MMA’s Doyon earns Gold Helmet
CASTINE, Maine — Maine Maritime Academy linebacker Jeddy Doyon has been awarded the New England Football Writers’ Association Gold Helmet award. The senior captain from Hampden piled up 16 tackles in Saturday’s 47-41 victory over Massachusetts Maritime Academy at Ritchie Field.
Doyon also was named the New England Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week. He is the first MMA player to earn the Gold Helmet since Jim Bower in 2009.
UM women’s hockey picked 4th
ORONO, Maine— The University of Maine women’s hockey team was selected fourth in the Hockey East preseason poll released Wednesday. Boston College was first with 64 points and eight first-place votes, followed by Boston University (57/1), Northeastern (50) and Maine (34) points.
Rounding out the poll are Connecticut (32), New Hampshire (30), Vermont (29), Providence (20) and Merrimack (8). The Black Bears open the season Oct. 2 at New Hampshire.
UMaine baseball game date changed
The University of Maine’s fall baseball game against Husson University of Bangor has been changed to Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor. The rain date is Oct. 8
Texas coach told players to hit official
AUSTIN, Texas — An assistant Texas high school football coach ordered his players to blindside a football official during a game as payback for what the team perceived to be the official’s use of racist language, TV sports network ESPN reported on Wednesday.
In a letter detailing his interactions with the head coach after the game, John Jay High School’s principal said the team’s secondary coach, Mack Breed, admitted he “directed the students to make the referee pay for his racial comments and calls,” according to evidence gathered by ESPN’s “Outside the Lines.”
Officials from the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, which oversees the school, said they did not release the information and could not comment on the report.
The official, Robert Watts, denies that he made any racially charged comments, his lawyer has said.
The two players were ejected from the game, which John Jay lost 15-9. They are now attending a different school.
They are facing a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday, the school district said.
On Thursday, the governing body for school sports in Texas, the University Interscholastic League (UIL), will hold a hearing to discuss possible punishment of the school.
Breed, 29, has been put on administrative leave pending investigations by the school district, the UIL and police in Marble Falls, who have launched a criminal probe of the incident.
Thunder’s Durant cleared to play
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant has been cleared to play without restriction for the upcoming season after recovering from a foot injury.
General manager Sam Presti made the announcement Wednesday during his preseason news conference.
Durant’s 2014-15 season ended in March with his third foot surgery. The league MVP and scoring champion in 2013-14 played just 27 games last season because of a broken bone in his right foot. He had surgery last October and returned to play in December with some pain. A screw rubbing against another bone was removed in February and, after more pain, Durant consulted with three foot and ankle specialists and had a bone graft in March.
Durant, who turns 27 next week, averaged 25.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists last season in limited play as the Thunder missed the playoffs.
City approves spending for Bucks arena
A Milwaukee spending plan for a new Bucks arena was approved by the Common Council, which clears the way for a $250 million public financing package to help with the estimated $500 million project.
The council voted 12-3 Tuesday to approve the $47 million city spending plan, including funds going toward a parking structure and an outdoor plaza. The NBA team now needs council approval for the project’s design.
The arena will not pay property taxes.
The Bucks will provide $8 million to help pay for a new parking structure, and that money, plus interest, eventually will be repaid to the team through property taxes from new development within the arena tax financing district, according to the newspaper.