Area Sports

Patriot Football Home opener this Friday,
Governor Baldacci to throw coin

The GNG Football Patriots will open their season, their first as a varsity program, this Friday, September 2nd, with a 7 p.m. home game against Greely. After two years playing a junior varsity schedule, the Patriots will play in the Western Maine Class B Campbell Conference this season. Governor John Baldacci is scheduled to perform the coin toss as we celebrate this milestone for our schools and our communities. The Patriot Grandstand Club, sponsor of the GNG football program, is expecting a large fan turnout for this important game.

The High School team has a strong squad this year, with many stand-out players returning from last season. The team is comprised of 7 seniors, 10 juniors, 5 sophomores, and 14 freshmen. The GNG high school team will be led by a new head coach this year, Hank Girardin, of Gray.

Girardin played football at the University of Connecticut and has 11 years' coaching experience in Winslow and Lewiston. Girardin teaches history in the Lewiston school system. Returning as an assistant coach is John Reidy, who played football at Assumption College and currently plays for the Central Maine Shockers, a semi-pro football team based in Lewiston. Reidy is a social worker at GNG High School.

Mike Fullerton joins the Patriots as an assistant coach this year. Fullerton played football for the University of Maine and previously coached at Windham. Fullerton is a health teacher at GNG Middle School.

The Middle School Patriots enter 2005 coming off an excellent 6 win, 1 loss 2004 season. The roster is full again this year, with 17 eighth graders and 15 seventh graders. The Middle School team will be led by head coach Scott Flagg, who was the squad's assistant coach last year. Flagg lives in Gray and works at the Collaborative School in New Gloucester.

Seth Thompson joins the Patriots as assistant coach this year. Thompson also works at the Collaborative School and played football at Bates College.
The varsity Patriots will play an eight-game schedule this year, with four home Friday night games on September 2nd vs. Greely, September 23rd vs. Lake Region, October 7th vs. Wells, and October 21st vs. Fryeburg.

The junior varsity Patriots will play a nine-game schedule, with home games being played on Monday afternoons at 4:00. The Middle School Patriots will play a seven-game schedule, with home games being played on Thursday afternoons at 4 p.m.

The Patriot Grandstand Club and GNG Athletics hope that the Gray and New Gloucester communities will support our teams and attend their games.

Softball

It's time for our Second Annual Eagles Aux. Charity Event One Pitch Softball. This year, the softball event will go to Make-a-Wish of Maine and Poland Fire and Rescue. It may be too late to put in a team, but never too late to come join us as spectators. There will be a concession stand, raffles, and 50/50 drawings.

So, it you have not contributed in some way, this is a way to contribute to the charity by buying raffles and food. Come enjoy the fun filled day of softball. Last year, we made over $1,000 for Gray New Gloucester Fire and Rescue. This year, the goal is to make this a bigger and better year with your help. The games start at 8 a.m. and continue through the day at Poland High School on September 10th.

Come join us in this charity event; we would love to see you there. Put a smile on a child's face and those who need our firefighters. God bless.

Patriot Soccer Club Starts Strong

The Gray-New Gloucester Patriot Soccer Club 2005 season got into nearly full swing Sunday, August 28, with six of the club's seven teams in action.

U-10 Boys

The Under-10 Boys opened the 2005 fall campaign Sunday with a 3-1 loss to home-standing Yarmouth and a 1-1 draw with Bethel that featured a late equalizer from Elijah Roe. The Bethel result was well earned, as the Patriots dominated the game but converted just one of their many scoring chances. Still, it was a great fight-back - the boys were tired (this was the second of GNG's two round-robins) but they refused to give up.

The Yarmouth game was another tight, evenly played match marred only by a few defensive lapses. Goalie David Despins played very well and A.J. Scott's second half strike cut the margin to 2-1 before another give-away sealed matters. Again, lots of good Patriot chances went begging, but the team's passing and spacing was very encouraging. Silas Phillips, Ryan Tupper, Tristan Croteau and Justin Curtis, all hold-overs from last year's U-9 squad, showed what a difference a year can make; all exhibited great improvement, while newcomers Tyler Credit, Cody Brann, Casey Myhaver, Carter Burrowes made it clear they will all be key members of this year's team.

U-11 Boys

The U-11 boys defeated Cumberland 4-1 in a strong showing.

U-12 Boys

The U-12 boys won a pair on Sunday. The boys beat Hampden's Division II team 2-1. Nate Palmer scored first and Ian Martell came up with the game winner. Evan Baggs was solid in the net. In the second game, the boys beat Hampden's Division I team by a score of 1-0. Nate Palmer scored the lone goal on a give and go with Ryan Davala. Ian Martell and Lukas Wooten played goal and ensured the shut out.

U-14 Boys
Goalkeeper Evan Kenney held Cumberland scoreless and Garrett Darnell scored in the second half for the Under-14 boys' win.

U-10 Girls

The Under-10 girls lost to Cumberland, 2-1, with Sammy Wilkins scoring the Patriot goal unassisted. In the second game Sunday, the Patriots lost to Freeport, 6-3. Goals were made by Robin Pelkey, Sammy Wilkins, and Haley Cote; all 3 goals were unassisted.

U-12 Girls

The Under-12 girls' game with Freeport was postponed until September 24.

U-14 Girls

The Under-14 girls struck early and often to beat an up-and-coming Cumberland team. The Patriot's success was due in large part to strong teamwork utilizing combination play, effective passing, and maintaining their team's shape through mid-field. Defense was rock solid allowing their opponent few shots on net.

The Patriot team possessed the ball well and moved it effectively through Cumberland's defensive seams which allowed the team a relentless attack. Cumberland worked the flanks trying to create a quick transition throughout the game, only to be met by the GNG fullbacks who shut them down. Cumberland continues to be a force in the district and will offer each and every team a challenge on the pitch.

The lady Patriots team exhibited great sportsmanship and was praised by the referee crew as "a great group of girls who have good soccer skills."