The 2018 outdoor track and field season began last week for the area’s high school teams.

Attention: Due to unsafe water levels on the Piscataquis with a lot of debris flowing through the 2018 Kiwanis River Race has been postponed to Saturday, May 26. Safety is a big priority for the Kiwanis Club; this is a family race and we don't want anyone to get hurt.

Ice fishing is a Maine tradition that goes back centuries. But as temperatures have climbed in recent decades, the ice is melting earlier and earlier on most of the state’s lakes, and that’s carving into the ice fishing season.

Cub Scout Pack 61 held its annual Pinewood Derby on March 10 at the Grace Bible Church in Sangerville.

The Foxcroft Youth and SeDoMoCha Middle School wrestling teams traveled to the Cross Insurance Arena over the weekend to compete at the Marshwood New England tournament. Over a 1,000 wrestlers from all six New England states participated in this event.

The Dexter Municipal Golf Course will celebrate its 50th anniversary during the 2018 golf season according to Jim Costedio, the course manager.

Piscataquis Community High School senior Bryce Gilbert, a 6-0 guard for the Pirates, is a Third Team selection on the 63rd Bangor Daily News All-Maine Schoolboy Basketball Team. The honor places Gilbert among the top 15 players across the state of Maine in all five classes.

A pair of area senior football players have been selected to participate in the 2018 Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic, which is scheduled for Saturday, July 21 at Thornton Academy in Saco. Chosen for the East team -- made up of high school seniors from Classes A, B, C, and D -- is Dexter Regional High School’s Tyler Beem and Reggie Johnston of Foxcroft.

Back in 2003, the Bangor Daily News’ marketing gurus were looking for a way to introduce their new outdoor columnist -- me -- to our readers.

The Foxcroft Youth and SeDoMoCha Middle School wrestling teams attended the Pirate Wrestling Tournament held at Piscataquis Community High School March 31.

The Greenville High School boys basketball team traveled to Augusta on March 28 to receive a Legislative Sentiment recognizing the Lakers winning the 2018 Class D championship. During the visit the students met with their state legislators Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville and Rep. Paul Stearns, R-Guilford.

Dexter Regional High School freshman Peyton Grant was recognized by the Bangor Daily News by receiving honorable mention on the 42nd BDN All-Maine Schoolgirl Basketball Team.

The Foxcroft Youth Wrestling and SeDoMoCha Middle School wrestling teams continued the great season as both teams traveled to Howland to compete at the Hichborn Youth Wrestling Tournament.

On Saturday, March 10 the Big Pine Gun Club hosted its fourth annual youth biathlon competition. To enter the biathlon, each participant had to have passed a rifle safety course. The competitors were separated into classes based on their National Rifle Association proficiency levels achieved while taking part in Big Pine's light rifle program.

At the end of February, three Maine men set out on snowshoes to hike the 100-Mile Wilderness, the most remote section of the Appalachian Trail stretching about 100 miles from Monson to Baxter State Park. They completed the arduous journey, over mountains and across half-frozen streams, in nine days, a feat very few hikers accomplish in the winter.

On Saturday, March 17 the Foxcroft Youth and SeDoMoCha Middle School wrestling teams competed at the Foxcroft Youth Wrestling Tournament held at Foxcroft Academy. Over 176 wrestlers from eight different teams attended the tourney. Both local teams had a great showing over the weekend.

Maine’s Libra Foundation, as part of its broader efforts to rekindle new activity and investment in Piscataquis County, is constructing a state-of-the-art ice arena on property adjacent to Foxcroft Academy.

Athletic competition typically is a test of risk versus reward. In this case, the risk for the participants might be a pulled muscle, a sore back and perhaps an uncomfortable night of sleep. But when coaches from Penobscot Valley Conference schools gather for their annual Coaches vs. Cancer basketball game, the reward will be much greater -- the chance to help a colleague, a player or someone within the community -- cope with one of life’s greatest challenges.