When the Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride for Charity began, many NASCAR race fans flocked to Greenville for the chance to rub elbows with a Winston Cup – now called Nextel Cup – driver. A funny thing happened over the ensuing years. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
The Bureau of Parks & Lands, a division of the Maine Department of Conservation, began accepting campground reservations for 2007 on Thursday. The Bureau unveiled its new real-time Internet reservation system, which is available 24 hours a day and offers campers instant confirmation when a… Read More
Like many other grandparents, Mike and Beverly Swenson spend much of their free time attending their grandchildren’s activities. That means a lot of high school sporting events – but not just the games themselves. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
MARTELL, Italy – Stockholm’s Russell Currier and Fort Kent native Newt Rogers helped the U.S. junior men’s biathlon team to a 16th-place finish in the 4×7.5-kilometer relay Wednesday at the junior world championships. The team, which also included UMaine-Presque Isle student Brandan Ostroot, was 12… Read More
PORTLAND – The Portland Sea Dogs will be offering ticket packages that include both Sea Dogs Games and a Boston Red Sox game for the second straight year, the Double A franchise announced Thursday. Three ticket packages are being offered, each featuring tickets to four… Read More
BANGOR – Scott Pomroy rolled his first 300 game while competing in the men’s Pine Tree League Thursday night at Family Fun Lanes. The 39-year-old Bangor resident rolled a three-string series of 249, 300, and 210. Read More
ORONO – Two weeks after sophomore forward Christian Cavanaugh decided to transfer out west to Montana State, junior guard Kaimondre Owes has transferred in from New Jersey. Owes, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound shooting guard from Brooklyn, N.Y., arrived in Orono this week after transferring from St. Read More
This winter season, the Black Bears are a Maine attraction on New England Sports Network’s collegiate sports broadcast schedule. And no, unlike past seasons, it’s not just the men’s hockey team carrying the University of Maine’s banner on NESN. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
The Husson College men’s basketball team has a firm grip on the top spot in the North Atlantic Conference East Division with only six games left in the regular season. The Eagles improved to 9-0 in conference play Monday with a 10-point victory over second-place… Read More
What a difference a couple of weeks make. Just a few weeks ago, golfers were hitting the links in Bucksport, open-water anglers were fly fishing at locations across the state, and ice fishermen were … well … downright depressed. Now, after a couple weeks of… Read More
Andy Meucci is celebrating his 40th year working at the Family Fun Bowling Center in Bangor, the 10-pin facility his parents (William and Betty) have owned since 1967. He began managing it after he graduated from Bangor High School in 1972. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
Newly appointed University of Maine men’s soccer coach Pat Laughlin said he is “really excited” about returning to his alma mater despite the fact he is inheriting a 22-game losing streak. “Not many people get the chance to coach where they went to school,” said… Read More
The Deer Isle-Stonington boys basketball team compiled a season of memories last winter, finishing 17-3 and reaching the Eastern Maine Class D championship game. But the memory that lingered throughout the off-season wasn’t so pleasant – the 80-52 loss to Central Aroostook of Mars Hill… Read More
Despite a 23-year battle with kidney disease, I consider myself blessed in basketball. I really do. My two-year stint in pro ball in one of pro basketball’s minor leagues, the CBA, taught me valuable lessons in not only coaching but also time management. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
Balanced scoring and tough defense have been big keys for the Mattanawcook Academy girls basketball team as it won its fifth straight game Monday and moved to 13-2 in the program’s second season in Eastern Maine Class B. And all with no seniors. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
“You learn this from the beginning,” said baseball commissioner Bud Selig as we talked at the Baseball Assistance Team dinner Tuesday night in New York, “that baseball is a family and we take care of each other when there is a need.” There is no… Read More
UMaine fans feel cold My family and I try to attend three or four athletic events a year at the University of Maine in Orono, as we did a recent men’s basketball game vs. Binghamton. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
Coming off Saturday’s 66-50 loss to Hartford at Alfond Arena, the UMaine women’s basketball team has taken a couple of days off. With its bye from a league date coming this week, coach Ann McInerney thought her Black Bears deserved a little breather after completing… Read More
BANGOR – The Bangor girls basketball game against Hampden Academy has been changed to a 6 p.m. start on Tuesday at Red Barry Gymnasium to ease traffic concerns because Gov. John Baldacci is speaking at Peakes Auditorium at 7 p.m. Freshmen will tip off at 3 p.m. and… Read More
Each year, thousands of people head to Carrabassett Valley and Sugarloaf/USA to spend some time enjoying the Maine winter. None of those visitors, I would assert, has any more fun at the mountain and its varied venues than the group that will take over Sugarloaf… Read More
Dressing for winter comfort really is an individual matter. What’s good for me may not be so great for you. After all, we’re all a little different, aren’t we? One major factor in trying to stay warm (but not too warm) is our level of… Read More
Baxter State Park officials held their opening day of reservations for the 2007 camping season on Monday. In all, 70 campers made reservations in the park during the event, reserving less than 3 percent of the total spots available during the summer. More than 80… Read More
I have yet to go ice fishing this season. It’s been more years than I can remember, if ever, since I’ve not been setting out tip-ups for trout or handlining for smelt well before the fourth week of January. There’s no question we’ve had an odd winter thus… Read More
MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Bangor’s Zak Ray hit a 3-pointer to open overtime and give Bates College of Lewiston the lead for good as the Bobcats edged Wesleyan 59-56 Friday night for their fifth-straight NESCAC victory. Ray finished with 13 points and five assists and Bryan… Read More
A few thoughts while celebrating the survival of “Blue Monday,” the day each year the experts deem we are most depressed, apparently because we live in a place that’s cold and dark during the winter. . Quite ironically, Blue Monday was bluer than normal this… Read More
If 2005’s state championship Saturday numbers were considered a touchdown by station officials, last fall’s must be a touchdown plus a successful two-point conversion. The ratings for November’s weekend high school football tripleheader are in and – for the second consecutive year -Bangor television station… Read More
LEWISTON – It’s been quite a season already for former Bangor and Winslow High School star basketball player Zak Ray, but he’s hoping it gets even better. The senior point guard became Bates College’s all-time career steals leader early in the season and then scored… Read More
The key, Jonathan James well tell you, is concentrating on nothing but the light. That, he says, is all you need to be concerned with. Don’t worry about the other three snowmobile racers lined up beside you. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
I was trying to figure out why we have a different emotional attachment to the Red Sox than we do to the Patriots. Specifically, why we are just mildly upset that the Patriots aren’t going to the Super Bowl but we get perturbed when the… Read More
Pat Laughlin was a key member of the University of Maine men’s soccer team during his undergraduate days. Now, the former team captain and four-year letterwinner is returning to Orono as the head coach of the Black Bears. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
More than two decades of coaching varsity basketball has taught Jeff Hart that one of the most unpredictable times of the season comes in mid-to-late January, particularly for those teams that rest atop the standings. “I’ve always believed that when you get to final exam… Read More
Brewer High junior Andrew Bowden has, as Brewer High swimming coach Kathy Cahill puts it, a stroke style of which most swimmers are envious. “He has a stroke like a college swimmer,” Cahill said after Friday’s meet against Old Town. “It’s a stroke we’ve worked… Read More
It was my pleasure to spend two-plus years of my life coaching men’s college basketball. I am frequently asked what the primary difference is between coaching high school basketball and coaching college hoops. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
NASCAR and snowmobile enthusiasts alike will gather in Greenville on Saturday for the 10th edition of the Ricky Craven Snowmobile Ride for Charity. What a difference the recent snow makes. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More
The phrase made famous by the sports movie, “Jerry Maguire” was “Show me the money!” Now that phrase is being employed by Federal and state governments when it comes to tax laws and sports. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
Maine Maritime Academy in Castine continues to break new ground for the North Atlantic Conference and Division III women’s basketball in eastern and northern Maine. The Mariners, who last Wednesday shocked then top-ranked Bowdoin College 51-49 in Brunswick, have been recognized for their efforts. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
In the wake of paper mill closings in Millinocket and East Millinocket, Skip and Nicole Mohoff saw a newspaper story that ended up changing their lives. “It showed a home that cost $10,000, and it said, ‘Why won’t anybody live here?'” Skip Mohoff recalled. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
The University of Maine women’s basketball team has traditionally been blessed with some of the best fan support in America East. Even so, the conference office is encouraging UMaine and other league women’s programs to reach out to other potential fans – once per season. Read More
One boys basketball team that has been slowly building momentum in the Class B ranks of the Big East Conference is Hermon, which takes six consecutive victories into today’s game at Mount Desert Island of Bar Harbor. Coach Dave Pepin’s club got off to an… Read More
FARMINGTON – Kari Simpson of Wells scored 20 points to lead the University of Maine-Farmington women’s basketball team to a 55-54 overtime win over Castleton State Friday night. Simpson’s layup with 15 seconds left in overtime off a feed from Augusta native Karen Sirois was… Read More
As the plane lifted off, banking and gaining altitude above emerald rain forests, lush jungle-shrouded mountains, and finally over the aquamarine ocean, I already knew I’d be returning. Situated between Panama and Nicaragua in Central America, Costa Rica is near the equator and boasts year-round temperatures hovering around… Read More
Gear heads, listen up! Even you folks who don’t consider yourselves gear junkies could tune in if you wish. When last we talked, we commiserated on the endless piles of “stuff” we have cluttering up the garage and the back porch – to say nothing… Read More
Winter birding can be very challenging. I’m not talking temperature-wise. When it’s too cold to remain comfortably outside for any length of time, birders may choose to just drive to their favorite local hotspots and have a quick look around. Staying in the vehicle provides… Read More
It is, on the surface, a simple basketball exercise. Step up to a line 15 feet away from the basket, and shoot an unguarded set shot with seemingly all the preparation time in the world – or at least 10 seconds. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
The last time Jerry Trupiano faced the prospect of not attending spring training was waaayyyy back in 1992. Fifteen years later – and 14 seasons as one-half of the Boston Red Sox radio broadcasting duo – Trupiano not only won’t have a spring training press… Read More
Some of us wait all winter for snow and ice. Others – like Kevin McKay – could do without such nonsense. In fact, McKay and his pals have made a habit of ignoring traditional winter activities in order to enjoy a pastime generally associated with the spring and… Read More
Shelby Pickering has enjoyed a superb first year at Husson College in Bangor. After winning the North Atlantic Conference Player of the Year award for the Eagles’ soccer team, the sophomore standout quickly made the transition to the basketball court. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
Veazie’s Nick Payson made a difficult decision a year and a half ago. He passed up his senior year at Bangor High School to play for the Portland Junior Pirates in the Atlantic Junior A Hockey League. He has always aspired to play for the… Read More
During his first three years of high school basketball, Daniel McCue played a crucial support role as Hampden Academy emerged among the elite teams in the state, winning the Maine Class A championship in 2005 and retaining the Eastern A title last winter. McCue, the… Read More
The University of Maine men’s hockey program has landed an instate recruit for the 2008-2009 or 2009-2010 season. Lewiston’s Mark Anthoine, the second leading scorer for the Portland Junior Pirates’ A team, has verbally committed to attend Maine on a scholarship. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
Several of the more competitive Eastern Maine girls basketball teams had a chance to make things right as they avenged early season losses with victories Friday night. Mount Desert Island edged Presque Isle 41-40 after the Wildcats’ six-point win Dec. 15. Lee Academy beat Penobscot… Read More
With all the basketball going on, I thought today might be as good a time as any to talk about what coaches do – high school coaches in particular – on game day. After 34 years of all this coaching stuff, I’d have to hearken… Read More
Wherever an outdoors enthusiast turns nowadays, it seems that passers-by want to know one thing: Where can I find good ice? Plenty of ice anglers have found satisfactory fishing conditions over the past several days, and one man told me about a weekend excursion to… Read More
Vandals won’t deter Jonesport-Beals coach This note is for the person or persons responsible for the vandalism and destruction of my husband’s truck as well as personal items of sentimental value on the night of Jan. 4th. This incident took place in the driveway of… Read More
While many outdoor enthusiasts have been impatiently waiting for winter to arrive, operators of a pair of ski areas have been quietly going about their business. Both Big Rock Ski Area in Mars Hill and New Hermon Mountain in Hermon have been open for quite… Read More
The University of Maine women’s hockey team has a mountain to climb if it’s going to earn a Hockey East tournament berth. The Bears have just four points in league play (1-5-2), leaving them in seventh place in the eight-team league. The top four qualify… Read More
The matter of Mark McGwire not making the baseball Hall of Fame will be a long-running show, but the writers got the premiere right. The Hall is not run by Major League Baseball. It is independent. Writers were chosen to select the Hall members. They… Read More
The National Arbor Day Foundation is offering 10 free flowering trees to each person in Maine who joins the organization in January. The free trees are part of the foundation’s Trees for America campaign. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
When I was younger (and it grieves me deeply to have to use that phrase), most of my thinking was focused toward the future. Throughout my 20s and 30s as Dick Clark and New York’s falling ball welcomed a New Year, I was formulating plans about finances, family,… Read More
What is it about gear? What I don’t know, the owners of L.L. Bean, Cabela’s, R.E.I., Eddie Bauer, Epic Sports, or the Ski Rack know too well. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false;… Read More
Roy Dow doesn’t have a typical coaching job. As the 44-year-old Dexter native scans scouting reports in his office, the current Nobel Prize winner in chemistry is apt to drop by – to talk about team chemistry, of course. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
Talk about shuffling your lineup… What would have been the fourth annual “Evening with Joe and Jerry” hot stove session is now basically the first annual “WZON Hot Stove Baseball Night.” googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
During what he’s taken to calling “the winter that wasn’t,” Rick Jordan found reason to smile recently. A man walked into the Jonesboro office of the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife biologist and gave Jordan an unsolicited ice report … or so staffers thought. Read More
Dwight Hunter doesn’t like the long bus rides that are a fact of life for the Caribou High School boys basketball team. But he does like virtually everything else about his role with the program this winter, as an assistant to Vikings’ head coach Chris… Read More
Sharing some thoughts….. So what did we learn from Florida’s 41-14 dismantling of Ohio State Monday night in the national championship game? 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
ORONO – The University of Maine men’s hockey team has won four straight and the power play has been one of the key components behind that success. Maine has scored 11 power-play goals in 21 opportunities (52.4 percent efficiency) during those four victories and the… Read More
Nokomis of Newport center Tatum Welch considered following in her sister’s footsteps and playing basketball next year at the University of Southern Maine. But in the end, Welch decided to make her own way. She’s decided to attend Maine Maritime Academy and play basketball for… Read More
On yet another rainy, warm Monday, let’s work our way around the outdoor scene while waiting for winter to truly show up in Greater Bangor. First, the bad news: If you were looking forward to taking your child to Pickerel Pond this weekend for the… Read More
SAD 4 Superintendent Paul Stearns had some tough decisions to make recently, decisions that involved not only the welfare of a student, who played varsity basketball, but also the students who could contract the pertussis – whooping cough – by being exposed to the player’s cough, sneeze, or… Read More
Gary Fifield has witnessed tremendous growth in Maine girls high school basketball during the last two decades. He said the success achieved by his teams at the University of Southern Maine can be attributed in great part to the pool of instate talent from which… Read More
Youth hockey coaches need strict guidelines Having attended about every one of my two grandchildren’s (ages 9-11) hockey games, I continue to wonder why the coaches are so bent on hollering, nonstop, at the kids on the ice. It is a continuous bellowing, while the… Read More
The world of sports loves the underdog. The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team’s upset of the Soviet juggernaut is the classic example. While fans may live for such games and teams, we do so because they are rare. That brings us to Boise State football,… Read More
The topics were varied, the program fast-paced, and the audience entertained Friday as the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine hosted its 12th annual Sportsmen’s Congress in Augusta. The event, which serves as an annual preview of what SAM considers the top issues facing outdoor enthusiasts, took… Read More
The dawn breeze was fanning the fires of day as Galen Ruhlin guided the beamy 18-foot Lund boat through the moorings of a snug harbor situated on Frenchman Bay. Huddled amidships, among mounds of gunning gear, were Al Mitchell of Holden, 15-year-old Tyler Eldridge of Orland, and you… Read More
The Northeast Wilderness Trust, a regional conservation organization, announced in December the completion of a two-year campaign to preserve 1,500 acres in Dover-Foxcroft, Milo and Atkinson. The NWT purchased the property from a conservation-minded owner who offered the property to NWT at a reduced price. Read More
Many times I’ve read about call notes and contact notes among birds and how they serve to keep members of a pair together or retain the cohesiveness of an entire flock. It’s one thing to read about it, but another thing to see it in… Read More
Sooner or later we’ll have winter. It might not look like it outdoors now, but it’s a pretty sure bet that snow lovers will get their chance to ski, snowshoe trails and climb Maine’s mountains under cold winter skies. There are still three months of winter coming and… Read More
This personal journey through the sporting life has taken several directions, from mediocre athlete to fledgling official to broadcasting and writing. But one route it never took was toward the coaching profession. It wasn’t because of an unwillingness to teach, because a career in education… Read More
BANGOR – The Hermon vs. John Bapst schoolgirl basketball game set for tonight has been moved from Hermon to the Bangor Auditorium due to a scheduling conflict, according to Hermon athletic director Paul Soucy. The JV game will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the… Read More
It was only a year, but it probably seemed much longer than that to Derek Rodgerson. The former Hampden Academy boys basketball career scoring leader and Franklin Pierce College (N.H.) standout found himself uninvolved in organized basketball for the first time in more than a… Read More
For two years running, outdoor enthusiasts in the Bangor area got a weekend-long respite from the winter cold in the form of January’s “Cabin Fever Reliever.” Run by the Penobscot Fly Fishers, in conjunction with Old Town Canoe and the Old Town-Orono YMCA, the show… Read More
Mattanawcook Academy’s return to the Class B ranks in boys basketball last winter was a success. Coach Rick Sinclair’s Lynx earned homecourt advantage for the preliminary playoff round, then used that edge to defeat perennial power Camden Hills of Rockport to earn a trip to… Read More
Samantha Wheeler has many reasons she wants to attend the University of Maine. When she made a verbal commitment recently to play basketball for the Black Bears beginning in 2008, Wheeler assured a family tradition will continue on the Orono campus. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
We had our share of highlights and lowlights in the sports world in 2006. But, as we say in sports jargon, 2006 is “in the books” so we now look ahead to 2007. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
PORTLAND – The Boston Red Sox have announced the coaching staff for its Double-A affiliate, the Portland Sea Dogs, for 2007. Hitting coach Russ Morman will return for his fourth season and his fifth in the Red Sox organization. Mike Cather and Brad Pearson will… Read More
Thursday’s University of Maine women’s basketball game against New Hampshire will tip off at 7 p.m. at Alfond Arena in Orono. It had been listed for a later start time on published schedules. Read More
Happy New Year! Where did 2006 go? Oh, my. As we move into the eighth year of the new millennium, thoughts today turn to the local sports scene and things I’d like to see changed or rearranged, at least, for the new year. In no… Read More
Hard to believe it now, but Belfast swimmer Tyler Bowen wasn’t happy with his performances in the 200-yard individual medley at the start of last season. So he did something about it. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
Once again we peruse the past year in sports for the annual Thorn and Roses awards. Let’s begin with the always beautiful Roses. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i =… Read More
While still pondering which number will be higher – the number of people who watched the Texas Bowl on the NFL Network or the number of people who actually attended the MPC Computers Bowl on New Year’s Eve – I can’t help but offer a few resolutions that… Read More
Anglers looking to learn more about their pastime will get the chance beginning in January as the Penobscot Fly Fishers host beginner fly-tying classes in Bangor. The first class is Thursday at 6 p.m. Classes will be held weekly for eight consecutive Thursdays through Feb. Read More
Over the holiday, I spent time with family in New Jersey and was interested to hear about relatives’ observations of large flocks of blackbirds. My mother was the first one to bring the subject up. She had glanced out her kitchen window one day to… Read More
NEWPORT – Five or six years ago, Mac Cianchette and Bob Duplisea – already avid snowmobile riders – began planning a trip worth waiting for. “Every time we’ve gone up to Canada – we’ve gone up for eight to 10 days a year – [we]… Read More
The University of Maine and University of New Hampshire are archrivals in hockey. UNH is Maine’s closest Hockey East rival and the two teams have combined to make 28 NCAA Tournament appearances since the inception of Hockey East in 1984-85. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
If you looked at the University of Maine men’s hockey schedule at the outset, you probably would have been surprised if the team took a 10-3-2 mark into the Christmas break. After all, there was a game in St. Paul, Minn., against the University of… Read More
The preseason predictions for Eastern Maine Class A’s northernmost girls basketball teams have already come true. As in, there’s not one clear favorite and everybody’s about even. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false;… Read More
I have been at this basketball stuff long enough to understand what needs to be done in certain situations. I also field a lot of questions regarding this game. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
‘Tis the season to forget the bad, remember the good, and show generosity to all. With those thoughts in mind, here are a few outdoor wishes for the upcoming year. . To those who love to ride snowmobiles, and those who make their living by… Read More
It’s difficult to write a column when the facts being written about are not publicly known, and intentionally so. If this were a pagan holiday, it would be so easy to equate it to the world of sports. Just pick up the paper and have… Read More
Over the run of about 20 years during the 1980s and ’90s, my dad, his longtime hunting and fishing buddy Gerald Jones, my cousin Steve Hitchcock, and I made about 30 trips to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Some of the fastest and most dependable Canada goose gunning in the… Read More