Camden Hills rallied for three runs in the top of the extra eighth inning to surge past Medomak Valley 3-0 on Monday, May 20 in Waldoboro. Two of the top pitchers in midcoast high school softball squared off in an epic pitchers’ duel that was tied 0-0 after regulation. The Panthers committed five errors in the game, including three in the final inning that sank their chance to earn the win.

Medomak Valley rallied in the sixth inning to tie Camden Hills but lost 4-1 in eight innings on Monday, May 20 in Waldoboro. Gabe Lash drove in Aaron Reed from second base on a single to tie the game 1-1. Both teams held opposing batters scoreless in the final inning to send the match to overtime. The Panthers made a couple of costly errors in the 8th inning, as the Windjammers plated three runs. Medomak Valley could not get a rally going in the bottom of the extra inning off Camden Hills ace Hunter Bell and the Windjammers held on for the win.

The Lincoln Academy girls lacrosse team continued a hot streak on their home turf with an exciting 9-8 overtime win against Morse on Tuesday, May 7 in Newcastle. Mariam Delisle won the draw control to start the overtime session and raced up the field past two Morse defenders and scored the winning goal just 18 seconds into the extra period. Lincoln Academy improved to 4-3 with the win and leaped into first place in the Class C Heal Points. The Eagles are now 4-0 at home. Morse dropped to 6-2 on the season.

Defense was a key factor in Boothbay’s 6-1 loss to Mt. Abram on Wednesday, May 1 in Boothbay. Seahawks starting pitcher Finn Harkins had a solid performance on the mound, but the defense committed three errors and gave up four unearned runs to an efficient Roadrunners team that took advantage of the miscues. The Seahawks offense hit the ball hard and had chances to score and build momentum, but the Mt. Abram defense made big plays to help secure the win.

More than two dozen players competed in the Spring Fling Pickleball Tournament held on the CLC YMCA tennis courts from the weekend of April 12-14 in Damariscotta. The three-day tournament featured a high level of competition in three divisions: adult singles; women’s doubles; and mixed doubles.

After a recent run of successful experienced teams, there are many new faces on the Eagles girls tennis squad this season. The program appears to be entering a rebuilding stage as it returns only four players from last year’s elite team that was 13-1 in the regular season and competed against Greely in the Class B South finals.

People have different reasons for “playing” sports, but it is safe to say that the pure essence of sports is to “play.” Webster’s Dictionary defines play as “engaging in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.” Play is at the very core of unified basketball, and it is the pure joy of playing that makes it so special for the participants and for the community that gathers to cheer the players on.

Despite the fact that Lincoln County does not have an ice arena, four local teenage athletes have thrived at ice hockey and play on successful Maine teams competing for some of the most coveted championships in their sport.

The next generation of the Medomak Valley versus Lincoln Academy rivalry is alive and kicking. Medomak surged in the fourth quarter to a 62-60 triumph over the Eagles in the first match of the Lincoln Academy 8th Grade Invitational on Tuesday, Feb. 27 in the Eagles nest. According to Lincoln Academy basketball guru Phil Page, the Tournament is a late winter sports tradition that is in its 44th year.

Lincoln Academy’s Nelson Bailey Gym was loud as the two teams exchanged leads and battled it out all the way to the final buzzer. Medomak led 18-17 after the first quarter and extended it to 37-30 at the half. That was the largest lead that either team would enjoy the rest of the game. The two young squads played at a frenetic, turnover-prone tempo for most of the game – perhaps nervous in the presence of eager fans and their future high school coaches.

Lincoln Academy grasped the momentum in the third quarter and rallied to a 51-49 lead heading into the final stanza. Down the stretch, the rivals exchanged the lead many times but it would remain within 4 points until Medomak surged behind clutch shooting in the back half of the fourth quarter to pull ahead 62-57 with 53 seconds remaining. The Eagles clawed their way back to 62-60 and had the ball in the closing seconds but the Medomak defense was able to close out the game. Brody Day led the Eagles with 13 points. Silas Ripley led Medomak with 18 points.

The Wiscasset boys basketball team was defeated 76-36 by Valley High School in the Class D South semifinal on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at the Augusta Civic Center. The Wolverines finished this year’s campaign with a 10-10 record after not winning a game last season.

The five seed in Class D South, Wiscasset got off to a good start and trailed the top seed Cavaliers (16-4) by just two points, 15-13, at the end of the first quarter. Valley’s offense exploded out of the break with an 11-0 run, and their lead steadily increased to 38-19 at the half. The Cavaliers outscored Wiscasset 20-10 in the third quarter to put the game away. Landin Shorey led the Wolverines with 16 points and Jevar Garricks chipped in 10.  Harry Lewis scored 27 points and dished out 10 assists to lead the way for Valley.

The second seed Medomak Valley girls fell behind 13-4 in the first quarter and could never overcome the deficit as they lost 40-34 to third seed Spruce Mountain in the Class B South semifinal on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the Portland Expo. The Phoenix’ defensive scheme targeted Panthers leading scorer Kytana Williamson and held her to just 2 free throws in the first half as they built a 24-12 lead.

The Panthers clawed their way back in the fourth quarter to trail just 35-32 with two minutes remaining. The desperate Panthers were forced to foul the Phoenix, who made five free throws to extend the lead enough to stall out the clock and end the Panthers’ season. Sara Nelson led the Panthers with 11 points. The Phoenix were led by Jasmine Pingree who scored 11 points, including 3 clutch free throws in the closing minutes.

The Medomak Valley girls basketball team advanced to the Class B South semifinal game by beating York 50-35 on Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Portland Expo. The Panthers broke open a close game with a 9-0 run at the end of the first half to extend their lead to 28-15. Kytana Williamson scored all 9 of the Panthers’ points during that streak, and she had 21 points in the game to lead Medomak Valley.

Maya Cannon and Sara Nelson each scored 9 for the Panthers who improved to 15-4 on the season.  Cannon, Chloe Fox and Claudia Feeley out-muscled the smaller York players under the basket at both ends throughout the game and forced York to take outside shots. Stifling, high-tempo team defense, which the Panthers have been known for all season, was the key to the victory. Nya Avery had 11 points to lead the Wildcats, who ended their season 12-8.