Fort Fairfield teams get spring sports season in gear
By Kevin Sjoberg
Sports Reporter
The weather caused a few postponements and cancellations, but the spring sports season is now under way in central Aroostook County as baseball, softball, tennis and track and field teams all were able to hit the fields and the courts.
Dave Allen Graphics photo
FIRING IT IN — Fort Fairfield’s Austin Bernier sends a pitch toward the plate during Monday’s 15-2 loss to Katahdin.
The baseball and softball seasons officially opened Monday as Fort Fairfield hosted Katahdin High School of Stacyville.
The Tiger baseball team dropped a 15-2 decision to a very highly-regarded Cougars team, who took advantage of 10 Tiger errors to come out on top. Kolby Gallagher and Mickey Gallagher had RBI singles for Katahdin, who scored all its runs over the first three innings. The game was called after five innings due to the 10-run rule.
Brandon Robinson earned the pitching victory.
Tyler Churchill knocked in a run with a double and Ryan Pelkey contributed an RBI single for Fort Fairfield. Austin Bernier took the pitching loss, with Ian Towle pitching well in a relief role as he didn’t allow a run in either the fourth or fifth innings.
jMavor Photography photo
UP AND OVER — Fort Fairfield senior Kaitlyn Kinsey stretches over the bar during this attempt in the high jump at Friday’s track and field meet held in Orono. Kinsey placed fifth with a height of 4 feet, 4 inches.
The Fort Fairfield softball team came away with a 21-9 triumph, with an 11-run fifth inning rally breaking open a close game up to that point. The game was called after five due to the 12-run rule.
Emily Blaisdell had three singles and three RBIs to pace Fort at the plate. Rebekah Pelkey and Abby Player both had hits and scored three runs each, while Jordann Coiley pitched all five innings and gained the win on the mound.
Megan Merry had a pair of hits for the Cougars.
In tennis action Saturday, the Presque Isle Wildcats girls and boys made the trip to Ellsworth and were both defeated.
Dave Allen Graphics photo
CUT DOWN — The Tigers’ Camille Huffman is tagged out at third base by Katahdin’s Bailey McNally during Monday’s game in Fort Fairfield. The Tigers came away with a 21-9 victory.
The PI boys lost a 4-1 decision, with No. 2 singles player Connor Shaw managing the Wildcats’ lone victory with an 8-4 win over Dillon Toothaker. Caleb Mathers and Emmerson Castro were both beaten in PI’s other singles matches, while the doubles teams of Osman Castro-Brock Cassidy and Mike Picard-Andrew Legassie also coming up short.
In the girls’ match, Ellsworth picked up the shutout win. Dani Wolland, Divya Bisht and Lindsay Michaud lost in singles, while Melissa Carson-Elise Jones and Kayla Girardin-Sara Gilson dropped their doubles matches.
Presque Isle had its track and field meet at Bucksport cancelled Saturday, but Fort Fairfield was in action the previous afternoon with a meet at Orono and had a strong showing.
jMavor Photography photo
THEY’RE OFF — Fort Fairfield’s Nate McLaughlin, far left, and Jahleel Williams, second from right, try to get a quick start in Friday’s sprint race held during a track and field meet at Orono. The Tiger boys placed third and the girls place fourth.
The Tiger boys placed third out of nine teams, while the FF girls were fourth. The Caribou girls came out on top in both competitions. Orono, MDI, Ellsworth and Foxcroft Academy were among the other schools participating.
The top individual efforts for the Fort boys came from Jahleel Williams, who was first in the long jump at 19 feet, 2 inches; first in the triple jump at 41 feet, 6-1/2 inches; third in the 100-meter dash in 12.24 seconds and fifth in the 200 in 25.17 seconds; Nate McLaughlin, fourth in the pole vault at 8 feet, 6 inches; and fifth in the 300 hurdles in 50.18 seconds; Andrew Lewis, first in the discus at 114 feet, 7 inches; first in the shot put at 36 feet, 10-1/2 inches; and third in the high jump at 5 feet, 2 inches; Legeorge Williams, second in the triple jump at 36 feet, 8-1/2 inches.
The 4 X 100-meter relay team of L. Williams, Travis Emerson, Ian Girvan and McLaughlin placed fourth with a time of 50.87 seconds.
High scorers for the Fort Fairfield girls were Kaitlyn Kinsey, second in the 100-meter hurdles in 19.04 seconds; third in the triple jump at 28 feet, 1-3/4 inches; and fifth in the high jump at 4 feet, 4 inches; Logan Bubar, third in the javelin at 70 feet; fourth in the 100 hurdles in 19.86 seconds; and fifth in the long jump at 12 feet, 4-3/4 inches; Katy Donovan, first in the discus at 79 feet, 6 inches; Janae Libby, second in the 300 hurdles in 55.61 seconds; Nicole Giberson, fifth in the 200-meter dash in 30.89 seconds; Kylie Plourde, fifth in the triple jump at 25 feet, 3/4 inches; and Amanda Hotham, fourth in the javelin at 67 feet, 6 inches; and sixth in the shot put at 23 feet, 4-1/2 inches.
Dave Allen Graphics photo
HERE IT COMES — Fort Fairfield’s Jordann Coiley releases a pitch during Monday’s 21-9 win over Katahdin.
The Tiger 4 X 100 relay team of Libby, Jessica Goshorn, Giberson and Plourde took fourth in their race in 58.3 seconds.
The Presque Isle softball and baseball teams have had their first three scheduled games postponed into May, but will open their regular season, weather permitting, Thursday with single games slated in Lincoln against Mattanawcook Academy.
The Tiger teams were scheduled to take on Ashland yesterday and the squads will next play Friday in Mars Hill against Central Aroostook. The Panther girls also have a key game scheduled for today as they make the trip to Dyer Brook to take on Southern Aroostook, which lost its opener to Limestone-MSSM Monday, 25-20.
The PI tennis teams hope to rebound from their opening-match losses when they host Caribou Thursday afternoon.
The Wildcat track and field teams had their first scheduled meet cancelled over the weekend, but are slated to travel to Bar Harbor this Saturday for a relay meet at MDI Regional High.
