The Bangor Daily News from Bangor, Maine • 37

Bangor Dally News SaturdaySunday June 18-19 2005 Sports D5 so Maine jumped on the opportunity and luckily they had a full scholarship still open" said Keith Yandle who had 14 goals and 40 assists in 34 games for Cushing The 18 year-old Yandle said his former Cushing Academy teammate Billy Ryan who was a freshman left winger at Maine this past season played a role in his decision Billy is my best friend around him all the time and he told me how much he loved it at Maine I think feel comfortable up there" said Yandle who has been invited to the US National Junior tryout camp in Lake Placid NY on Aug 5-14 Both are from Milton Mass The 6-foot-2 195-pound Yandle said he talked to Maine players like center Derek Damon and that he was aware of the winning tradition at Maine He added that he talked to head coach Tim Whitehead and assistant Grant Stand- 7 was supposed to go to UNH but things fell through so Maine jumped on the opportunity and luckily they had a full scholarship still open Keith Yandle Baseball Continued from Page Dl Division I schools we just go out and play for said sen lor pitcher shortstop Andy Pool er "There's nothing better than going out on the field with nine of your best friends and playing baseball" Gorham (19-0) is seeking its first state title since 1998 as it plays its final game in Class before moving up to Class A The Rams have allowed just three runs in playoff victories over Oak Hill of Sabbatus (7-0) Cape Elizabeth (6-2) and Poland (2-1) Anchoring the Gorham pitch ing staff is junior lefthander Mark Schmidt 10-0 after playoff victories over Oak Hill and Poland Senior righthander Ben Thayer (6-1 is another top pitcher while leading hitters include Schmidt and outfielder first baseman Chris Donaldson Dan Hilts the only senior on GSA's roster likely will have the chance to pursue a rare milestone Saturday The left hander 4 2 this spring already owns two pitching wins in state finals shutting out Jay 2-0 in 2003 and besting St Dominic 12-2 last year Hilts has teamed with undefeated junior lefty Collin Henry 7-0 after a three-hit shutout in the EM final against Searsport to give the 15-4 Eagles a 1-2 pitching punch that has not allowed a run in 20 postseason innings this spring in wins against Houlton (8-0) Stearns of Millinocket (10-0 in six innings) and Searsport (1-0) Veteran coach Dan Kane also is quick to point out the depth of contributors on his squad is a tribute to the hard work all the kids put in" said Kane They believe in them selves and they believe in the hard work they do and it pays off ui the end dedicat ed to the game and they play hard day in and day out" St Dominic (16-1) is seeking its first win in its third state final clash against GSA as the Eagles earned a 7-3 win in their first meeting in 1997 St Dorn features junior pitcher Brady Blackman (6-1) who pitched a one-hitter in the 9-0 quarterfinal win against Wiscasset He then worked just three innings in his team's 104) over Telstar of Bethel in Wednesday's regional final meaning he can start Saturday against GSA if called upon by coach Allen Turgeon Leading hitters include Jon Rutt Mike Carpenter and Jake Albert Deer Isle-Stonington (14-3) long has been known for basket ball but senior pitcher-outfielder Nick Ciomei a standout in both sports hopes baseball is begin ning to earn a place in the com munity's sports conversation Tve complained all four years that I'm a baseball player in a basketball town" said Ciomei who hopes to be able to play Saturday after suffering a shoulder injury during the 3-0 win over Lee Academy in the EM final That win avenged a loss to the Pandas in last year 's semifinals when Dl-Stonington's lineup included five freshmen Before defeating Lee coach Darren Mariners topped Washburn 10-2 and Shead of Eastport 4-2 averaged seven errors a game last year and this year we re averaging about two" Ciomei BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY MICHAEL YORK George Steven Academy pitcher Collin Henry celebrate with catcher Luca Mark after the Eagle beat Searsport tor the Eastern Maine Class title Wednesday night GSA takes on St Dominic of Lewiston for the state crown Saturday at 2 pm at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor Colleges Continued from Page Dl NCAA Division II Final Four each year Karlsson was promoted to the position of associate head coach at Merrimack last season and was responsible for overall skill development as well as being the recruiting coordinator Her other areas of responsibility included practice organization academic advising and team travel She had also been named assistant athletic director and senior administrator prior to this past season Karlsson who graduated from Maine in 1991 had served as an assistant coach at Boston University and Brandeis University (Mass) prior to her six-year stint at Merrimack The former Edward Little High School standout earned a master's degree in human movement physical education from Boston University in 1992 has a lot of enthusiasm" said Black Bear power forward Bracey Barker of Bar Harbor who will be a junior in the fall seemed real excited about coming back to Maine a bundle of Barker also liked the fact Karlsson and Mclnerney had worked together for six years at Merrimack "They know each other and how each other coaches That will make their transition to us and our transition to them a lot faster" said Barker Mclnerney said in a press release that Karlsson was a to much of our success at and has tremendous passion for the game addition as a native of Maine and a University of Maine graduate Kathy knows the strengths and traditions of the Black Bear women's program" said Mclnerney UM gets top- scoring defenseman Keith Yandle a defenseman who was the leading scorer at Cushing Academy (Mass) this past season has verbally com mitted to attend the University of Maine He is the younger brother of University of New Hampshire defenseman Brian Yandle who was one of the top scoring defensemen last season with 13 goals and 22 assists in 41 games was supposed to go to UNH but things fell through said "Our batting average went from 230 to 330 now Everything started to click and we knew we were destined to be NYA (11-6) is the three-time defending Class state champion and will be playing its last game in the division before moving up to Class The No 3 Panthers won their fourth straight WM charnpi onship Thursday with a 7-2 win over Richmond NYA also has defeated Valley of Bingham (11-! 1 and Buckfield (5-3) in postseason play The Panthers are led senior pitcher Tim DeLuca who pitched just three innings in the WM final and will be available I to start Saturday brook "and they sold me on the program I feel I can learn so much from both of them" Cushing coach Steve Jacobs said Maine landed a catch" "I think he's going to be a dominant player right away He can really skate he has great vision and he's a real tough kid" said Jacobs got the long reach and can really dangle with the puck He has great imagination out there and can really make things happen" He was an All New England first team selection and is a "great according to Jacobs Yandle who had 14 goals and 48 assists for Cushing two years ago quarterbacked the Cushing Academy power play and that has been a Black Bear weakness in recent years Yandle said he has been an offensive-oriented player his whole life and is hoping tp help the Bears out in that department next season Yandle's status is dependent upon his admission to the school and his being cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse from Bangor Christian and is in her second year pitching for the Red Devils She wasn't a regular pitcher for the Patriots has gained a lot of maturity this year which is just her second year pitching in high school" Washburn said has n't gotten shook up in big situa tions She bears down and gets the job done She's got more command now too" The Red Devils can also hit the ball hard pounding out 13 hits agamst George Stevens of Blue Hill in the EM final "We played good defense and we got the offense when we absolutely had to" Washburn said Telstar has outscored its oppo nents 29-8 in the postseason and Jessie Farrington (7-0) pitched a three hitter against Mount Abram in the 12-4 Western Marne final win also been hitting well in the postseason with at least two hits apiece in each game Russell has also proved a fine pitcher with two no- hitters to her credit this season Lee will counter with freshman Brooke Harris in the circle Harris isn't the strikeout machine i Coonradt seems to be but instead relies on solid defense behind her The athletic Pandas also run the bases well which should bode well for Lee if it can get the Bobcats to throw the ball around Just as important as the Pan das' skills may be their experience in big games Although many of starters are freshmen already won three region al titles this year (the Pandas also won a Class cross country title with some of the same girls as played on the soccer team) Lee is making its third state final appearance in four years and is still after its first state crown The Lee softball team will be up against one of the top players in the state in Sarah Coonradt who was also a key member of last state cham pionship team which defeated Ashland 4-3 for the crown In the Bobcats' 190 semifinal win over North Yarmouth Acade my Coonradt tossed a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts and two walks while doubling and driving in two runs Richmond had a bye in the quarterfinals because of its No 1 ranking Coonradt was on fire again in the Western Maine final This time she had a no-hitter going through the first three innings -the only player she walked was thrown out by catcher Hilary Trott and eventually allowed just two hits and seven strikeouts Heather Martin Kasey Hughes and freshman Amy Russell have Softball Continued from Page Dl field behind the high school and is set for a 4 pm start Defending state champion Winslow hopes to get a lift from its sparkling defensive effort against Bucksport in Thursday 4 1 11-inning win over Buck sport The Black Raiders have relied on defense all year according to senior catcher and captain Brittany Morin "We haven't been hitting that well this year and our defense has just carried said Morin who served as the point guard on the state championship basketball team Our hitting will come and (in the regional final we proved it" For first year Winslow coach Terry Pariin who guided Messa lonskee to several Eastern Maine titles in the 1990s Morin herself has been important this season She came up huge Thursday getting a critical out at third base in the seventh inning and helping to manage starting pitcher Janelle Sylvester and reliever Brynne Davis who earned the win calls all the plays all the Pariin said "Once in a while call a pitch but general ly every time I call one she ll say I already had the same pitch called' so I guess not much sense in doing Gorham which won its first WM title since 1996 beat Cape Elizabeth 3-2 Thursday to earn its finals berth The Rams also won states that year beating Winslow 1-0 Like the speedy Black Raiders Gorham has also had success with bunts this year The Rams used three straight in the eighth to push across the wmning run against the Capers Tammy Arse nault picked up the win pitching a five-hitter The Rams have committed five errors in three playoff games Central coach Dunce Washburn said among the keys for her squad this year has been the growth of junior pitcher Alyssa Libby Libby transferred to Central Turfciub Special financing available Slips available on the (Kean FREE refreshments and giveaways Over $6 Million In Inventory! 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