YARMOUTH – Yarmouth High School will host the 19th annual Betty Blakeman Memorial, the largest event sanctioned by the Maine Tennis Association, July 18-20. Competition will be offered in men’s and women’s open singles and doubles, mixed doubles, and men’s ages 55-over classes. Players of… Read More
Former University of Maine track and field standout Viktoriya Rybalko has qualified to represent her native Ukraine in the upcoming Summer Olympics in Beijing. Rybalko, who won UMaine’s Dean Smith Award in 2003, qualified with a mark of 22 feet, 6 inches in the long… Read More
Christina Bush has been involved with cheerleading ever since she was in the third grade, and now has received an opportunity to continue coaching the sport she loves. The 2003 Brewer High School graduate, who competed in varsity cheering for the Witches all four years… Read More
Visit a Canadian salmon river a few times, and you get to know the lay of the land – or water – pretty well. The pools are all named, after all, and when you fish each of them in a traditional rotation, you gain a certain familiarity. Read More
The subject is bats. Oh no, not the ones that live in the neighborhood belfry. These bats are the ones which are swung by major league baseball players in the big leagues. Problem is, lots of them are breaking – especially the ones made from… Read More
KIRKLAND, Wash. – Seattle Seahawks linebacker Lofa Tatupu pleaded guilty Monday to a charge of driving under the influence. After his plea, Tatupu was sentenced by Kirkland Municipal Court Judge Michael Lambo to serve one day in jail and pay fines totaling $1,255. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
WESTVILLE, Nova Scotia – Seven Maine boxers swept a set of fights against a Canadian team in a competition Friday. Dalton McGovern of Skowhegan won a split decision over Brandon Halef of Sackville, Nova Scotia, in the junior novice bantamweight category. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
SAN FRANCISCO – The Los Angeles Dodgers placed pinch-hit specialist Mark Sweeney on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring, which had been bothering him for several weeks. The Dodgers also transferred infielder Rafael Furcal to the 60-day disabled list a day after undergoing surgery on… Read More
Happy Fourth of July weekend and don’t burn the burgers. Baseball has been fortunate to be part of Fourth of July celebrations. The “national pastime” has derived great benefits from positioning itself in the same sentence as hot dogs, apple pie and the flag. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
Hikers, campers, boaters, and fishermen debating whether to carry wireless phones into the wilderness may want to consider the following pointers from U.S. Cellular on how to mix technology with safety and tranquility. With more and more people actively enjoying the outdoors, sensible cell phone usage will add… Read More
Today we celebrate America’s Declaration of Independence, the document adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, that declared the original 13 colonies as “free and independent states.” Included in that most cherished of documents are truths that are held to be self-evident,… Read More
The Fourth of July is always special at Bullwinkle Raceway in Greenville. Unfortunately, it may also be one of the last racing dates of the season. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
Swift-skating offensive defenseman Kevin Gagne has become the third University of Maine recruit to renege on his verbal commitment in favor of playing Major Junior hockey. Gagne, a native of Edmunston, New Brunswick, recently signed a five-year deal with the Saint John Sea Dogs of… Read More
BUCKSPORT – Tiger Stewart, who coached the Bucksport baseball team to the 2006 Eastern Maine Class B championship and a 43-14 record over three seasons on the job, has resigned from that post. Stewart, 31, formally informed new Bucksport athletic administrator Jon Perry of his… Read More
The first thought, or thoughts, that come to mind when thinking about the Fourth of July include traditional activities such as cookouts, parades, and of course, fireworks. For some people, there’s nothing like a morning road race to get revved up for all those holiday… Read More
It’s difficult for me to explain my obsession with the Boston Celtics. Even as an Australian, I have an affinity for New England sports; I trace this affinity to a promise I made to Helen, my American grandmother, in 1984. I was 9 years old… Read More
There are certainly advantages to being Manny. For example, when you initiate a dugout scuffle with one of your teammates (Kevin Youkilis) and, three weeks later, shove the Red Sox traveling secretary to the ground following an argument after the traveling secretary couldn’t obtain 16 last-minute tickets for… Read More
What a difference a year makes. Before last year’s 41st Hollywood Slots Greater Bangor Open Golf Tournament, organizers decided it would be the last one because there were too few directors to accomplish the work and a competing event that was expected to draw off… Read More
HERMON – With car counts and fan turnouts both down at Speedway 95, co-owners Del Merritt and Alice Baker have decided to hire their safety director, Carmel native Wayne Elston, to act as the track’s promoter/sales director. The 56-year-old Elston, who raced for 26 years… Read More
HAMPDEN – Ryan Shaw has stepped down after five seasons as the boys varsity soccer coach at Hampden Academy – for a couple of good reasons. Not only are he and his wife the proud parents of a 10-week-old daughter, Hannah, but the commute just… Read More
ORONO – Trevor Singer has been hired as an assistant coach for the University of Maine men’s soccer team, head coach Pat Laughlin announced Tuesday. Singer comes to the Black Bears via UMass where he was part of a team last season that finished as… Read More
When Deidre Davis suffered a knee injury playing women’s basketball her junior year at Nichols College (Mass.), she thought coaching would be a smart career option. Turns out it was, as the founder of the Maine Maritime Academy women’s basketball program was recently named the… Read More
Now that summer is here – gosh, it took a while – thoughts today turn to activities which enhance athletic participation for the next school year. Believe it or not, most athletes shy away from working on elements of their games that need the most… Read More
LOUDON, N.H. – NASCAR’s popularity is growing in Canada and Sprint Cup/Nationwide series driver Patrick Carpentier is hoping to help foster further growth. The native of Joliette, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal, certainly aided the cause by winning the pole for the Lenox 301 Cup… Read More
All spring long, many avid anglers and conservationists have kept their regular vigils – either in person or via the Internet – as an important number has steadily risen. Some sit for a couple hours a day at the Veazie Salmon Club, playing cribbage and… Read More
LOUDON, N.H. – Dario Franchitti had a 2007 season that Indy Car drivers dream about. Not only did he win the grandadddy of all races, the Indianapolis 500, the Scot also won the IRL points championship. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
Wednesday’s special meeting of the Maine State Harness Racing Commission actually produced two compromise agreements involving Bangor Raceway. In addition to the handshake deal between representatives of Bangor Raceway and Scarborough Downs that resulted in the addition of 14 race dates this summer and fall,… Read More
Sports are continually grappling with the issue of how to punish those who violate the rules of the game to the point of exceeding anything covered by a rule book. These recent incidents are worth pondering. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
The Hendrick Motorsports Team has had an impressive season to date with three drivers in the top six in points in the Sprint Cup standings. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is third in points, Jimmie Johnson is fifth, Jeff Gordon is sixth and Casey Mears is 24th. Read More
Anglers hoping to enter the Penobscot River Striped Bass Tournament (June 21-July 26) are wondering if the fish took a wrong turn somewhere. Normally, runs of stripers – “schoolies” for the most part – begin streaming into the Penobscot by the first week in June. This spring, however,… Read More
AUGUSTA – Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Roland “Dan” Martin join in urging motorists to be watchful of wildlife on or near Maine’s roadways. Their remarks came while discussing strategies to better educate the public about interacting with… Read More
Named after Maine’s largest county, the Aroostook River actually has its roots in the northwest tip of Penobscot County where it gathers flowage from several lakes, brooks, and streams. Then this scenic sapphire ribbon of liquid wanders through forest, farmland, and well over a dozen towns and villages… Read More
Curt Schilling for the Hall of Fame? It’s a topic that’s come up frequently among Red Sox fans since the 41-year-old righthander underwent successful right shoulder surgery on Monday afternoon. While the prognosis is better than anticipated, Schilling won’t return to the major leagues next… Read More
Kris Watson worked in the pits at Hermon’s Speedway 95 for five years when he was a teenager. “I did the lineups and stuff,” recalled Watson. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for… Read More
RYE BEACH, N.H. – Alexa Rancourt of South Portland was crowned the New England Junior Golf Champion at the 52nd annual New England Women’s Golf Association championships that ended Thursday at the Abenaqui Country Club. Rancourt finished fourth overall among the field of 108 golfers… Read More
After several weeks of talking and planning and (this is the important part) praying for good weather, my party of intrepid campers loaded up and hit the road on Friday for what we hoped would be a memorable weekend. Check that. We actually hoped it… Read More
Jeff Guerette’s career as a football player ended suddenly, with a compound fracture of his right leg during his senior year as an offensive lineman and defensive end at Bangor High School in 1996. His new career as a varsity coach also is beginning somewhat… Read More
TAMPA, Fla. – When the Tampa Bay Lightning called, Barry Melrose was eager to listen. Out of coaching for 13 years, he missed the passion and competition of the NHL. Countless hours of watching games as a television analyst intensified his desire to return to… Read More
I couldn’t help thinking about all this so-called Celtics pride as I was watching the victory parade in Boston last Thursday morning. After a 22-year absence, the 2008 NBA Champion Men in Green, were standing – er, rolling – in the winner’s circle again. Like… Read More
Ever since muskellunge were introduced into Quebec’s Lac Frontiere and began showing up in the St. John River and its tributaries, Aroostook County anglers have dealt with a nagging question. “What if?” googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes =… Read More
Mark Cuban owns the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. He does not want NBA players, including a couple of his Mavericks, participating in the Olympics. He sees the potential for injury too great, the free giveaway of the NBA logo to the Olympic cause unnecessary and the… Read More
Karen Sirois had a solid high school basketball career at Cony High School in Augusta, and went on to have a successful collegiate career at the University of Maine at Farmington. The former Rams point guard, who amassed more than 1,000 points at the college… Read More
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Boothbay High sophomore Matthew Forgues won the gold medal Sunday in the 10-kilometer race walk at the USATF National Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Forgues took the lead from the start and posted a time of 49 minutes, 1.41 seconds. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
GORHAM – Sunday’s heavy rain in southern Maine resulted in the cancellation of this year’s Maine-New Hampshire Senior All-Star Baseball Classic and postponement of the Maine Underclass All-Star Game, both originally scheduled for Monday at the University of Southern Maine. The Maine-New Hampshire game was… Read More
Every year, I talk to numerous hunters who bemoan the fact that they didn’t receive an any-deer permit – most often called a “doe permit” in these parts – because they didn’t realize that the entry deadline had passed. My reply to them is always… Read More
Wacky Wednesday was instituted at Hermon’s Speedway 95 in 1999 to offer entry-level drivers a chance to race while also supplying fans with a low-cost source of entertainment. Wacky Wednesday’s admission fee was significantly lower than the Saturday night race card for established drivers and the program was… Read More
Driver, trainer, owner and announcer… There isn’t much Michael Cushing hasn’t done during his 23-year career in harness racing. For at least the foreseeable future, the Farmington native won’t be doing any of those things as he recuperates from back surgery at Bangor’s Eastern Maine… Read More
Loud noises on a golf course are generally frowned upon because they can distract other players during their strokes. Josh Giles of Bangor can be excused, though, for the noise he made at Hampden Country Club in Thursday night’s men’s league after he holed out… Read More
BINGHAM – The coach who guided the Upper Kennebec Valley High School boys basketball program to 101 consecutive victories and six straight Class D state championships at the turn of the century is retiring. Dwight Littlefield, whose preferred up-tempo style of play defied his low-key… Read More
I found myself standing in a circle of people in the dirt parking area at the start of the Marston Trail in Baxter State Park on National Trails Day weekend. It was two weeks ago on the warm spring morning of June 8. There were… Read More
Visitors to the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray will get a special treat on June 28 as professional chainsaw carver Ron Carlson demonstrates his craft and displays his artwork. Carlson began woodcarving in the 1960s and enjoyed the hobby, but a friend introduced him to… Read More
A trip to my home state of New Jersey over the last few days granted me a wonderful and surprising gift. I have to admit, New Jersey is a state of extremes. On one hand, there is the heavily industrialized portion that makes a mockery… Read More
If I had been sitting in the rinse bay of a car wash, the water drops could not have fallen any faster or harder. The fact I was perched 14 feet high in a tree stand on the first night of a spring bear hunt in Canada made… Read More
Melanie Judkins’ middle name could be Speed. In the spring, when she isn’t blowing an overpowering fastball past hitters for the Eastern Maine Class A champion Brewer High School softball team, she is racing her Mitsubishi Eclipse in the Sport-4 class at Hermon’s Speedway 95. Read More
Team mottoes. You see them screen-printed on the back of players’ warmup shirts, or hear them chanted from the heart of a pregame huddle. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i… Read More
Brunswick High School’s David Slovenski has been honored as the Gatorade Maine Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year. The award recognizes Slovenski’s achievements in track and field and academics. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
University of Maine men’s hockey recruit Ryan Hegarty, a defenseman who had seven goals and 16 assists in 55 games for the United States National Team Development Program’s Under-18 squad, will probably be selected in the NHL draft this weekend, according to Maine coach Tim Whitehead. Read More
Spend a few hours in a boat with a good Maine guide and you soon realize that there’s a big difference between them and you. Yes, you may spend a lot of time fishing. Yes, you may know plenty about the fish you pursue. And… Read More
It is easy to be critical of the Maine Principals’ Association. I will forever chastise them for not allowing postponed post-season games or meets to be played on Sundays when most families can still attend without having to adjust their work schedules. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
South Portland native Jonathan Furbush has been named the men’s basketball coach at Bates College in Lewiston. Furbush, a 2005 Bates graduate, replaces Joe Reilly, who resigned in April to take the head coaching job at Wesleyan University. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
Greely of Cumberland Center throwing star Becky O’Brien was honored as the Gatorade Maine Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year. The award recognizes O’Brien’s achievements in athletics and academics. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = [];… Read More
Erin Flynn of Hancock, a senior at John Bapst of Bangor, capped off her high school tennis career with a second-place finish in the girls singles division of the New England High School Tennis Championships at West Hartford, Conn. Flynn, who reached the semifinals of… Read More
Dick Fortier of Caribou arrived in Greenville on Saturday afternoon, eager to take a daylong ride in Dan Legere’s drift boat. Fortier admitted he’d never been in a drift boat before, and had done a bit of research to see what he was getting into. Read More
My family moved around a lot when I was a kid. One on my favorite places during those times was Brewer. I came to know many fine people during our stay in Brewer, none finer than Harry and Mary Leslie and their kids. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
Seldom in this era of Class A softball do the Brewer Witches and Bangor Rams meet three times in a season, especially with the parity the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference has featured the last few seasons. This year is the exception. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
For the past nine years – ever since he bought the fabled Thomas Rod Company and returned the purveyor of fine bamboo fishing rods to its Brewer roots – Steve Campbell has had to deal with an unfortunate problem. “People call from all over the… Read More
Hanging around the batting cage anywhere, much less Fenway, is not a bad way to pass the time and hear some good stories as well. Pitcher Chad Bradford of the Orioles gave up the 500th home run to Manny Ramirez in Baltimore last week and… Read More
Bangor all-sports radio station WZON (620 AM) came away from the annual Maine Associated Press (AP) Broadcast Association awards banquet last month with an .833 batting average. The Sports Zone left with three firsts, a second, and two thirds, winning prizes for six of the… Read More
Families or individuals looking thinking about getting into kayaking, along with those who are already passionate about the sport, might want to head to L.L. Bean in Freeport June 21-22 for the company’s 27th annual PaddleSports Festival. This year’s event will feature a variety of… Read More
Since I’m now living in South Portland, I have to travel a bit farther if I want to view or hear wood warblers. I can no longer just walk a few blocks to access a location where I can get black-throated green warblers, magnolia warblers,… Read More
A lot that goes on in today’s sports world befuddles me, including the gradual softening of athletic competition among younger age groups. Unless I missed something, the current crop of coaches and parents – who grew up playing pickup games where winners stayed on and… Read More
For many Maine anglers, winter is prime time for fishing derbies, as communities rally around their annual events and turn lakes into virtual towns for a weekend. During the summer, competitive fishing has typically been confined to bass tournaments. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
Riley Masters of Bangor, Hilary Maxim of Old Town and Ben Sinclair of Brewer head up a healthy contingent of Maine track and field stars competing in Saturday’s New England Championships. The Maine athletes won’t have to go very far this year, as this year’s… Read More
Curt Smith is gone, Billy Cather is on the fence and George Tager is on the way. That’s the latest news about the University of Maine baseball team, which has added a player to the roster since the Major League Baseball draft. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
The College World Series begins this weekend. But John Winkin won’t be there. The former University of Maine baseball coach is recuperating in a Waterville facility after collapsing during a jog in December. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
Eight trips to the Eastern Maine Class A championship match in the last nine years have been largely bittersweet for the Bangor boys tennis team. Not since winning the state title in 2002 have the Rams advanced beyond regional play, but they’ll get another chance… Read More
If I were ever given the opportunity to levy fines or issue suspensions in Major League Baseball for on-the-field fights, I’d begin the whole process by changing the rules governing all this stuff in the first place. For some unknown reason, professional baseball has allowed… Read More
With the high school softball postseason set to kick off today, Ashland and the Limestone Community School/Maine School of Science and Mathematics are the only Eastern Maine teams that will head into the playoffs with a zero in the loss column. “Isn’t that something, huh?”… Read More
The calendar lies. Every year, I realize this fact anew, yet every year, I’m rudely surprised when it happens again. The calendar lies. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i =… Read More
Father’s Day has taken on much more significance and meaning for Portland Sea Dogs first baseman Aaron Bates the last four years. Sunday will be no exception for the 24-year-old Boston Red Sox prospect. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var… Read More
Last week’s tiff in the dugout between Red Sox teammates Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis is gone and surely is, as Boston manager Terry Francona said, “… not the end of the world.” The two got into the scuffling match in the same game as… Read More
Dana Redding, who has coached girls basketball at the junior varsity level the last five winters, has been hired as the new varsity girls coach at Calais High School. Redding replaces Bob McShane, who coached the Blue Devils for 22 seasons and compiled 375 victories,… Read More
Forget the “track man” and veteran railbirds with a hot tip. For the last 15 years, the guy who literally had the inside track on Bangor Raceway was Arnie Van Dyne. That distinction will become someone else’s, however, now that Bangor Raceway’s longtime track superintendent… Read More
Brandon Francisco, a highly skilled forward for the York Simcoe Express bantam team in the Ontario Minor Hockey Association, has verbally committed to attend the University of Maine on a hockey scholarship. The 15-year-old Francisco, a left shot right winger, will come to Maine in… Read More
Back when my fishing equipment amounted to a ratchety South Bend bait-casting reel and a stubby True-Temper rod, I figured that the farther I tossed a plug and the faster I retrieved it, the better my chances were for catching smallmouth bass spawning along the shores of Chemo,… Read More
Each year, a traveling road show descends on a Maine community, and hundreds of onlookers drop by to (get this) listen attentively as assorted legislators, wardens and Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife staffers read a couple thousand names aloud. Sounds boring? Well, you obviously… Read More
Whoever it was that asked for the rain, would you please send out a thank-you note and follow it up with a request for some sun on the weekend? I sure hope we’re not getting into the rain-on-the-weekend pattern again – especially this weekend, I need to attend… Read More
On Sunday, state legislators won’t be casting votes, but instead they’ll cast fishing lures in order to raise money for charity. The 12th annual Governor’s Cup Charity Bass Tournament will take place at the Birches Campground on Cobbossee Lake in Litchfield. Senators, representatives and members… Read More
This has been a tough spring for weekend hikes. It’s the weather that has made it a challenge. If it doesn’t rain Saturday, then it rains Sunday. Some weekends it has rained both days, only either during the first half of the day or in… Read More
Errors in judgement. Everyone make them, some more serious than others. But perhaps more is learned about those who make a mistake by how they handle the aftermath, how they take what befell them and use it to regroup both personally and to the benefit… Read More
George Fernald Jr. was encouraged by the turnout of both cars and spectators Sunday as Unity Raceway opened for the season. Fernald is leasing the track from Ralph Nason. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner… Read More
PORTLAND – Former Deering High School and American Legion baseball star Ryan Flaherty was picked 41st overall in Tuesday’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Chicago Cubs. The Portland native and son of longtime University of Southern Maine coach Ed Flaherty just finished his junior season… Read More
ORONO – University of Maine assistant captain Pam Patterson won the Hockey East Top Scholar-Athlete Award for the second straight year. The Miramichi, New Brunswick native, who spent her freshman year at Ohio State University, was one of 11 Black Bears named to the 81-member… Read More
A limited number of hockey season tickets are available for the 2008-2009 season. They will require a donation to the Black Bear Fund of $250-$1,000 annually and it will guarantee optimal seat location in Alfond Arena as well as preference for post-season tickets and travel. Read More
BREWER – Clayton Blood has been at home in a classroom for nearly three decades, including the last 10 years as an English teacher at Brewer High School. Next winter, he’s going to add some additional classroom duties – on the sidelines as Brewer’s new… Read More
Months from now, when May is a mere memory for most, you can be sure that the state’s bird hunters will still be talking about the last full month of spring. That’s how bird hunting works, you see. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
The Cape Cod Baseball League is the summer home for many of the country’s top college prospects. This year, the University of Maine has sent four players to the prestigious wooden bat league for its 114th season. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
In the opening game of the 1984 NCAA Northeast Regional at Mahaney Diamond in Orono, University of Maine senior catcher and co-captain Eddie Hackett had the first four-hit game of his career in a 12-6 win over Rider (N.J.). “I got to go to the… Read More
Bill Casavant arrived in Presque Isle back in 1967 when he enrolled at the Aroostook State Teachers College. The Holyoke, Mass., native has been a fixture on the area sports scene ever since. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More
Thirty-five years ago, Dan Pierce was introduced to golf. “A friend wanted to go,” so Pierce went with him. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length;… Read More