There was a lot at stake in Friday night’s Maine-Boston College Hockey East semifinal. Despite the fact his Black Bears were 13th in the PairWise Rankings that mimic the NCAA Tournament selection process, Maine coach Tim Whitehead felt his Black Bears were fine in the… Read More
Camden Hills of Rockport will join the varsity ice hockey ranks next winter, the result of a recent unanimous vote of support from the Five Town Community School District board. The Windjammers have fielded a club team that played a subvarsity schedule for the past… Read More
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Bill Libby and his family left for Springfield College about 6 a.m. Friday on a trip they’ve been planning since October. In anticipation of the University of Southern Maine women’s basketball team making it to the Final Four of the NCAA Division… Read More
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Matt Clement compares it to being involved in a car accident. It’s something he’ll never be able to get out of his mind. The incident occurred last July 26 at Tampa Bay, when he was hit in the right side of… Read More
Here in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the World Baseball Classic games for this venue ended Wednesday night with as good a baseball game as you’ll ever see, or, in the case of most in the U.S., never got to see. Cuba defeated Puerto Rico 4-3… Read More
FORT MYERS, Fla. – On his way into the clubhouse, Alex Gonzalez pauses on the top step of the dugout and points toward a youngster in the stands holding a baseball. The boy tosses the ball, then a Sharpie marker, to Gonzalez who signs his autograph. Read More
As you read this, all is right in the world – though barely. Boston College outlasted Pacific in double overtime, and UCLA defeated Belmont University of Nashville, Tenn. – aka the University of Country Music – on the opening day of the 2006 NCAA basketball… Read More
HERMON – Hermon Meadow Golf Course will open for the season on Saturday at 8 a.m. All 18 holes will be in play with no temporary greens. Carts will not be allowed. Read More
The Bangor Christian School’s girls and boys basketball teams have received sportsmanship awards from the Eastern Maine Board 111 of basketball officials. The Searsport girls team received an honorable mention and Brewer was named most improved. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
BANGOR – Art Meether of Hampden bowled his third career 300 game during Thursday night’s men’s Pine Tree League competition at the Family Fun Bowling Center. The 43-year-old Meether followed that with games of 255 and 258 for a three-game series of 813, the third… Read More
FORT MYERS, Fla. – David Wells has a way of stirring things up. Thursday afternoon, following an outing against Red Sox minor leaguers at the team’s training complex, the outspoken pitcher was at it again. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
Those of you University of Maine hockey fans unable to accompany the Black Bears to Boston this weekend can still watch the action. New England Sports Network is broadcasting both Hockey East Tournament semifinals tonight live with the Bears scheduled to take the ice at… Read More
FORT MYERS, Fla. – While much of the attention during Wednesday afternoon’s intrasquad scrimmage at the Boston Red Sox Minor League Training Complex was focused on the appearances of major league righthanders Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield, there was another important player on the field. Read More
Your driveway has vanished, leaving behind a semi-passable skidder path full of boot-sucking mud. You’ve dragged your ice shack off the local pond and stashed it behind the garage. You’re starting to think (again) about open-water fishing season. All of that can mean only one… Read More
The University of Southern Maine and Bates College have certainly put their stamps on the New England-Northeast hoops scene and D3hoops.com has noticed. The Huskies’ Ashley Marble has been named D3hoops.com Northeast Region Player of the Year, USM coach Gary Fifield is the Northeast Region… Read More
When the University of Maine’s hockey team was scuffing along with a 7-7 record in Hockey East, it appeared as though an eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament berth was a longshot. The goaltending had gone from being surprisingly consistent to understandably inconsistent, especially when you take… Read More
Long-distance running standout Cassie Hintz of Stillwater is on the fast track – both in the classroom and on the track. The Old Town High School senior already has completed her academic requirements for graduation, and currently is taking a 14-credit course load at the… Read More
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Terry Francona is extremely comfortable in all his dealings with Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein. Never was that more evident than at 12:30 Tuesday afternoon when Francona received an unexpected visit from Epstein to formally offer the Red Sox… Read More
BANGOR – David Deabay of Bangor bowled a 300 for the second time in his career Monday night. Deabay, 40, bowled the 300 during the Monday night men’s league at Family Fun Bowling Center. He also rolled games of 236 and 231 for a 767 series. Read More
GORHAM – University of Southern Maine women’s basketball coach Gary Fifield was named WBCA Region One Coach of the Year. Fifield, in his 19th season at USM, has received the honor four times. He has led the Huskies to the No. 1 ranking in the… Read More
ORONO – It was Dec. 30, 2001 and the University of Maine’s hockey team was facing Northern Michigan University in the championship game at the Everblades College Hockey Classic in Estero, Fla. Maine took a 3-2 lead into the third period only to have the… Read More
Old Town High School is getting ready to unveil its new coyote mascot. Not only is the student council planning to buy a coyote mascot costume, but the school will also be the beneficiary of an anonymous donation. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
In every circle of outdoor pals, there are some who know how to tie 40 different knots, and how to repair even the most intricate piece of outdoor gear with little more than a Leatherman tool, a can of WD-40 and a roll of duct tape. Read More
The Maine McDonald’s All-Star Weekend in Bangor went off without a hitch, thanks in large part to the good folks at Husson College, who have hosted the thing for a number of years. I have fond memories of my first coaching stint at the extravaganza… Read More
For the first time since 1978, Penobscot Valley Country Club in Orono will be one of the three courses that competitors in the Whited Ford Paul Bunyan Amateur Golf Tournament will play on this year. PVCC, designed by noted golf course architect Donald Ross, replaces… Read More
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Los Angeles Dodgers manager Grady Little quickly found himself surrounded by reporters Monday after emerging from the clubhouse prior to Monday’s spring training game against the Red Sox. The successful former Red Sox skipper is best remembered for not pulling Pedro… Read More
GORHAM – An important part of coaching is strategy – especially at the end of games. When do you foul? When do you press? When do you call timeouts? googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
RUMFORD – Team Maine staged a final-day comeback and overcame a 98-point deficit heading into the final event to win the TD Banknorth Eastern J2 (ages 14-15) Championships at Black Mountain Sunday afternoon. Justin Fereshetian of Maine won the overall boys individual title while teammates… Read More
FORT MYERS, Fla. – It isn’t every day you see somebody wearing a license plate as a necklace, but the Boston Red Sox bring out the imagination in their fanatical fans. Jeffrey Brown of Loudon, N.H., showed his enthusiasm for the Sox prior to Sunday’s… Read More
Ice fishing eagles ORRINGTON – Never! The children in the Fields Pond Audubon Center’s school vacation camp had never been ice fishing before. Many had never been out on a frozen lake before, and none had ever tried to drill a hole through ice before. Read More
Sometime in April or May – just about the time Atlantic salmon anglers traditionally waded the chilly Penobscot River, hoping to coax the king of game fish to hand – the Maine Atlantic Salmon Commission will hold a public hearing that will help determine the river’s fishing future. Read More
If you look about next time you’re out, there are signs that winter is losing its grip; not only is the snow melting, check out the wildlife. There’s more than sunshine in the air. Last Sunday my wife and I picked up Dave and Deb… Read More
It was one of those mild June days that had somehow been transported into the middle of March. Early morning clouds had dissipated turning overcast skies clear and blue, and by 8 a.m. when we arrived at the lake, temperatures were already in the mid-40s and rising steadily. Read More
The Maine Department of Conservation’s Bureau of Parks and Lands has announced a series of public meetings on the proposed revisions to the Allagash Wilderness Waterway management plan. Public comment on the revisions will be accepted at the meetings, while written comment may be submitted… Read More
Last week I attended a delightful slide show at the Fields Pond Audubon Center in Holden. It was the perfect primer for the coming spring: bird nest construction and identification. The presentation was given by Jerry Longcore, University of Maine faculty associate in Wildlife Ecology… Read More
Here are a couple of thoughts as winter begins its fade into mud season: . The two Maines theory seems alive and well, as least when it comes to officiating Class A basketball. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
A longtime auto racing enthusiast, Elgin Traylor is motoring his way south and trading pine trees for peach trees. Traylor – a Palmyra native who has served as intern, part-time sports reporter, full-time reporter, and interim sports director the last five years at Bangor station… Read More
ORONO – The National Youth Sports Program, which has offered free summer camp experiences to area youth for 13 years at the University of Maine, is among programs eliminated in recent federal budget cuts. While the university will work with the Maine Congressional delegation to restore funding for… Read More
HERMON – The Big East Conference will holds its seventh annual Big East Senior All-Star games on Tuesday at Hermon High School. The girls “A” stars will play the “B” stars at 5:30 p.m. with the boys game to follow at 7 p.m. The admission… Read More
ORONO – University of Maine junior defenseman Mike Lundin will miss this weekend’s Hockey East quarterfinal series against UMass Lowell. He continues to recuperate from a freakish injury to the pinky finger on his right hand suffered in Maine’s 2-1 win over Merrimack College on Feb. 25. Read More
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – As the World Baseball Classic continues in this island venue, news of the new book about Barry Bonds, “Game of Shadows,” (an excerpt from the book is in the current Sports Illustrated) and his use of performance-enhancing drugs since the late ’90s consumed… Read More
The recently crowned state champion Mount Desert Island High boys and Bangor girls swimming teams are among the high school swimming relay teams and individuals that hold the top seeds for this weekend’s New England Championships. The New Englands will be held Saturday at Roger… Read More
Thanks to advances in technology (and all the sixth-graders who can teach us adults how to use it), it’s now possible for a local newspaper in Bangor to have a global reach. Over the past few years I’ve shared examples of that phenomenon in the… Read More
Former Old Town High School and University of Maine assistant hockey coach Nate Leaman is no stranger to overtimes. But five overtimes? 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
Sean Callahan, the boys basketball coach at Houlton High for the past four years and the school’s girls soccer coach for the last three seasons, is leaving those posts for family reasons. Callahan’s wife, Emily, an employee with the state Department of Health and Human… Read More
BANGOR – Two bowlers had a 300 game during the Monday Night Men’s League at Family Fun Bowling Center. Cecil Bischoff of Bangor bowled his first 300 game. The 45-year-old had a series of 183, 159, 300 for a 642 total. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
The thought occurred to me the other night following a conversation with longtime Bangor educator and football coach Gerry Hodge – a personal favorite – just how fortunate I’ve been to be involved in sports in various capacities in our region. I think I knew… Read More
They made it look so easy, those U.S. Olympians did. Hannah Teter and The Flying Tomato. Seth Wescott and Danny Kass. Heck, even Lindsey Jacobellis made it look easy … right up until her ill-timed in-your-face celebration turned sure gold into an oops!-my-bad silver during… Read More
BANGOR – Jim Melton of Kenduskeag bowled his third career 300 game Sunday at Family Fun Bowling Center. He bowled it during the 48th Men’s City Tournament. He posted games of 215, 300, and 206 for a 721 series. Read More
BOSTON – John Wiechman of Bonny Eagle High in Standish was the top Maine finisher over the weekend at the New England Interscholastic Indoor Track and Field Championships, winning the boys shot put. Wiechman, the reigning Fitzpatrick Trophy winner as the state’s top senior high… Read More
With 38 middle-school and high-school students sitting, lying or sprawling at his feet, Dave Goldsworthy paced back and forth, flip-flops flipping, and reinforced the lesson of the day to an attentive group. Make that mostly attentive. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
Charlie Todd, an eagle expert and wildlife biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, will present a slide program about eagles, peregrine falcons and other raptors in Greenville on March 16. Todd’s program will be held at 7 p.m. at the Community… Read More
This week’s return to real winter weather kept most of us close to the hearth, tending the fire and trying to keep warm. At least one colleague’s heating pipes froze, and the smell of wood smoke in the crisp air drove home the point that we should never… Read More
Sportsmen who are eligible for complimentary Maine hunting licenses – signifying they have 70 or more candles on their birthday cakes – can recall when racy 16-gauge double-barreled shotguns were as common among bird hunters as cumbersome 12-gauge guns were among waterfowlers. That’s not to say, however, that… Read More
A few weeks ago a reader in Biddeford wrote in to ask how to determine a bald eagle’s age. “My wife and I have a camp on Etna pond. We where watching three bald eagles last Friday as they fed on a road kill deer… Read More
Trekking for animals School vacation week brought many young visitors to the Fields Pond Audubon Center and we were happy to see all of them! Some of the visitors were students taking part in our Winter Vacation Camp. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
Steve Trimper believes playing top-notch competition will bring out the best in his players, especially during America East play. That’s one of the reasons he was so excited last weekend to take his University of Maine baseball team to Oxford, Miss., for a three-game series… Read More
As the end of the high school basketball season approaches with this weekend’s state finals in all four classes, here’s one last chance to look back at some of the best of Tourney Week 2006. THE TALL AND SHORT OF IT: Just how do you… Read More
There was a child. He was loved by all because he was talented and famous, bringing talent and fame to those who could get close. That love resulted in his getting away with bloody murder as a kid, and he grew to believe he could do so as… Read More
Note to St. John Valley anglers: If Allan Albert calls and wants you to go fishing with him, it might be a good idea to drop what you’re doing, cancel your day’s plans, and go along. And if Kim Masse of Smyrna calls, do the… Read More
Bates College of Lewiston junior center Meg Coffin was named the New England Small College Athletic Conference Player of the Year while teammates Sarah Barton and Matia Kostakis also received women’s basketball all-conference honors. The 6-foot-1 Coffin was second in the conference in scoring and… Read More
So, did you get your fill of curling during the Winter Olympics? There was certainly no shortage of it. It’s nice to know that after your household broom gets old and loses a lot of its bristles, there’s still use for it. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
LTC football officials and coaches have opted to continue holding their annual Eastern Maine Class C championship game at the home field of the highest-seeded finalist. The league had held discussions after the 2005 season about moving the final game to a neutral site, perhaps… Read More
In some parts of this state – those that depend upon predictably cold weather and plenty of precipitation for the winter economy to truly hum – snow is referred to as “white gold.” After spending last week vacationing in just such a place, it seemed… Read More
Thoughts this week turn to other areas of sports besides high school basketball. News out of Florida that longtime sportscaster Curt Gowdy passed away triggered a lot of memories for this old Red Sox fan. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
A good bench is key to any strong run in the tournament. Two girls teams that emerged with Eastern Maine titles on Saturday went to their benches early and it paid off. Coaches looked to backups Shaina Watananuchit of Presque Isle and Chelsea Chambers of… Read More
Gambling too close? Ron Brown’s column in Tuesday’s paper (Is gambling too close to tournament site?) read like something the Maine Christian Civic League would have written for the editorial page, certainly not the sports pages. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
BANGOR – The Great Caribou Bog Race, originally scheduled for March 4, has been canceled due to insufficient snow cover. Read More
BOSTON – Maine natives Kevin Eastler and Ben Shorey raced their way to silver and bronze medals, respectively, in the 5,000-meter racewalk at the USATF National Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday. Eastler, a Farmington native, set a personal record of 19 minutes, 43.41… Read More
BANGOR – Ryan Martin’s family has roots in the St. John Valley – specifically Van Buren. So when the Baron of Van Buren phoned the Maranacook of Readfield sophomore guard Friday morning, Martin was more than excited to take the call. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
AUGUSTA – Hampden Academy’s run to its second straight Eastern Maine Class A boys basketball championship has been marked by remarkable offensive consistency. Senior center Jordan Cook, senior guard J Uhrin and junior point guard Daniel McCue averaged a combined 48 points per game during… Read More
BANGOR – Three years ago Michelle Ferry tied the score and took her basketball team into overtime with her buzzer-beating shot for the Woodland Dragons in the Eastern Maine Class D final. Unfortunately, the Dragons went on to lose the regional final game that year. Read More
AUGUSTA – The happiest player after Friday afternoon’s Eastern Maine Class A girls basketball final never scored a point and never even saw a second of action in Cony of Augusta’s 65-58 victory over Skowhegan. Kristi Violette was just happy to be there. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
The University of Maine men’s hockey team kept tabs on the Winter Olympics and the players said they were surprised the Canadian and American teams were eliminated in the quarterfinals. Maine has 14 Canadians and 13 Americans on its roster. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define… Read More
After a long run the motor winds down from a roar to a deep-throated growl, almost like the low purr of an enormous tabby cat. As I sit staring over the transom at the flowing boat wake, a torrid sun bears down oppressively and a breeze like a… Read More
Scott Fisher left his home in Ellsworth this past January for Argentina with one thing in mind. He wanted to climb as close as he could to the summit of Aconcagua, 22,841 feet, the highest mountain in the world outside of the Himalayas. His ultimate… Read More
Seeing the great gray owl a few weeks ago has certainly been a highlight for me this winter. Because they breed far from Maine, and are only seen here when they irrupt from their normal ranges in response to prey availability, it’s possible that I may not see… Read More
Geocaching! ORRINGTON – Hampden fourth-grade students had studied latitude and longitude in school and as a followup activity, they came to the Nature Center to go geocaching! Described as a high-tech treasure hunt, people around the world are becoming treasure hunters in their own neighborhoods. Read More
The battle of the buildings has been one topic of discussion during Tourney Week 2006, particularly with the move this year of the Eastern A regional to the Capitol City. The ambiance of the Bangor Auditorium vs. the creature comforts of the Augusta Civic Center. Read More
BANGOR – If you didn’t pick up a copy of the Eastern Maine Class D tournament program, you’re too late. The programs are all sold out, according to tourney director Bill Fletcher. And the Class B programs may be all gone, too. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
Twenty-five years and six broadcasting partners after he first sat down courtside at the Bangor Auditorium to call his first high school basketball tournament game, Joe Gould has called it a career. Actually, the Bangor native’s broadcasting career spans 38 total years as he first… Read More
BANGOR – Brewer resident Jerry Goss’ tournament basketball duties put him very close to the boys and girls playing the games. But as the locker room supervisor at the Bangor Auditorium, he’s also unable to watch big stretches of the action on the floor. Goss,… Read More
From 1951 through 1965 he was the voice of the Red Sox. For those who grew up with Curt Gowdy making the calls, summers were wonderfully baritone and filled with his natural ease. Gowdy passed away this week at age 86 after a battle with… Read More
BANGOR – Most observers agree senior Greg Whitaker is the most valuable person in the Presque Isle High School boys basketball program. Veteran coach Tim Prescott begs to differ. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
Former University of Maine two-year hockey captain Dave Nonis has a unique distinction. He spent his first season as the Vancouver Canucks’ general manager during last season’s lockout. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner =… Read More
In theaters the movie “Four Brothers” was a huge hit, but three brothers in Dexter rival the camaraderie and success displayed by the movie’s star actors of Mark Wahlberg and Tyrese Gibson. The dynamic Woodman trio is not just the sparkplug for the Dexter Regional… Read More
ORONO – There is nothing flamboyant about the way Maine’s checking line plays. But senior center Jon Jankus, junior left wing Brent Shepheard and sophomore right wing Rob Bellamy have been showcasing the merits of physical play, a defensive presence and simplicity over the last… Read More
The subject is gambling. No, don’t worry. I’m not going to launch into some diatribe about the recent betting and wagering woes of Wayne Gretzky’s wife. That stuff is reserved for the national fellas. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
BANGOR – Occasionally in Maine high school basketball you’ll find a parent coaching a child, two siblings on the same varsity squad, or maybe an older sibling coaching a younger one, but in the Eastern Maine Class D girls basketball quarterfinals Monday morning, all three took place. Read More
AUGUSTA – Crowds for the first Eastern Maine Class A tournament sessions were generally solid, particularly Saturday night’s boys doubleheader that involved No. 5 Messalonskee of Oakland’s 62-58 survival against No. 13 Cony of Augusta and top-ranked Brunswick’s 59-51 win over No. 8 Morse of Bath. Read More
AUGUSTA – Jordan Cook didn’t get the ball as much as the Hampden Academy Broncos would have liked Saturday. But the 6-foot-10 senior center made the most of the opportunities he got, making 9-of-10 shots from the field and 9-of-9 from the free-throw line to… Read More
BANGOR – The Presque Isle girls basketball team erased two seasons of frustrating quarterfinal exits with a 46-31 victory over Belfast Saturday. The No. 1 Wildcats earned the win with just one made 3-pointer in the game. It’s a sign of a changed Presque Isle… Read More
Anthony Cyr and his eighth-grade classmates headed into the woods Tuesday night for an adventure few had ever experienced. By noontime Wednesday, Cyr had determined that winter camping had its drawbacks. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
So, how’s the winter passing for you so far? It’s been a strange one. I can’t remember a January with so much rain and warm weather and so little snow cover. It sure put a crimp in the early-season ice fishing, and the rabbit hunting and varmint gunning… Read More
Depending on what part of the state you store your kayak, you either had a chance to welcome winter back with a vengeance last Sunday or yawn at yet another near miss. Here in River City we got just enough snow to cover most of… Read More
WORCESTER, Mass. – A University of Maine student majoring in wildlife ecology was honored and two Maine outdoor writers received regional recognition for their work at the 64th annual meeting of the New England Outdoor Writers Association recently. Colby Bruchs, a junior at the University… Read More
Mysterious gall ORRINGTON – When Mrs. Balentine’s fourth-grade class from Hampden visited the Nature Center they made several interesting discoveries. Searching around a brush pile for animal activity, one student pointed out a strange lumpy growth on a dried stem. This two-inch long, bumpy growth… Read More
I’d like to continue with my owl story from last week. There was a lot more I’d wanted to say about my experience that day. As I had mentioned, the morning we went out was very foggy. Although I initially worried this would ruin our… Read More
Tourney time is here, and now we go our separate ways. For many, it will be business as usual, the annual pilgrimage to the Bangor Auditorium to watch the small-town teams of northern, eastern and central Maine make basketball memories that will be conversation topics… Read More
Defending America East champion Maine is picked to defend its baseball championship in the 2006 conference preseason coaches poll. The Black Bears received six of a possible seven first-place votes and 47 points overall in the poll, in which coaches cannot vote for their own… Read More