by Phil Stuart

A two-game trip into the Green Mountain state saw the Lady Clipper’s salvage a win on Jan. 15 at Randolph Center, Vermont where they edged the Vermont Tech Lady Knights 55-52. The University of Maine at Machias (UMM) got a boost on the trip with Linda Rilex back in the lineup after a year’s absence from the team.

by Phil Stuart

With the season half over for many teams, early indications might suggest that the Royals of Jonesport-Beals and the Woodland Dragons could be the favorites in northern Maine Class D.

Defending state champ Machias got wiped out by graduation and transfers. Southern Aroostook and Easton got hit hard by graduation and Central Aroostook moved  up to Class C.

Last year, Jonesport-Beals and Woodland both had young teams and this year they are ready to take the next step.

by Phil Stuart

Basketball is by far the most popular of all high school sports in Washington County, but some schools are finding if it more and more difficult to build a program.

Just recently the Shead High School boys and Jonesport-Beals girls dropped their junior varsity programs, which isn’t a good sign for the future.

One would never expect this to happen when you look at the numbers playing in the junior high system for most schools, but a large majority don’t seem to play at the next level.

by Phil Stuart

In recent seasons, there seems to be too many lopsided scores in girls’ basketball and this season is no exception.

On Wednesday, Jan. 3, four Washington County schools were involved in such games.

by Phil Stuart 

Both the Jonesport-Beals Royalettes and Royal basketball teams were victorious over the visiting Machias High School Bulldogs Friday, Jan. 5 in Jonesport.

The Royalettes upped their season record to 5-3 with a 43-19 victory over Logan Wood’s club.

Roger Beal’s Royalettes got off to a good start and led the Lady Bulldogs 12-5 after the first eight minutes of play.

A 15-3 second quarter run put the hosts up 27-8 at the halftime break.

by Sarah Craighead Dedmon

After a semester characterized by loss, fear and heartache, Machias Memorial High School (MMHS) students wanted to create something positive to stand above the negativity. The concept of “Bulldog Strong” was born after Rose M. Gaffney (RMG) fifth grader Keagan Stevenson was killed in a car accident on Dec. 14. [ See “Machias schools grapple with bomb threats, fatalities,” MVNO Dec. 20.]

Nice job boxing out by senior Amber Heath.

Jasmine Bell hustling the ball down the floor.

Machias senior Lady Bulldog Kassandra Cox taking the ball into the lane.

by Phil Stuart

The coaching profession today isn’t what it once was. In the old days a coach for the most part taught at the school and he or she coached at. Lots of schools hire a health and physical education teacher or someone else in the school system. In many cases today a school’s basketball coach has no affiliation with the school and in many cases a lot of coaches don’t seem to last more than a few years. 

by Phil Stuart

The University of Maine at Machias (UMM) Clippers men and women’s basketball squads made a two-day trip to New York to play Berkeley College of Brooklyn and the State University of New York at Delhi prior to going on their holiday break. 

On Dec. 17 Troy Alley’s club faced the powerful Berkeley Knights at Brooklyn. The Knights pretty much had their own way with the Clippers and got ahead early before going into the halftime break on top 51-21. 

by Phil Stuart

With the 2017/2018 high school basketball season approaching the halfway point, two local high school girls’ teams are experiencing losing seasons which may not produce a win.

The Machias Lady Bulldogs and Washington Academy Raiders have yet to win a game, and lopsided losses have become a common theme for both squads.

There are different reasons for each school to be competitive in Class D for Machias, and Class B for the Raiders.