It’s chaos. A sold-out crowd of over 400 professional wrestling fans cheer, scream and jeer all at once. Massive men in tights wail on each other in the ring. A savage woman belts another with a folding chair in the front row while spectators run for cover. Music blares. The room smells like beer, sweat and excitement.

Greenville is going to the dogs on Saturday, Feb. 2 -- sled dogs that is. It’s an exciting time of year to be here – watching enthusiastic dogs and their mushers pulling sleds through the snowy, wooded trails around Greenville in the Wilderness Sled Dog Race. Amy Dugan and John Osmond of Shirley began this event more than a dozen years ago. This is the eleventh time this event has occurred – there were a few years in between where conditions were prohibitive and the race was not held.

For the the fifth time in as many meets, Penquis Valley High School senior Cymeria Robshaw won the 55-meter dash during a Penobscot Valley Conference/Eastern Maine Indoor Track League competition at the University of Maine.

A big second quarter helped the Piscataquis Community High School boys break open a Jan. 16 Class C North contest at regional rival Penquis Valley High School. During the second eight-minute session the visiting Pirates had a 23-12 scoring advantage to extend a narrow 9-6 lead to 32-18 and help propel the team to a 62-43 victory.

The sound of skates cutting into the ice, pucks bouncing off the boards and glass, and more will be heard starting this summer according to the plan for opening the Piscataquis County Ice Arena on West Main Street at the former Brothers Chevrolet property. The $5 million project is being funded by the Libra Foundation, and the arena will be managed day-to-day by Foxcroft Academy.

A framework for adding two, eight-player divisions to Maine high school football beginning next fall inched closer to formality Tuesday, Jan. 15. The Maine Principals’ Association football committee has created an updated draft of the proposed format for the next two-year classification cycle that would include Classes A, B and C, and an eight-player class with two divisions based on enrollment.

Although the short snowy days of winter are upon us, the Greenville Recreation Department has all kinds of things going on inside and out that enhance staying around the area this time of year.

The PCHS wrestling team had a great showing at its home tournament on Saturday, only giving up a total of five match losses during the entire day.

Penquis Valley High School senior Cymeria Robshaw tied a high school facility record in the 55-meter dash at the University of Maine’s New Balance Field House.

The Foxcroft Academy wrestling team competed at the Warrior Clash at Nokomis Regional High School on Jan. 5. The Ponies bested 14 other schools to become tournament champions. Foxcroft had 13 wrestlers competing and 10 placed in the top four in their respective weight classes.

Following several Dexter Regional High School wrestling teammates who earned their 100th wins this season, Tiger senior Isaiah Hesseltine stepped on the mat on Jan. 2 with 97 career victories. His hope, to start 2019 with 100 career wins and keep the Dexter Regional High School wrestling tradition alive.

The Piscataquis Community High School wrestling team put up a fantastic showing in Calais on Jan. 5. Top Pirate individual performances include Nate Bock, Fischer Cobb, and Ethan Chadwick, each in fourth place in their respective weight classes; Henry Rowell in third; and Ethan Moulton, Jacob Nadeau, and Zac Wilson all taking home first-place finishes. Pictured on the podium is Moulton and Rowell.

The Foxcroft Academy wrestling team had a busy Christmas break. The Ponies traveled down south to North Berwick on Dec. 29 to compete at the Noble Invitational Tournament, a two-day tourney with 28 teams from Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont taking part. Foxcroft finished ninth as a team in this very tough tournament.

It had all the intensity of a Little Ten Conference matchup between the rival schools when Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln met Dexter Regional High School in a battle of unbeaten Class C North contenders at Guiski Gymnasium on Thursday night, Jan. 3 -- minus the football pads, of course.

The Piscataquis Community High School wrestling finished in second place at a Dec. 27 holiday tournament at Penobscot Valley High School.

Penquis Valley High School senior Cymeria Robshaw won the 55 and long and triple jumps during a Dec. 29 Penobscot Valley Conference/Eastern Maine Indoor Track League meet at the University of Maine. Robshaw accounted for 30 points on her own, which was good for sixth place among eight schools taking part.

Eleven high school offensive linemen and 10 defensive linemen from around the state have been nominated for the ninth annual Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Awards, it was announced Thursday. Eighteen different high schools are represented among the nominees with three schools -- Brewer, Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft and Portland -- having two nominees apiece.

There’s new life in the Depot Building in Greenville Junction. Amanda Hunt has opened a place to get fit – Balance Gym & Wellness Center. “I wanted to have a real gym for some time now,” said Hunt.  “My goal with this was to have a complete gym set up with top quality equipment.” The spacious interior is ideal. “It doesn’t feel crowded here,” Hunt said gesturing. “Even if a lot of members are here at the same time there’s plenty of space.”