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Maine
Football: 2024 Varsity Maine All-State team
OFFENSE
Jamier Rose, Noble senior quarterback: An All-State pick as a defensive back as a junior and this year’s Varsity Maine Player of the Year, Rose excelled as a dual-threat quarterback, leading Noble to its first regional final since 1997. He completed 105 of 169 passes for 1,518 yards and 19 touchdowns against three interceptions and ran for 938 yards and 13 touchdowns on 116 carries. At free safety, he was Noble’s defensive signal caller and made 34 solo tackles, including four for loss, and intercepted four passes.
Louis Thurston, Portland senior quarterback: In his second season as the starting quarterback, Thurston guided Portland to its first Class A title since 2002, leading the team in rushing (108 carries, 1,027 yards, 8 TDs) while completing 97 of 154 passes for 1,465 yards and another 20 touchdowns. He also played defensive back, making 28 solo tackles, with three interceptions.
Dash Farrell, Mt. Ararat senior running back: Voted the player of the year in the eight-man Large School ranks, Farrell did it all for the Eagles, who lost in the state championship game. He ran for 2,144 rushing yards (218 carries) and 40 touchdowns, including 698 yards and 13 TDs in three playoff games; returned punts and kicks for another 773 yards and six scores; was the long-snapper on punts; and as a linebacker led the team with 73 tackles.
Daniel Ruiz, Fryeburg Academy senior running back: The Class C South Player of the Year, Ruiz was a dominant two-way player for the Class C state champions. He rushed for over 1,000 yards and 17 touchdowns while often sitting out in the second half. He was also the Raiders’ leading tackler and intercepted three passes, returning one for a touchdown, and returned two strip fumbles for touchdowns.
Anthony Tavares, Portland senior offensive lineman: Tavares, a two-way tackle, is a two-time Varsity Maine All-State selection. For the second straight season, he did not allow even a quarterback pressure, according to Portland Coach Sean Green. He was also pivotal in the Portland ground game, which averaged 262 yards per game. On defense, Tavares consistently took on double teams and was in on 39 tackles, three for loss.
Henry Mahoney, Thornton Academy senior offensive lineman: Mahoney was selected as the Gerry Raymond Class A South Lineman of the Year as a two-way starting tackle. He did not allow a quarterback sack and anchored the offensive line as Thornton averaged 383 yards and 38 points per game. He also made 21 solo tackles (4 for loss).
Charles Majkowski, Kennebunk senior offensive lineman: At 6-5, 290 pounds, Majkowski came into his own this season as the leader of an offensive line that paved the way for the B South champions to rush for over 2,900 yards. He was also a starter at defensive tackle.
DeShawn LaMour, Deering senior offensive lineman: LaMour as voted the B South Offensive Lineman of the Year, leading the way up front for the 8-2 Rams. LaMour was also a force as a defensive tackle.
Thomas Gale, Falmouth junior offensive lineman: At 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, Gale was the leader of the offensive line for a diverse, explosive offense that saw quarterback Tres Walker complete 70 percent of his passes (117 of 167), while the running game was effective both inside and on the perimeter.
Cordell Jones, Portland junior wide receiver: Jones was Portland’s Mr. Everything, lining up at every skill position during the course of a game. He caught 26 passes for 533 yards and eight touchdowns. As a wildcat quarterback and taking handoffs on jet sweeps, he rushed for 971 yards and 16 touchdowns. On defense, he had 29 solo tackles, three tackles for loss, two interceptions and a fumble recovery.
Brady Plante, Old Orchard Beach senior utility: Plante was a four-year starter at quarterback for the Seagulls’ eight-man team, and this year led them to their second Small School state championship in three years. Seldom playing beyond halftime because of lopsided scores and missing two games because of minor injuries, Plante completed 80 of 115 passes (69.6%) for 2,393 yards and 35 touchdowns against two interceptions, ran for 492 yards (14.5 yards per carry) and nine TDs, and accounted for 21 2-point conversions (seven rushing, 14 passing).
DEFENSE
Anton Kravchuk, Fryeburg Academy senior defensive tackle: At 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds, Kravchuk had the agility to play center on offense, “He’s the best lineman we’ve played in years,” said Gorham Coach Sam Morrison. Leavitt’s Mike Hathaway called Kravchuk “the most impactful defensive player in Maine.” A two-time all-conference pick on both sides of the ball, Kravchuk signed with the University of Maine on Wednesday, projected as an offensive lineman.
Colin Kelly, Portland senior defensive tackle: Like Tavares, Kelly was a two-way starting tackle and a key to Portland’s offense, allowing one QB sack. But it was on defense where he shined as a run-stopper who could also pressure the quarterback, with 55 total tackles (26 solo), five sacks, and 12 tackles for loss.
Eli Bush, Falmouth junior defensive end: As he demonstrated in Falmouth’s Class B championship win against Kennebunk, the 6-foot-4, 230-pounder was a disruptive force on the edge of Falmouth’s stingy defense, recording 25 tackles for loss, including 10 sacks, among his 39 solo tackles. He also blocked a punt that he returned for a touchdown. As a blocking tight end, he was often the lead blocker on explosive outside runs.
Shane Waterman, Marshwood senior defensive end: A four-year starter and two-year captain who played tenaciously regardless of the score, Waterman was voted the B South defensive lineman of the year. He was in on 70 tackles, with 13 quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles and two blocked kicks. He was also a starter at offensive guard.
Eli Potter, Wells senior linebacker: The defensive leader for the Class D champion Warriors, Potter has “great instincts, tackles well, and runs our defense,” said Wells Coach Tim Roche. He made 52 solo tackles and also rushed for 1,400 yards, at 8.7 yards per carry, with 22 touchdowns at fullback.
Indi Backman, Falmouth senior linebacker: The linchpin of a Falmouth defense that allowed 59 points in 11 games, Backman made 56 solo tackles with 25 for loss, including three sacks. As the Class B primary running back for the Class B champions, he gained over 1,000 yards, with 12 touchdowns
Ben McCarron, Greely senior linebacker: It wasn’t just McCarron’s 12 solo tackles, three interceptions and two pick-sixes in the eight-man Large School championship game that earned him his All-State spot. But that effort clearly demonstrated his ability to read an offense and make the play. McCarron made 128 total tackles (70 solo), forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles, and averaged 6.3 yards per carry with four touchdowns as a running back.
Easton Healy, South Portland senior defensive back: As a safety, Healy was a tenacious tackler, getting in on 60 tackles and also intercepting two passes. As a dual-threat quarterback, he rushed for 537 yards and 14 touchdowns and completed 67 of 117 passes for 1,073 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Riley Provencher, Old Orchard Beach defensive back: An outstanding all-around player, the 5-11, 185-pounder made 56 tackles, intercepted two passes, caused two fumbles, and scored two defensive touchdowns and three TDs on punt returns. As a wide receiver, he caught 40 passes for 1,121 yards and 18 touchdowns and rushed for 120 yards and three scores on 13 carries. In the eight-man Small School state championship game, he had three touchdown catches, a kick-return touchdown and an interception.
Tavian Lauture, Deering senior defensive back: The B South Player of the Year impacted every facet of Deering’s 8-2 season. On defense, he intercepted five passes and was an aggressive tackler. In the kicking game, he made two field goals beyond 40 yards. His kickoffs usually resulted in touchbacks or Lauture making the tackle. His greatest value was as a quarterback with leadership skills, throwing for 825 yards and nine touchdowns in a run-first offense and rushing for 934 yards and 13 TDs.
Colton Carter, Lawrence senior utility: Carter was the top all-around performer for B North runner-up Lawrence. On defense, he played a combo linebacker/defensive end position and made 27 tackles. His greatest value was as a running back who needed to be gang-tackled and could bust a big play, gaining 1,537 yards with 22 touchdowns while averaging 8.4 yards per carry. He also caught three touchdown passes.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Spencer Emerson, Falmouth
In his first season with the Navigators, Emerson increased participation significantly by convincing top athletes to return to football, then led the team to an undefeated 11-0 season and its first football championship, featuring a relentless defense that was a strength from the opening game while developing a balanced and diverse offense that improved throughout the season.
Politics
Our political journalists are based in the Maine State House and have deep source networks across the partisan spectrum in communities all over the state. Their coverage aims to cut through major debates and probe how officials make decisions. Read more Politics coverage here.
A Maine Republican Party online survey on the gubernatorial primary has sparked frustration and exposed divisions among the crowded field just a week before the party aims to project unity at its convention in Augusta.
Multiple campaigns told the Bangor Daily News they were not aware of the poll in advance or had not received the survey in an email sent out widely by the party last week. The campaigns said the survey’s timing and the fact that not every candidate had the chance to work the poll and vote for themselves sent the wrong message.
Former fitness executive Ben Midgley won the straw poll, which the party noted was not scientific. His campaign cited the nearly 32% support as a sign of rising momentum in a race that’s been led so far by lobbyist and former federal official Bobby Charles. Charles came in second at almost 30%, and entrepreneur Jonathan Bush came in third at 13%.
Charles has led previous polls without spending nearly as much on advertising as Bush or groups backing lobbyist and former Maine Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason. Midgley was among a large group of candidates stuck in the single digits in a survey released in March by Pan Atlantic Research.
Staffers at two campaigns said there was briefly talk of boycotting the convention after the poll. Delegates are poised to gather over Friday and Saturday at Augusta Civic Center, where the party says another straw poll is planned.
Mason said he did not see the survey in his email but acknowledged it may have been received by his team without it getting up the chain.
“It probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do for party unity,” Mason said. “It’s not the best look.”
Vincent Harris, a Charles spokesperson, said the campaign “did not push or promote this straw poll to a single person.” He said the campaign was unaware of the survey until Midgley’s release.
“As Republicans, we believe voter integrity is important and yet there was no clarity here,” he added.
Entrepreneur Owen McCarthy’s campaign was also not aware of the online stroll poll until after results were released. A spokesman for the campaign called it “unfortunate that with the convention right around the corner, the whole process has been tainted by the perception that party insiders are trying to foist their preferred candidate onto grassroots primary voters.”
Jason Savage, executive director of the Maine GOP, said the party believed all the candidates had received the poll, but “we take everybody at their word that says they didn’t receive it.”
He and a spokesperson for the Bush campaign also separately noted that the straw poll was discussed during a pre-convention Zoom meeting, and he said it went to the party’s entire email list. The poll went to at least two BDN email addresses.
Savage emphasized that the convention poll would be “one person, one vote” per delegate.
“Everything in a few days is going to be about the convention,” he said. “Everybody is invited to compete and do their best and see how they can do.”
More than 200 Fort Fairfield Middle High School students, staff and administrators filed into the school’s gym on April 8 for an anti-bullying assembly.
On stage, surrounded by neon tube lights, was the Icon Dance Team, a New York-based troupe that travels to schools around the U.S. dancing and singing to radio hits interspersed with messages about self-respect and standing up for others.
Parents were notified of the performance in advance, MSAD 20 Superintendent Melanie Blais said. No one contacted the district afterward to complain.
But six days later, on April 14, the conservative influencer Libs of TikTok blasted a series of posts about the performance — and its lead dancer — to its millions of social media followers and accused the district of “openly grooming” its students.
“This is what schools are pushing on your children using our tax dollars,” one caption reads. “SHUT THEM DOWN.”
Commenters tagged the U.S. Department of Justice and called Maine a “demonic” state. Some encouraged violence against one of the dancers.
District officials insist the performance focused only on encouraging positive self-esteem and counteracting bullying. And despite the recent furor on social media, they say local people have shared no concerns.
“The content of the program included messages about standing up for oneself and others, reporting bullying to trusted adults, encouraging students to set goals and to include peers who may be left out,” Blais said.
The issue concerned the group’s frontman, James Linehan, who is also a musician with the stage name J-Line. In his music career, Linehan bills himself as “your favorite gay pop star” and is currently on a tour called the “Dirty Pop Party,” where he performs alongside other LGBTQ artists.
Libs of TikTok, run by Chaya Raichik, a former Brooklyn real estate agent turned social media provocateur, pulled photos from Linehan’s music website, in which he is shirtless, and targeted his sexuality to argue that he was pushing sexually charged content on children.
The Icon Dance Team, which also goes by the names Echo Dance Team and Vital Dance Team, is a separate entity. The group, active since at least 2011, features Linehan and two backup dancers and has performed at more than 2,000 schools, according to its website.
Performances consist of 30 minutes of choreographed dancing and singing to songs about self-acceptance, followed by Linehan recounting how he was bullied in grade school and his journey to finding his life passions and respecting himself.
School officials reviewed the group’s website before scheduling the performance and found it aligned with the district’s anti-bullying goals, Blais said.
“The group was chosen based on strong recommendations from several other school districts where similar performances had been presented in the past,” Blais said. “Those districts described the assemblies as positive and energetic and praised their messages about self-esteem and anti-bullying.”
Hours of the group’s school performances posted by other districts online and reviewed by the Bangor Daily News do not include suggestive dancing and Linehan does not mention his sexuality.
This is not the first time the dance team has faced criticism, nor the first time Libs of TikTok has taken aim at Maine.
In the past year, the account amplified a school board debate over the harassment of transgender students in North Berwick and the election of a Bangor city councilor with a criminal record. The account was among the right-wing influencers that successfully campaigned to doom a 2024 bill before the Maine legislature that surrounded gender-affirming care.
Icon’s performances at schools in Utah, Ohio, Texas and Tennessee have come under scrutiny from parents who referred to Linehan’s music career and posts on his social media accounts.
A district in Missouri canceled two assemblies in 2023 after receiving complaints. Some of the criticism is linked to allegations that Linehan encouraged students at some performances to follow his Instagram, which is tied to his music career. Parents alleged it contained “inappropriate” content.
That Instagram page is now private. Blais said they raised the issue with the group ahead of the performance.
“That was not a part of the performance in any way and we clarified this with the company prior to their visit to our school,” she said.
Linehan did not respond to a request for comment.
Libs of TikTok has almost 7 million followers between X, Facebook, Instagram and Truth Social, the platform founded by President Donald Trump.
Raichik, the account’s creator, has mingled with Trump and other right-wing politicians and activists at the White House and Mar-a-Lago, the president’s Florida residence. Her posts, which can receive hundreds of thousands to millions of views, have helped shape anti-LGBTQ discourse in conservative circles and have been promoted by the likes of podcaster Joe Rogan and Fox News.
The Southern Poverty Law Center labels Raichik as an extremist.
But despite the assembly generating national outrage last week, in Fort Fairfield, the community appears unshaken.
“We’ve not received a single call or email from local community members that I am aware of,” Blais said. “We initially received a handful of calls from individuals who were clearly not affiliated with the school district in any way, but they were not interested in hearing what actually took place.”
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