A little more than a month ago I walked into Burlington Coat Factory in Bangor and was greeted with the sound of Christmas music – it was a little early, I thought for “chestnuts roasting on an open fire.” That was the first part of October. Read More
Continuing with last week’s theme of rarities during migration and vicarious birding, I’d like to mention a very special sighting of a probable rufous hummingbird. Actually, it was more than just a sighting; this hummingbird first appeared at Dot Haggan’s house in Phillips on Sept. Read More
LINCOLN – Shey Gardner didn’t need any doctor’s prognosis as he lay on the muddied turf at Bucksport High School last Friday night. He knew it was bad. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner =… Read More
There may be some change brewing for the Boston Red Sox radio network next season, but one thing won’t change for at least another five years. Officials at Bangor all-sports station WZON (620 AM) and Red Sox radio flagship station WEEI (850 AM) have agreed… Read More
Many of Maine’s top senior soccer players will be on hand Sunday for the Maine Soccer Coaches Senior Bowl at Hampden Academy’s multipurpose field. The girls game will begin at noon followed by the boys game at 2:30 p.m. Players should arrive an hour before… Read More
University of Maine-Presque Isle graduate James “Chico” Hernandez, representing Team Irish, won gold and silver medals recently at the 2006 North American Grappling Association World’s Largest Grappling Championships at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn. Hernandez won the Gold in the Executive Gi Int. Division… Read More
PORTLAND – Portland Sea Dogs manager Todd Claus has been named Baseball America’s Minor League Baseball Manager of the Year. Claus was selected from all 176 Minor League Baseball teams for the honor. Claus, 37, had already been named the Double-A Manager of the Year… Read More
Presque Isle senior Gabe Cheney missed three of his team’s soccer games this fall, but you can’t argue with, as he puts it, the eternal benefits of the reason why he didn’t play in the games. Cheney spent 11 days this fall working with a… Read More
BANGOR – Shelby Pickering made the huge jump from Class D Lee Academy to the University of Maine last season, playing in 13 games for the Black Bears women’s soccer team and scoring a goal. But her desire to study occupational therapy and play both… Read More
As usual, it was another strong season for Aroostook County soccer. Although just one of the northern Maine county’s soccer teams made it to a state final – the Van Buren boys won the Class D title – at least two other state championship winners… Read More
A deer is a deer is a deer … unless, that is, you’re a hunter, or unless you work at a convenience store that tags them (deer, not hunters). At that point, it’s easy to draw distinctions between the critters, and to end up with all kinds of… Read More
OLD TOWN – Jarrett Lukas had a busy day Wednesday. He went to school, followed by a successful went duck hunting outing. 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
Whenever a team loses four of its top eight scorers and two reliable senior defensemen, there will be a maturing process. And when its first eight games include four road games against perennial NCAA championship contenders Minnesota, North Dakota (2), and Boston University, you’d be… Read More
Brewer High will contest a recommendation by the football committee of the Maine Principals’ Association that would result in the school’s football program being elevated from Class B to Class A beginning next fall. During its most recent meeting held Monday, the city’s school committee… Read More
For the first time in his University of Maine hockey career, Michel Leveille found himself shadowed in Saturday night’s 2-2 overtime tie at Boston University. BU sophomore center John McCarthy followed him everywhere and Leveille was held without a point for the first time this… Read More
Long before sunup on Saturday morning, Jim Corliss flipped bacon, cracked eggs, and kept up a running conversation about deer, family, business and the hearty hunters breakfast he was busily preparing. “We had kind of a tradition here,” Corliss said, remembering the days when plenty… Read More
I’ve been giving a lot of thought to Arnold “Red” Auerbach lately. With his death, the golden age of the NBA has passed. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i =… Read More
Belfast field hockey coach Allen Holmes was holding a field hockey stick while he watched the award ceremony following Saturday’s Class B state championship game. Of course, Holmes didn’t actually use the stick in the Lions’ 1-0 win over York. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
Bangor team caught in middle of complaint As the parent of “standout” athlete Amy Hackett of Bangor, I was quite offended by the letter of Michael El-Hajj of Winterport (BDN, Oct. 31). I totally disagree with him as to the coverage all Bangor area teams… Read More
Last year at this time, the University of Maine football team was simply trying to build some momentum toward 2006. This week, coach Jack Cosgrove’s 19th-ranked Black Bears are preparing for their toughest and most important test of the season at No. 3 and Atlantic… Read More
For those who care about college sports beyond the wins and losses, the NCAA Presidential Task Force Report on the Future of Division I Intercollegiate Athletics is a must-read. Here are a few of the general conclusions: googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
Whenever someone tells me I’m going to the dogs, I tell them they’re wrong, explaining that I went there a long time ago. The first hunting dog to leave tracks on my mind was Queenie, a tri-color English setter owned by my uncle, the late John MacDonald. I… Read More
The e-mail I received from birding friend Ed Grew made me wish – again – that I had followed up on his tip to see some fall rarities earlier this week. “As Paul must have told you,” he wrote, “it was quite dramatic out at… Read More
Talk about feeling small when you stand beside the ocean (yes, it’s a line from “I Hope You Dance,” by Lee Ann Womack). Last weekend’s big windstorm turned the Atlantic into raging sea meringue with peaks 24 or more feet tall charging ashore in suicidal fashion. Sustained winds… Read More
Bill Hamilton grinned at the question, his stock answer already halfway out of his mouth. “He’s an English setter,” Hamilton said, setting up the punch line as he prepared 9-year-old Woody for another enjoyable day afield. “He is the only kind of bird dog there is.”… Read More
Much of the quest for athletic success has little to do with physical prowess. Mind over matter – or at least having the confidence that can provide that extra edge – often is just as important as size, strength or quickness googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
HAMPDEN – The University of Maine women’s soccer team has been to three consecutive America East championship games but has yet to win one. For two Maine natives, Saturday’s title game against Hartford will be their final chance to claim the championship and earn the… Read More
Lost in the reaction, retrospection and recognition following the death of Boston Celtics patriarch Arnold “Red” Auerbach last weekend was the anniversary of another famous New England sports figure exclusively linked to the Celtics. Wednesday marked the start of Tom Heinsohn’s 50th year as a… Read More
After bushwhacking our way through the far-flung bird covers of Washington and Penobscot counties, an enthusiastic group of bird hunters gathered in Forest City last week to talk about guns, dogs, life, and birds. The Old Pat’s Society was back in town, staying at Lance… Read More
Two years ago, in his first season coaching the University of Maine-Fort Kent’s women’s soccer team, Lucas Levesque and his Bengals compiled a 6-8-1 record. They improved to 12-6 last fall and reached the Sunrise Conference Tournament finals where they lost to Lyndon State. The… Read More
As the fall sports season enters its championship phase, the first day of high school basketball practice is less than three weeks away. When those practices begin at Washington Academy on Nov. 20, the Raiders’ boys and girls basketball teams will be guided by two… Read More
We hear plenty of negative things about athletics. Anything from steroid abuse to Little League parents getting into fist fights. But there are also plenty of positives that are sometimes overlooked. For our troops deployed in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, sports can be… Read More
Dale Plummer, who pitched in the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets organizations, has been named the interim baseball coach at Colby College in Waterville for the 2007 season. Plummer was the pitching coach for Colby last spring and helped the White Mules improve… Read More
While Saturday’s weather in these parts probably kept a lot of deer hunters out of the woods on opening day, it didn’t keep everyone away. One of the hunters who tagged out on opening day is particularly familiar. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
As parents of a first-grader, my wife Shelly and I are always faced with the prospects of choosing just the right sports activities to keep Nate busy during the often snowbound winter months. Heck, when I was a kid, these decisions by my parents were… Read More
The University of Maine football team, which a week ago was riding a wave of confidence and a three-game win streak, must now regroup. Coach Jack Cosgrove’s Black Bears watched their momentum go down the drain, like the runoff from Saturday’s torrential rains, in a… Read More
When Central of Corinth takes the field Saturday at Portland’s Fitzpatrick Stadium for the Class C state field hockey game, Kara Voisine will be guarding the cage as the starting goalie for the Red Devils. But the defending Class C state champions know they wouldn’t… Read More
All athletes deserve equal treatment I would like to congratulate coach Larry Smith’s Bangor High School girls soccer team on an exceptional season. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i =… Read More
This is important. It happens to be from the world of sports, but the ramifications are far more pervasive. Mark Fainaru-Wada and Lance Williams are the authors of “Game of Shadows,” the book that linked Barry Bonds, and others, with steroid use. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
Maine’s firearm season for whitetail deer opens for residents today and for all hunters on Monday, and as usual it is the most anticipated quest of the year for many big-game gunners. Each and every sportsman hopes to locate a buck; make a clean, sure shot that yields… Read More
In rural hamlets, unorganized territories, and urban centers, lights will go on a little earlier than normal this morning, the daily bustle beginning under the cover of darkness. It’s opening day. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
The Blue Hill Regulators, a branch of the Blue Hill Rifle & Pistol Club that runs the cowboy action shoots, will hold a charity shoot on Sunday at the club. The final shoot of the season has traditionally been a charity shoot, during which participants… Read More
I feel, quite often, as if I live in a parallel universe, outside looking in, an alien to my surroundings. I live and work in an environment where the prevailing attitude, when it comes to wildlife, is, if it moves, shoot it or run over it with an… Read More
Editor’s Note: Freelance contributor Brad Viles has written a short novel about one person’s hike on the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Descriptive and imaginative, Viles steps outside his newspaper style to entertain even those of us who don’t have the wanderlust to spend days on the… Read More
They’re at the halfway point of their inaugural fall season of harness racing, and Bangor Raceway officials are hoping for a strong finish. “It’s kind of early to make any determination on what the fall handle numbers mean, but the fact that we’re having them… Read More
The first thing opposing teams and fans notice about the Bangor High School football team is its sheer size – both roster size and physical stature. No one epitomizes that latter characteristic more than senior tackle Robert Seccareccia. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
Hartwick College cross country coach and Milford native Dereck Treadwell will be competing in the World Triathlon Championships in Maui, Hawaii, this weekend. Treadwell qualified for the event based on his performance at the U.S. Championships in Lake Tahoe earlier this month. He finished second… Read More
DOVER-FOXCROFT – Due to the impending inclement weather on Saturday, the LTC Class C football game between Foxcroft Academy and Dexter has been switched from Saturday in Dexter to 7 p.m. Friday at Foxcroft Academy. Read More
Guess you could say New England Sports Network is a big hit when it comes to baseball. For the third consecutive season, NESN is the highest-rated regional sports network in baseball, according to network promotions and public relations director Gary Roy. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
Last-minute preparations are nearly over, and it’s time to get serious about deer season. If you’re one of those afflicted with that chronic hunting bug, you’ve already hung your deer stands, scouted prime hunting areas, and come up with a game plan. The only thing… Read More
Seth Brown had a unique distinction when he took over the Husson College men’s soccer program this fall. For a handful of the players, he was their fourth coach in two seasons. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
Toronto Blue Jays third base coach and Orono native Brian Butterfield said there is a reason the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals are in the World Series. “[St. Louis’] Tony La Russa and [Detroit’s] Jim Leyland are the two best managers in baseball,” said… Read More
ORONO – There were some anxious and excited players on the basketball court Saturday during the annual Blue-White scrimmages at Alfond Arena. Senior captain Kevin Reed and freshman Mark Socoby of Bangor competed in front of a crowd for the first time in more than… Read More
PORTLAND – Novice class super lightweight boxer Josh Harvey of Dexter won a unanimous decision over Bryce Landry of Nashua, N.H., at the Northeast Regional semifinals over the weekend. Novice class super lightweight Calvin Elwell of Stockton Springs won by forfeit, and both boxers advanced… Read More
For the eight survivors of the Pine Tree Conference Class B football regular-season wars, this weekend marks a new season – the playoffs. For at least two of the teams in the field, it also marks a new beginning of sorts. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
Gosh, these games are on late. The World Series began last weekend, and with its commencement, baseball fans can count on one thing: Games will all begin in prime network time – between 8 p.m. and 8:23 p.m. – and often end around midnight or… Read More
After spending three hours in a ground blind during Saturday’s Youth Deer Day, Sarah Strauch of Lamoine took a brief break to regroup and refuel. According to her grandfather, Joe MacDonald, the good-natured ribbing she received during her lunch break may have given her a… Read More
It took Brenda Beckwith several months, including a Caribbean vacation, to decide she wanted to return to coaching this winter. But now that she’s been named the new Messalonskee of Oakland girls basketball coach, the former Winslow boss is pleased to be back. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
Frustrated with Brewer leadership I want to express my frustration with the Brewer High School Athletic Department leadership. Friday, Oct. 20, was without a doubt the most important football game as the winner got the final playoff spot. It was also senior night and the… Read More
For those of you who last April picked the Tigers and Cards to be in the World Series, enjoy your retirement in Barbados. This highly unlikely series begins tonight with story lines everywhere but none better than the one the managers have agreed not to… Read More
The opening weekend of fall harness racing brought a lot of people to Bangor Raceway Friday and Sunday, especially Sunday. “The weather was actually pretty good, but I think the real draw was the Family Fun Day,” said Bangor Raceway director of racing Fred Nichols. Read More
Muskellunge are well-established in the St. John River drainage in northern Maine, and a pair of fisheries experts are teaming up to educate others about the fish. Registered Maine guide Eric Ward and retired Moosehead region fisheries biologist Paul Johnson will present a program on… Read More
Once a year, Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife staffers stage a barnstorming tour of the state, sharing information and answering questions at local forums. On Wednesday, that road show arrived in Bucksport for yet another well-attended event. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
You might say that Jasper Walsh doesn’t let grass grow under his feet. The Newburgh man’s efforts to satisfy his wanderlust have taken him across country by bicycle with several friends (last year) and down the length of the Mississippi River (he just got back) with two other… Read More
Huffing and puffing like an old steam engine, each exhalation forming a white cloud in the cold, predawn air, I loaded heavy tubs of goose decoys into the back of my truck. A steady plume of exhaust smoke rose from the tailpipe and the defroster whined as it… Read More
Here’s one vote to wait on adding a fourth class to the Maine high school football ranks. The football committee of the Maine Principals’ Association will meet Friday to discuss the issue, and while any final decision would not be formalized until after a vote… Read More
WATERVILLE – Colby College men’s basketball player Drew Cohen was named to the Division III Preseason All-American team. Cohen, a senior, was one of 24 players selected to the team and was one of three Northeast Regional players selected. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
PORTLAND – Boxers Josh Harvey of Dexter, Calvin Elwell of Stockton Springs and Matt Fields of Fairfield each recorded victories in the Northeastern Regional Championship Saturday. Harvey defeated Jeff Harrison of Dover-Foxcroft by a split decision, and novice welterweight Calvin Elwell of Stockton Springs won… Read More
TAMPA, Fla. – The Philadelphia Flyers sent Petr Nedved and former UMaine star Niko Dimitrakos to the Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League on Thursday. Both were placed on waivers Wednesday, a day after a 9-1 loss to Buffalo. Read More
For Husson College’s New England School of Communications, it’s the culmination of a three-year drive toward the total revamping and modernization of its broadcasting program. For Rodney Verrill, NESCOM’s executive director of video productions, it’s almost the equivalent to the birth of a baby. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
It’s that time of year again. The leaves are dropping, the bird season is in full swing, and many hunters have been afield often enough to form an educated opinion on the state of the state’s upland flock. Here, then, are a couple of field… Read More
The Husson College women’s soccer team has strung together an eight-game winning streak during which it has outscored its opponents 40-3. The Eagles are 12-3-1 overall and 9-1 and in second place in the North Atlantic Conference. Elms College (Mass.), the last team to beat… Read More
On Sept. 19, 2005, Windham’s Jason Jacobe notched two assists as the University of Maine men’s soccer team beat Manhattan College (N.Y.) 4-1 at Alumni Field in Orono. Unfortunately for Jacobe and the Black Bears, that was the last time they won. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
Joe Roberts has worked in the University of Maine athletic department for 17 years. This fall, he continues his ascent within its ranks. Roberts has been named UMaine’s associate athletic director for external operations as one of several personnel moves announced recently by athletic director… Read More
A year ago, the Rockland High football team was among three teams that tied for third and fourth places in the final LTC Class C football standings. Unfortunately for the Tigers, there was room for only two of those teams in the playoffs – and… Read More
When my father announced at supper one night in the late fall of 1963 that he was taking his family from our Brewer residence to a new house in Bangor, I was devastated. After all, I loved our little Washington Street home. The real trauma… Read More
The Hampden Academy field hockey team is trying to make the most of its final season in the Penobscot Valley Conference – and improve on last year’s finish in the Eastern Maine Class A playoffs. The No. 7 Broncos earned a spot in today’s 4… Read More
Each year, I hear from plenty of downhearted hunters who lament the fact they are unlucky in the state’s moose-hunting lottery. And every one of them has committed a single year to memory. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
The fighting that broke out during Saturday’s Miami-Florida International football game was an example of deplorable sportsmanship. In the aftermath of Saturday’s University of Maine football victory over Villanova, coach Jack Cosgrove and the Black Bears demonstrated that they have the game in the proper… Read More
Old Town is right, but penalty too harsh Old Town High School should be congratulated for having and enforcing a no-fail policy for student athletes, and is correct in taking head football coach Pete Kenny to task for breaking it. However, permanently removing him as… Read More
HERMON – Bangor’s Dick Danforth and Tim McCluskey had holes-in-one during the annual Cross Country Tournament at Hermon Meadow Golf Club on Sunday. Danforth aced the 115-yard 12th hole with a 9-iron. Thea Davis, Dave Musselman, and Linda Cook witnessed the shot. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
THOMPSON, Conn. – Dave St. Clair of Liberty notched a ninth-place finish in the Outlaw Late Model division in the World Series of Speedway Racing at Thompson International Speedway on Saturday. His son and grandson also raced with grandson Josh St. Clair coming home 16th and Josh’s father… Read More
While Scarborough Downs is grabbing Maine’s harness racing spotlight with the running of the $300,000 Maine Standardbred Breeders Stakes finals Sunday, Bangor Raceway will also be a destination for those interested in harness racing, horses, and history. Bangor Raceway, normally quiet and fairly calm this… Read More
When the October moose hunt rolls around each year, it’s a good bet Doug Kane will be pretty easy to find. Kane, a regional wildlife biologist for the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, often spends those days in the hangar at Stobie Seaplane Base… Read More
How quickly the giants are looking up. Both the Red Sox and the Yankees have offseasons that will define 2007 and far beyond. The Sox must redefine their pitching staff and will do so with a new pitching coach. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
Over the years my favorite outdoor pastimes have changed a few times, and they may well alter again, but for the last decade waterfowling of any and all styles offers me the greatest thrill, the most satisfaction, and untold insight into ducks and geese. One fact repeats itself… Read More
Maine’s firearms deer season is rapidly approaching, and plenty of area organizations are finishing up their plans for annual hunters breakfasts. Here’s a partial list of the breakfasts that are scheduled: googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
Back in September I had gone for a hike up Great Pond Mountain in Orland with the Bangor Chapter of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. The hike was an easy three- mile round trip. The weather could not have been better, nor the company more… Read More
Weekend time being of the essence, I’m always looking for an outing that’s close to home yet slightly different and interesting. Finding such a place without turning an outing into an expedition has always been one of my goals. I must admit that I tend… Read More
How can you broadcast a newscast when there’s nobody in the studio? Bangor television station and ABC network affiliate WVII (Channel 7) will answer that question next week as it takes a new approach to its late night newscasts. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
Hallowell’s Johnny Clark has just one top-three finish in 10 Pro All-Stars Series Super Late Model Northern Division races this season. But, with two races left, he finds himself leading the points. He is 10 points ahead of Turner’s Mike Rowe entering Saturday’s Riverside (Speedway)… Read More
ORONO – It was difficult for Husson College golf coach Bruce MacGregor to get a good read on his Eagles squad coming into this fall season. With just six players on the squad, one of them a freshman, three sophomores, and two seniors – one… Read More
As moose after moose arrived for tagging in Greenville on Monday morning, Karen Morris and other Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife staffers performed a list of tasks that have become familiar to hunters and spectators alike. Pull a tooth. Measure the rack. Weigh… Read More
It’s only fitting that a runner who has run many marathons over the last 29 years is directing the fifth edition of the most scenic marathon in the United States and Canada. Recently, ESPN the Magazine released a list of best worldwide marathons by category,… Read More
If you frequent University of Maine athletic events, you have seen her. But you may not know her name. She is Tanya Adorno and you’ll see her even more this year. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
Despite a scoreless tie against Hampden Saturday that put a slight blemish on the season, the Bangor girls soccer team found itself on top of the Eastern Maine Class A standings Tuesday morning. And by the time Tuesday night’s game against Old Town finishes up,… Read More
ORONO – Tickets are on sale for the 2006 University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, slated for Oct. 22 at the Buchanan Alumni House. The event kicks off with a social hour at 11 a.m. followed by the dinner at noon and… Read More
Recent recognition from the Maine Sports Legends Hall of Honors gives pause this week to reflect on a career which now includes writing for this newspaper and publishing material for Winning Hoops magazine and Lessiter Publications in Wisconsin. I began all this basketball coaching stuff… Read More
The Brewer boys soccer team has its share of losses this season. But the Witches also have their share of wins. More wins, in fact, than the program has had in recent years. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
When Dustin Allen took aim at a 950-pound moose on Monday morning, he wasn’t looking closely enough to notice the small flaw in the critter’s massive rack. Only after downing the moose with an 80-yard shot did he and his hunting party get the chance… Read More