats almost guarantee you’ll see something. Take bodies of water, for instance. At the very least, you’re likely to see a small group of mallards and observe some interesting behavior in these commonly seen ducks. Or,… Read More
One week from now, much of the Eastern Maine high school basketball world again will turn its attention to the Bangor Auditorium. Tournament time will be here, and talk will fill the halls about which teams and players are best now, and about more than… Read More
WATERVILLE – Dan Oliphant became the first Colby College graduate to sign with an NFL team after agreeing to a free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens Tuesday. The 2006 graduate will play in NFL Europa, which starts training camp in March and regular play… Read More
ORONO – The University of Maine will retire Rufus Harris’ No. 20 on Wednesday at the men’s basketball game against the University of Vermont at 8 p.m. The pre-game reception in the Alfond Family Lounge at Alfond Arena will be at 6:30 p.m. He becomes… Read More
It’s not the Fox Network, but it’s easy to understand why the creator of The Maine Channel feels a bit like Rupert Murdoch – without the multi-million dollar fortune. Two years after Andrew Eldridge proposed the channel to a faculty member, the soon-to-be-graduating University of… Read More
When they were handing out that essential Maine trait of being “handy,” I’m sorry to report, I apparently slept late and missed out on my lifetime allotment. Handy, I’m not. Not even close. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
Despite a largely veteran presence, the 2006-07 version of the Husson College men’s basketball team has been a work in progress in the regular season. Even as late as three months into the season, head coach Warren Caruso was not only still tinkering with his… Read More
One benchmark of a successful athletic program is the ability to maintain success even as the names and faces of individual competitors change. Jerod Rideout is just a junior at Foxcroft Academy, but he has lived through such change and seen the Ponies’ wrestling team… Read More
You are a devoted but confused University of Maine Black Bear hockey fan. The Bears got thumped at home by seventh-place Northeastern 6-1 two Friday nights ago and had to go into overtime to beat the Huskies 2-1 the next night. But then they played… Read More
Some changes are in the offing for high school teams in several sports, the result of work recently completed by the classification committee of the Maine Principals’ Association. Proposed enrollment cutoffs for each sport and each class for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 academic years have… Read More
Former Stanford University and pro basketball player Burton Nelson will be the featured speaker today as the University of Maine celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day and the 35th anniversary of the landmark Title IX legislation with several activities on the Orono campus. Read More
BOSTON – Boston College named former UMaine football players Jeff Comissiong and Ben Sirmans as assistant football coaches under new head coach Jeff Jagodzinski on Tuesday. Comissiong will coach the defensive line, a job he held last season at Harvard. In the previous eight years,… Read More
When you head out onto a frozen lake to compete for hundreds of dollars in prize money, it pays to have a game plan … and a few tricks up your sleeve. Ciarra Thibodeau arrived at Long Lake in Madawaska to take part in the… Read More
News out of Bangor Jan. 19 that longtime athlete and loyal supporter of Bangor High School sports John Doucette had died came as quite a shock to those of us who knew him. I had the privilege in my first year of coaching basketball in… Read More
Two of the state’s premier high school football players will be continuing their careers at the University of Maine. Fitzpatrick Trophy winner Jared Turcotte of Lewiston High School and Chris Treister of Portland High, another Fitzy finalist, each recently made a verbal commitment to attend… Read More
Tone down shouting High school boys and girls basketball teams are now in keen competition to achieve the necessary Heal points in order to earn a slot in the upcoming state tournaments. After attending several games at different sites this season, I wonder if the… Read More
Ever since taking over as the head baseball coach at the University of Maine in 2005, Steve Trimper has aggressively tried make connections within the state’s baseball community. In an effort to demonstrate the UMaine program’s commitment to baseball in the state, Trimper and the… Read More
Recently, areas on the University of Maine campus were inundated with cedar waxwings. During a day of severe cold and wind chills, the birds perched in the crabapple trees alongside Fogler Library, sheltering themselves from the wind as best they could. A few of my co-workers commented on… Read More
Assuming that you’re a senior member of Maine’s rod and gun fraternity, it’s a sure bet that in the plethora of equipment you deem necessary to tag a deer or catch a fish, there is a rifle, shotgun, rod, reel, knife, for sure a paddle, that is your… Read More
Sometimes a spur-of-the-moment outing is just what the doctor ordered. It’s a great stress reliever and a walk along the ice-covered shore of the ocean around sunset can inspire awe as well as infuse some fresh air into your system. Last Sunday afternoon, after doing… Read More