BANGOR, Maine — While American Legion baseball statewide has experienced a considerable decline in its number of teams in recent years, the eight participants in this year’s Senior Legion state tournament at Husson University reflect much of the recent tradition of the summertime staple in Maine.
That tradition is highlighted by defending state champion and Zone 1 winner Bangor Coffee News. The Comrades will begin their bid to capture a fourth state Legion crown in five years at 7 p.m. Saturday when it faces the winner of Friday’s play-in game at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham between the third-place teams from Zone 2 (Augusta) and Zone 3 (Staples Crossing of South Berwick).
Also in the field is the only team to disrupt Bangor Coffee News’ current title streak, 2016 state champion Yankee Ford of South Portland, the Zone 3 champion.
Other perennial contenders in the field are Zone 2 champion Pastime of Lewiston, Zone 2 runner-up Bessey Motors of South Paris and Zone 3 runner-up Coastal Landscape of Portland, with Zone 1 runner-up Quirk Motor City and third-place R.H. Foster of Hampden also hoping to break through.
Quirk Motor City opens Saturday’s four-game first day of play against Coastal Landscape at 10 a.m., followed by R.H. Foster-Hampden against Pastime at 1 p.m. and Bessey Motors against Yankee Ford at 4 p.m.
The double-elimination tournament is scheduled to continue through Wednesday with the state champion advancing to the Northeast Regional set for Aug. 8-12 at Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.
“Everybody’s thirsty for that state championship and we’ve been fortunate from high school and Legion to be on a good run so there’s an upset mode on other teams’ minds for sure,” Bangor Coffee News coach Dave Morris said.
Bangor Coffee News indeed looms as the favorite, not only because of its recent Legion history but because the Comrades are 19-0 this summer after sweeping through the Zone 1 tournament, also played at Husson.
“We’re not going to change anything we’ve done for 10 years now. We’re just going to take one game at a time,” Morris said. “Our kids are up for it, and at the same time we’re fortunate that we’re playing at home. We’ve done enough traveling in other years and sometimes that can take a little bit out of your legs so we’re fortunate to be here and we’re excited.
“But there are going to be some solid baseball teams so I expect quality baseball and good competitiveness.”
While Bangor Coffee News typically has featured almost all Bangor High players, this year’s club also includes a contingent from Brewer High School, which this spring won its first Class B state title. Brewer did not field a team this summer.
“Really from Day 1 when the Brewer guys came here, it’s always been a wicked competitive team but we blended super well,” Bangor Coffee News shortstop Zach Ireland said. “Early in the season we went down to Rhode Island for an AAU type tournament and it was right then that we started getting super, super close. Just like high school everyone has each other’s backs. It’s a great group of guys.
“I think we’re starting to jell at the right time, so it’s going to be a fun ride.”
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