On the very first play of a Class D North semifinal on Friday, Nov. 2, fifth-seeded Washington Academy of East Machias brought the opening kickoff back 75 yards to the 8-yard line of No. 1 Foxcroft Academy. The Raiders would get no closer to the endzone for the rest of the game as the Ponies scored six touchdowns on the soggy ground to win 41-0 and improve to 9-0.

Josh Harvey has made quick work of his first five professional mixed martial arts opponents -- none has lasted even one full round in the cage against him. Now, the 28-year-old fighter from Young’s MMA in Bangor -- who is a graduate of Dexter Regional High School -- is faced with a challenge that could elevate him from the regional scene much closer to the national ranks.

The Warrior girls defeated No. 9 Penquis Valley High School 2-1 in the championship game.

Ridge View Community School in Dexter is again participating in the Fuel Up To Play 60 program. Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by the National Dairy Council and NFL in collaboration with the USDA, to help encourage today's youth to lead healthier lives. This is the fourth year that grades 5-8 have participated.

As hunters head into the woods this deer season, two of the state’s wildlife biologists say paying extra attention to tick avoidance should be a priority. For that matter, even nonhunters ought to be aware of the presence of ticks, including the black-legged or “deer tick,” which can spread Lyme disease.

Over the course of a year, I find myself answering all kinds of questions about hunting. Among those questions, the classic W’s are well-represented. Where am I spending opening day? When am I going to head into the woods? Who am I hunting with?

The Penquis Valley High School girls soccer team stumbled into the Class C North playoffs. The Milo-based Patriots (8-7-2) went 0-6-1 in their past seven regular-season games and were the ninth seed for the playoffs.

DEXTER — A goal in each half to supplement a shutout effort by the defense helped the ninth-seeded Penquis Valley High School girls upset No.

The Winthrop High School Ramblers defended their Class C North regional championship in an impressive fashion against the youthful Dexter High School Tigers at Bernatchez Field on Wednesday, Oct. 24.

The Piscataquis Community Middle School girls soccer team is the 2018 Penquis League champions following a 1-0 victory in the final vs. Greenville Middle School on Saturday, Oct. 20.

The Dexter Regional High School field hockey program is very much a family affair. Margaret Veazie, who guided the Tigers to six state Class C championships, stepped down after last season and has left her two daughters to run the show. Brittany McAllister and Kristy Staples were two of her assistant coaches last year, but now Brittany is the head coach and Kristy has remained an assistant.

The top-seeded Fort Kent Community High School boys soccer team defeated eighth-ranked Dexter High School 9-2 in a Class C North quarterfinal match Monday, Oct. 22 in Fort Kent.

Three minutes after tying an Oct. 19 afternoon Class B North semifinal vs. third-seeded Winslow High School 1-1, No. 2 Foxcroft fell behind again at 2-1. The second Black Raider goal would end the afternoon’s scoring as the team won 2-1 to advance to Wednesday evening’s regional championship against top-seeded Gardiner Area High School at Thomas College in Waterville.

The Foxcroft Academy boys cross country team finished in 10th place at the 2018 Class B North championship on Oct. 20 at Troy Howard Middle School. The Ponies scored 267 points to place 10th among 13 schools, besting the 298 for Washington Academy of East Machias, 330 scored by Winslow High School, and 338 for Medomak Valley High School of Waldoboro.

With two sessions of moose hunted completed, hunters have been enjoying above-average success thus far, with 1,508 of 2005 permit holders -- 75.4 percent -- filling their tags according to preliminary data.

Five area residents took part in the 2018 MDI Half-Marathon on Oct. 14 on Mount Desert Island. Rico Portalatin, 47 of Milo, finished sixth out of a field of 633 entrants. Portalatin covered the 13.1 miles in 1 hour, 16 minutes, and 52 seconds.

Foxcroft Academy junior Ethan Curtis joined some of the the state’s top golfers at the 2018 Class B championship Oct. 13 at Natanis Golf Course.

Three drives in the first quarter that each required just a single play helped Foxcroft Academy build a 20-0 lead against Washington Academy of East Machias during the Ponies’ Senior Night on Oct. 12. Foxcroft is set to play at Oakes Field again this season, most likely after a bye in the opening round of the Class D North playoffs, as the team earned a 41-0 victory to improve to 7-0 on the season with the Ponies’ first shutout of 2018.