Participation in athletics in Maine dropped by 12% over the past 10 years, far higher than the national rate of decline. Pandemic-era disruptions are only part of the answer.
Steve Craig
Staff Writer
Steve Craig reports primarily about Maine’s active high school sports scene and, more recently, the Portland Hearts of Pine men's professional soccer team. His first newspaper job was covering Maine high school sports in 1986 working out of a tiny office in Skowhegan at the front of a hand-sewn shoe shop. After 12 years as a sportswriter in Dover, New Hampshire, he had a multi-year stint as the Portland Press Herald's freelance motorsports writer. In 2012 he was happy to make a working return to Maine as a staff writer for the Press Herald. Steve was named the National Sports Media Association's 2022 Maine Sportswriter of the Year, 27 years after winning the award for New Hampshire.
Posted inSports, Varsity Maine, Wrestling
Class A wrestling: Noble claims championship with strong finish
The Knights get three individual champions and pull away late to outdistance Massabesic.
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Posted inSports, Varsity Maine, Wrestling
Wrestling: Massabesic, Wells win dual meet state championships
Wells, the Class B champion, completes a perfect dual meet season in Saturday’s tournament at Cony High.
Posted inFootball, Sports, Varsity Maine
Football: Leavitt’s Mayo, Oxford Hills’ Louvat win Gaziano Awards
They are the first from their schools to win honors the top senior linemen in Maine high school football.
Posted inFootball, Sports, Uncategorized, Varsity Maine
Football: Gaziano Lineman Award finalists announced
The winners receive $5,000 scholarships from National Distributors Inc., of South Portland, the company founded by Gaziano, who died in 2010.
Posted inFootball, Sports, Varsity Maine
Oxford Hills’ Eli Soehren wins 51st Fitzpatrick Trophy
The senior quarterback was the top vote-getter for the award given to the best senior high school football player in Maine.
Posted inSports
NESN’s Tom Caron joins ownership group backing professional soccer in Portland
A native of Lewiston and passionate soccer fan, Caron is announced as a minority owner of the USL to Portland group which hopes to have a pro soccer team playing in Portland by 2024.
Posted inFootball, Sports, Varsity Maine
Football: Oxford Hills beats Thornton Academy, 21-7, to capture first state title
The Vikings’ defense comes up big with three turnovers and three fourth-down stops in the Class A championship game.
Posted inFootball, Sports, Varsity Maine
Football: Class A rematch highlights four state title games Saturday
In Class B, both Portland and Skowhegan are looking to end long championship droughts.
Posted inFootball, Sports, Varsity Maine
Football: Southern Maine teams in the thick of the championship hunt
Eleven teams are still alive across all six classifications, including underdog Falmouth in Class B North and Yarmouth and Old Orchard Beach in the eight-man state title games.