Last Saturday I volunteered for my second Down East island cleanup with Maine Island Trail Association members, and again had the distinct displeasure of picking up another 5-gallon pail of used motor oil. A few years ago I went along with a MITA crew to… Read More
The landlocked salmon, long a Maine treasure with a storied history, has now been detailed in a 111-page, full-color book titled Maine Landlocked Salmon: Life History, Ecology, and Management. Authored by veteran fisheries biologists David Boucher and Kendall Warner, the book documents the current status… Read More
The American Birding Association’s annual convention is being held in Bangor this week. As I write this, bird watchers from all over the continent are enjoying workshops, field trips, and seminars led by some of the top birders and ornithologists in the country. It’s probable many of the… Read More
Barney Smith played high school basketball in an era when the only statistics that mattered were wins and losses. But the point guard who graduated from Presque Isle High School in 1965 also kept track of his own game-by-game scoring on one of those large… Read More
Area soccer fans wanted to give Bangor television station WVII (Channel 7) a red card Sunday morning as they turned on their TV sets to watch a World Cup match only to find nothing resembling soccer. Instead of the first round game between Croatia and… Read More
HAMPDEN – A recent donation of $130,000 from an anonymous benefactor is expected to bring night baseball and softball activities to the Weatherbee School athletic complex. The donation, accepted recently by the local school board, will provide for installing lights at the Bordick Park baseball… Read More
Chris Jones has lived in Bucksport for “about 18 years,” and has run the Tour du Lac 10-miler in his hometown 18 times. And when the position of race director opened, he took advantage of the opportunity. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
Midway through Tuesday’s water safety lesson, pandemonium broke out on the waters of Pickerel Pond. And for the record, none of the 44 campers – all between the ages of 8 and 11 – was responsible. The paddlers who couldn’t resist starting a good, old-fashioned… Read More
Danielle Salvaggio never won a state championship when she played for the McAuley of Portland girls basketball team. But she has fond memories of the “Cinderella” ride, as she puts it, the Lions made in 2000, when she was known as Danielle Jendrasko and started… Read More
Clem LaBree, morning show co-host and sportscaster for WZON radio of Bangor, is a pretty laid-back guy. Until you get him talking about Saint Joseph’s College’s Mahaney Diamond in Standish. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var… Read More
Linda Consolante, a two-time America East Defender of the Year for the University of Maine women’s soccer team, will be the Black Bears’ representative for the first America East Woman of the Year Award. To be nominated, a woman must have earned a varsity letter… Read More
The new boys basketball coach at Mattanawcook Academy is the old basketball coach. Rick Sinclair had stepped down from the post earlier this spring citing family reasons, but was reappointed as the Lynx head coach last week, according to MA principal Jim Boothby. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
I couldn’t help thinking last Thursday morning about an age-old sports expression as I looked at the front page picture in this newspaper of Maine Republican gubernatorial primary winner Chandler Woodcock. Standing close to the victor were David Emery and Peter Mills, Woodcock’s talented, but… Read More
So, you didn’t get your moose permit again this year and you’re understandably distraught. But don’t fret. If you’re one of 60 lucky men, women, and kids, I’ve got some great news for you: You’re going hunting after all. On Monday, the Department of Inland… Read More
Most student-athletes dream of winning a state championship before their high school careers are over. The dreams of five Lee Academy female student-athletes have come true – four times over in four different sports. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
STANDISH – When a blown pickoff play, a wild pitch on a third strike and a bad-hop two-run single all combined to fuel the decisive rally in Saturday’s Class C baseball state final, Sean Johnson knew someone was looking down on the Searsport Vikings. But… Read More
Before I go much farther with today’s column (which, for the record, is being offered not to gloat, but only in the interest of full disclosure), let me tell all of you I realize I didn’t deserve it. I asked for it. I crossed my… Read More
The NCAA last week released a list of 15 “high schools” whose transcripts will no longer be accepted in determining eligibility of student-athletes for college sports. One of those schools is North Atlantic Regional High of Lewiston. Any school named will have a right to… Read More
Woah! Whaaat was that bright light in the sky we saw a couple of times this week? I had a pleasant Monday evening paddle at Pushaw Lake. After work I headed out for a rendezvous with friends at Moose Island. Robert Causey and Karen Francoeur… Read More
For many Maine sportsmen, canoes play an integral part in a wide array of outdoor activities from spring ice-out to the fall freeze-up. Some sports own racing canoes while others opt for whitewater versions and another sect settles on a touring model for tranquil floats to enjoy waterways,… Read More
If you’re among the lucky sports who won a moose permit in Thursday’s lottery, congratulations. And if you didn’t end up with a permit for your preferred zone, don’t give up hope for your dream hunt. The Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine will once again host… Read More
As a birdwatcher I delight in getting even the briefest glance at a favorite species as it goes about its business of living, but these encounters are quick snapshots. All too often the window into their world is murky, if not altogether hidden, unless I am prepared to… Read More
Ultimately, it was aggressive baserunning that helped get the Bucksport softball team into Saturday’s Class B state final. At times during Wednesday afternoon’s 3-1 regional championship win over Winslow, it also hurt the 19-0 Golden Bucks as two of their baserunners were thrown out trying… Read More
Bangor High baseball coach Jeff Fahey accepted a daunting challenge six years ago. He wasn’t just moving up from the junior varsity post he held for 12 years. He was replacing Bob Kelley and his 479 victories, 15 Eastern Maine Class A championships and eight… Read More
Scarborough’s Ryan Moore will keep driving for the Key Motorsports team in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and he won’t run the Busch East [formerly Busch North] series. Moore had been a regular on the Busch East series for the past three years and won… Read More
Bill Rodgers is known not only around New England, but around the world as one of the greatest runners of all time. On Sunday morning in Portland, the 58-year old Rodgers, a four-time winner of both the Boston and New York Marathons, will serve as… Read More
Timing hasn’t always been kind to former Bangor television sports anchor Eric Frede, but it has been lately. Almost 10 years after an errant relay throw in an adult slow-pitch softball game crashed into his head as he was running the bases and broke his… Read More
When Jim Albert of Glenburn heard about the huge salmon that was caught in Aroostook County last winter, he didn’t have the same reaction many of us did. Keith Ouellette’s landlocked salmon, which weighed in at 12.78 pounds, was subsequently recognized as a world record… Read More
BANGOR – The Van Buren Crusaders were disappointed with their 12-2 five-inning loss to Lee Academy in Wednesday afternoon’s Eastern Maine Class D baseball final. But there was a measure of respect earned from the Cinderella journey that led the Crusaders to Mansfield Stadium and… Read More
It hasn’t turned out the way Steve Richard envisioned it. Richard was the ace of the University of Maine’s pitching staff who transferred to Clemson University (S.C.) after Maine head coach Paul Kostacopoulos and assistant Scott Friedholm left for jobs at the U.S. Naval Academy… Read More
Mike Fogarty already has a busy life, but it’s about to get busier. Fogarty, chief executive officer of Pines Health Services, a multi-specialty physicians’ practice based in Caribou with 33 providers serving central Aroostook County, is the new boys varsity basketball coach at Houlton High… Read More
The three clubs involved in the Whited Ford Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournament have come up with a way to try to ease the players’ psychological pain of having the last two rounds washed out by rain. Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono, Kebo Valley… Read More
Summer’s nearly here, and if you’re a frequent traveler along the Brewer waterfront, I’m sure you’ve noticed some signs of the season. All you’ve got to do is look for the parked cars, and it’s obvious that the striped bass are back … and the… Read More
The thought occurred to me the other night that Barry Bonds may be the most talented player to have ever played the game of professional baseball. Consider that, then consider all the hoopla associated with just being the controversial slugger, and you’ve got, well, quite… Read More
University of Maine rookie third baseman Kevin McAvoy of Brewer has been named a Collegiate Baseball Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. McAvoy becomes the ninth Maine Black Bear to earn freshman All-American honors and the seventh in the last eight years. McAvoy, who was named the… Read More
The Class C state track and field meet has been rescheduled to 4 p.m. today at the Foxcroft Academy complex. Maine Principals’ Association assistant executive director Larry LaBrie said he spoke with members of the MPA’s track and field committee. The committee supported holding the… Read More
For the past five years, Justin Stevens has done plenty of field work as a biology specialist for the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission. Come springtime, you’re not likely to see much of him. Unless, of course, you spend a lot of time deep in the… Read More
Watching the droplets run down the glass in my picture window, and seeing drips fall steadily from the roof eaves, I sighed and shook my head. Our region had just gotten over two full days of rain early in the week and now the weekend was into a… Read More
Everyone pictured in Monday’s paper looked a little soggy, didn’t they? There were wet Maine guides in wet canoes, wet dogs, wet runners, wet Soap Box Derby contestants, wet walkers at Acadia National Park, wet walkers in Machias’ Trails Day celebration, wet kids and monster… Read More
Moose lovers will flock to Greenville on June 17 to learn all about Maine’s largest land mammal. “Moose Tales” is both an educational event and the grand finale of MooseMainea month in the Moosehead Region. The program is sponsored by the Natural Resources Education Center… Read More
One of the major challenges facing interscholastic sports and other extracurricular activites at schools throughout the state is the same challenge faced by any other entity that must work within a budget – how to pay for what you need. High school sports programs in… Read More
The 2006 season may have ended for the University of Maine baseball last weekend at the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional, but that doesn’t mean the Black Bears have put away their bats and gloves. The majority of UMaine’s returning players are scheduled to play in… Read More
Bob Montgomery knows as well as anyone about the loyalty and long memories of New England sports fans. Even a catcher who served as a backup for all 10 of his Major League Baseball seasons (1970-79) and never played more than 88 games in any… Read More
Kelly White has been the face of Bangor High softball for the past four years. Whether as a pitcher or a shortstop – or both, as happened in Bangor’s 4-3 win over Brewer in an Eastern Maine Class A preliminary game last week – White… Read More
Their valuable scientific work notwithstanding, the members of Cathy Cox’s salmon-stocking expedition weren’t all business Wednesday when they arrived at Kenduskeag Stream. Not even close. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var… Read More
With the Paul Bunyan Marathon and 15K just a little more then a month away, race director Phil LeBreton has roughly 300 registration forms. “The first year back we want to keep it as under control as possible and focus on the runners,” LeBreton said. Read More
The University of Maine softball team has received National Letters of Intent from a pitcher from New Mexico and a shortstop from New Hampshire. Cayleigh Montano of Las Cruces, N.M., and Kristen Calvetti of Milford, N.H., will begin classes at Maine this fall. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
It is held once every four years and billions of people watch it on television. The World Cup is the world’s most celebrated tournament. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
The reaction of players in the 15th Bar Harbor Bank & Trust Open over the weekend was probably universal. “That’s the worst weather I’ve ever played in,” said Dave Mitchell of Ellsworth. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
Here’s something that should come as absolutely no shock to those who follow Eastern Maine Class D baseball – the road to the regional championship may end at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor next week, but it goes through Lee Academy. The top-ranked Pandas, EM champs… Read More
For years, “camp” has existed as a strictly seasonal retreat, with all the attendant perks … and a few quirks. The lake – our own personal swimming pool and playground – is just yards away … but some nights, when the warm summer breeze isn’t… Read More
News out of Hampden that longtime Cyr Bus Lines driver Leslie VanTasel died last Monday brought back a lot of memories to this old coach. If you played or coached a sport in the eastern Maine region, chances are you came across the affable VanTasel… Read More
The year 2004 may indeed prove to be a pivotal one for Edgar Martinez, one of Boston’s top minor league prospects, but not for the reasons he thought when he began his first season of Double-A ball. See, back then, Martinez was a catcher who… Read More
Five Maine natives and four Canadians have committed to play for the University of Maine’s women’s soccer team. The Black Bears have played in the last three America East championship games. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
To many, the concept of Atlantic salmon restoration is purely theoretical, the details of which are confusing, confounding, and (some might assert) perhaps impossible. To others – like Richard Dill – salmon recovery is eminently tangible, despite its theoretical challenges. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Husson College baseball coach John Winkin will spend the next 10 days or so in Tuscaloosa, Ala., the site of one of 16 four-team NCAA regionals. Winkin will reprise his role as a tournament director, a position he has held down… Read More
Let’s go back to last fall. The Edmonton Oilers were starting Ty Conklin in net and had signed Chris Pronger, the big and very good defenseman. They were a small-market, middle-salary team that might make it to the playoffs. The Carolina Hurricanes were starting Martin… Read More
Wonderful summer, wasn’t it? Actually, I thought it was a tad on the hot side, but at least it was dry. Last weekend I got my on-water fix, squeezing in paddles on the Bagaduce River and Pushaw Lake. My return to the Bagaduce River above… Read More
If I were to paint a picture symbolic of spring fishing in Maine, I’d begin with sketches of Jim Carter’s Munsungan Hunting and Fishing Club. Situated north of Baxter State Park and at the outlet of conjoined lakes, Big Munsungan and Little Munsungan, the main camp overlooks a… Read More
A youth fishing event in memory of Mike Sabins will be held at Ayer Park in Union on June 10 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Ayer Park is located on Route 235 and was chosen because it is easy to find and well-suited to… Read More
When you’re averaging almost 12 awards a year over a 12-year period, the only surprising thing this time of the year is if your station doesn’t haul in at least five. Well, nobody at Bangor all-sports radio station WZON (620 AM) is surprised or disappointed… Read More
It was early December 1975, and Foxcroft Academy was riding a 36-game regular-season winning streak in boys basketball. The first 35 had come over the previous two seasons, culminating when Kevin Nelson, a 6-foot-9 center from Southeast Monson, led the Ponies to the 1975 Class… Read More
Bangor’s Ben Estabrook, Presque Isle’s Chris Coffin, Rockland’s Gregory Gagne, Bar Harbor’s Jake Willis and Lincoln’s Levi Slike are among 15 scholarship winners, the Maine State Golf Association Scholarship Fund Committee announced. Each scholarship winner receives $1,100 per year for each of four years of… Read More
As the temperatures start to heat up – which they have in the past couple of weeks – training, particularly speedwork, can be difficult for area runners. The Sub 5 Track Club, based in Bangor, holds track workouts every summer on Wednesday nights at the… Read More
Politicians, conservationists, and industry officials met again on the banks of the Penobscot River in Old Town on Wednesday to make a progress report on the status of the river restoration effort. The PPL Corporation detailed its plans to increase power production at three dams,… Read More
Former Searsport High School and Maine Maritime Academy soccer player Seth Brown, who has four years of college coaching under his belt, will begin his new job as the men’s soccer coach at Husson College today. The 32-year-old Brown will replace Keith Bosley, who is… Read More
Let me get this straight. In the eyes of the Maine Principals’ Association, it is perfectly acceptable to schedule the state high school tennis singles championships on Memorial Day. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
Andrew York, a senior guard who led Central Aroostook of Mars Hill to back-to-back Class D boys basketball state championships in 2005 and 2006, will attempt to walk on to the basketball team at Division I Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., next fall. “I talked… Read More
After 26 years of teaching, the shoe is on the other foot now for Lori Frost of Brewer. Instead of giving tests, she has entered a program to become an LPGA teaching pro where the first thing she will have to do is take two… Read More
PORTLAND – Mike MacDonald still seems genuinely surprised that anyone would want to interview him. Even when a recent road trip with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats brought him back to his home state to play Portland, the Camden native wasn’t figuring on much hoopla… Read More
Thoughts this week turn to an annual theme, with a twist, if you will, centering around commitment to athletics and smart decisions by young people on the highways. This has been traditionally the time of the year when I mount a soapbox and preach to… Read More
GORHAM – University of Southern Maine outfielder Ryan Bourque has been named an ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division III All-American second team member. The Sanford native – the 18th USM player to get the distinction – led the Huskies with a .395 batting average, seven homers, and… Read More
WEST WINDSOR, N.J. – The Colby College women’s crew team finished second in the petite final race at the NCAA Division III Rowing Championships Saturday. Lewis and Clark College won the race with a time of 6 minutes, 55.958 seconds and Colby was less than… Read More
LISLE, Ill. – Keelin Godsey, a senior at Bates College, placed second in the shot put at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday to earn her 16th All-America honor. The two-time Division III hammer throw champion has placed fourth or better… Read More
BANGOR – Tickets are still available for the recognition dinner Saturday in honor of former Bangor High School football coach Gerry Hodge at the Spectacular Events Center. Hodge coached football for 18 seasons at Bangor after coaching Mexico High School for four years. His combined… Read More
Changes often occur in life while we are looking the other way. This NBA season may be the latest evidence of that in sports. After a regular season that was lost on the sports radar screen, the NBA playoffs have had nightly battles decided by… Read More
When smelts began dying and floating ashore on one of the state’s legendary landlocked salmon waters recently, it didn’t take long for Dave Basley’s phone to start ringing. “One guy called and was convinced that there was something wrong [with the smelts] because the birds… Read More
Each month the Pine Tree State offers a variety of outdoor options, but only during May can regional sportsmen participate in a traditional fin-and-fern outing. For only a few weeks each spring, anglers may venture to a neighboring waterway to catch a couple of trout and pick a… Read More
Water enthusiasts of all ages are encouraged to participate in the “Flotilla on the Aroostook,” which will be held on June 3. The purpose of the flotilla is to rally as many men, women and children as possible to come out on the water for… Read More
After a few warmup hikes this spring, I’ve started to think about the number. Not how many miles I plan to hike this year, although I’d like to get at least a couple of hundred, weekend warrior miles. Not the number of years I’ve been hiking, that advances… Read More
Erin Flynn doesn’t consider herself one of the top athletes in her school. “An athlete, for me, can play all kinds of sports,” said the John Bapst of Bangor sophomore. “I tried soccer, but I never really showed any other athletic promise.” googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
University of Maine alumnus and Fox Sports Net New England sportscaster Gary Tanguay is going Hollywood. A few months after landing a supporting acting role in “Stiffs,” a black comedy following the plight of a proud Italian-American hearse driver, Rumford native Tanguay just finished filming… Read More
A few of the state’s sporting clubs show their gratitude to the state’s warden service each year by inviting the men and women in green (and a few lucky writers) to have a meal and share a few tales with members. I’ve been lucky enough… Read More
America’s “Easternmost 10K,” and one of Maine’s fastest road races, is right around the corner. Next Sunday, June 4, the 15th annual Cobscook Bay 10K and 5K will take place in the Washington County town of Pembroke, roughly halfway between Machias and Calais. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
Bill Albrecht of Veazie admits that his friends have started calling him “Ace.” “They’re joking around,” he said, but they have a reason. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i =… Read More
Hudson’s Glenn Curtis Sr. was right. He felt, at the very least, he deserved a share of first place during the Limited feature auto race at Hermon’s Speedway 95 Sunday afternoon. He did. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
Steve Van Dolman, Brewer High School’s varsity hockey coach for the last five years, is leaving that post to pursue educational goals. Van Dolman, who guided the Witches to the 2006 Eastern Maine Class B championship, is nearing completion of the classes he needs to… Read More
University of Maine women’s hockey coach Guy Perron has added four forwards to his list of incoming recruits for next season. Robyn Law, sister of Maine first-team All-Hockey East defenseman Kelly Law, has transferred in from two-time NCAA Tournament team Mercyhurst (Pa.) College while the… Read More
Long before the state legislature began talking about recognizing the brook trout as our “heritage fish,” Mainers had a special relationship with brookies. The mere mention of the species elicits images of babbling remote streams and lazy days tromping up and down the banks. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
Fort Kent senior Kristin Violette will head to the other end of the state next year to play basketball for the University of Southern Maine in Gorham. Violette, a 6-foot center, said she was contacted and recruited by Huskies coach Gary Fifield. She picked USM… Read More
Despite the hubbub over steroids and San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds’ move up major league baseball’s all-time home run ladder, there is a constant that exists: the exorbitant price of autographed baseballs by the participants. A look at the top five home run hitters… Read More
Bates College senior Will Boe-Wiegaard captured the NCAA Division III men’s singles tennis championship Monday morning by defeating Middlebury College senior Brian Waldron 6-4, 6-3 in Fredericksburg, Va. He became the first Bates NCAA champion in any sport outside of track and field. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
Hockey isn’t over yet The NHL and AHL playoffs have been going on for more than a month now. I subscribe to and read the BDN paper every day and I have noticed that you don’t have any news of the hockey playoffs on the… Read More
In this line of work, I get plenty of opportunities to talk with students about a variety of things. Most often, those classroom visits serve to educate kids about the newspaper business, the writing process, and any number of other topics that may fly from those fertile minds. Read More
AUGUSTA – The “trickle down” effect from the establishment of the Hollywood Slots casino in Bangor has become more of a steady rain of financial support for Maine’s harness racing community. Further evidence of this was presented at Thursday’s Maine State Harness Racing Commission monthly… Read More
All this rain and we’re already a quarter of the way through the major league baseball season. Talk about short summers. At the quarter pole, some notes. Tampa Bay, Minnesota, and K.C. are looking to next year. Ouch. Baltimore is heading that way along with… Read More
Despite a wet Friday start to last weekend, we dodged a soggy bullet, didn’t we? Most of the state languished in warm and sunny weather while parts south of the border were snorkeling. For us northerners it was a great weekend to get caught up… Read More
Aside from ice fishing, gunning for snowshoe hare, and predator hunting, as well as several outdoor hobbies and pastimes that I can enjoy indoors, perusing sporting goods catalogs has helped me pass many a Maine winter. The multitude of outdoor-oriented items for every aspect of angling, gunning, boating,… Read More
The Moosehead Lake region is one of the state’s places, offering tourists and locals plenty of outdoor recreation options. On June 3, the Natural Resource Education Center in Greenville will sponsor a slide presentation that will show one man’s view of the region. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
Running is a sport in which athletes can be part of a team even if they are not participating on a college cross country or track team; have already graduated or simply enjoy camaraderie and gathering for group runs and workouts. In those cases, runners… Read More