Nebraska baseball (14-5) concluded its series with Maine (2-16) in a Saturday doubleheader. The Huskers swept the Black Bears, overcoming nail-biting moments to take the series.

Nebraska started the day with a 6-3 victory, holding onto its lead despite Maine cutting into the margin. The Black Bears struck a two-run home run in the fourth, making it a 4-2 deficit. The Huskers added two more runs in the sixth, giving themselves room to breathe before taking the win.

Nebraska finished the game with 10 hits, while Maine totaled five. Mac Moyer led the Huskers in the win, batting 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. Jeter Worthley, Devin Nunez, Jett Buck and Drew Grego each earned one RBI. Worthley hit 3-for-4, Nunez finished 2-for-3, Buck batted 1-for-3 and Grego earned his RBI on a sacrificial fly.

Carson Jasa (3-1) started on the mound and snatched the win after pitching 6.2 innings. He struck out a career-high 10 batters and allowed three runs on four hits. Colin Nowaczyk closed out the seventh and started the eighth, recording one strikeout against one hit across 0.2 innings. Cooper Katskee got the save after tossing the final 1.2 innings and allowing no hits.

BETHEL

Valentine Farm, 162 North Road, welcomes leashed dogs to its 150 acres owned by Mahoosuc Land Trust. The mostly flat property features three looped trails laid out like a three-leaf clover. Two are wooded, while the third winds through a grassy field to the Androscoggin River and back. Visitors are reminded: “No poop on the loop.”

Mt. Will trail on Route 2, about 10 minutes from Bethel village, is a moderate three-mile looped hike. A warning for old or arthritic dogs: the trail can be a little tricky and sometimes icy, especially near the summit, where there is a great view of the Androscoggin River.

Bring your pup along the snow-covered trails at Carter’s X-country, 786 Intervale Road, Bethel. Cost is $15 for a doggie day pass. (Leave the dog in the car if you plan to use the center’s new sauna after your workout).

After your outing, refuel at one of two area dog-friendly eateries. At Gemini Cafe & Bakery, 96 Main St., Bethel, leashed dogs are welcome on their outdoor patio. As the weather warms, Steam Mill Brewery, 96 Sunday River Road, Bethel, opens its outdoor seating area to four-legged guests as well.

FARMINGTON

Powder House Hill Trails, 218 Titcomb Hill Road, welcomes dog walkers to its 188 acre, multiuse recreational trail network. The trailheads are all located less than a mile from downtown Farmington and are open from dawn to dusk year-round. The trail network includes the 44-acre Flint Woods, the 43-acre Village Woods and the 10-acre Bonney Woods.

The trails are managed by the Bonney Woods Corp., which asks that you keep your dog under control and on a leash at all times and to pick up after their messes. They also advise users to stay on the established trails to protect vegetation, animal habitat quality and to prevent erosion.

The Prescott Field Trail System offers a 0.4-mile out-and-back gravel path that travels along the edge of Prescott Field and down to the Sandy River. The trail was a project of the High Peaks Alliance and the University of Maine, and is fully-accessible to the banks of the river. The trail begins at the south end of Front Street near the Prescott softball field on the UMF campus.

Meetinghouse Park at 139 Main St. is in the heart of Farmington’s downtown, is host to an historic Gazebo and features several tributes to veterans. The town invites families to “let the kids and the dog run free,” according to the town website.

OXFORD HILLS

The Wook Nook at 495 Main St. in Norway welcomes dogs to attend its outdoor summer concerts. Down the street a few blocks, 290 Maine St. serves water to visiting pooches as staff greet customers to the patio dining area. Brenda Melhus, owner of Norway Brewing at 237 Main St., tells us that any day their patio is open, dogs have an open invitation.

In South Paris, Norway Soft Serve on Main Street is a popular summer stop for people/canine teams.

Oxbow Brew Pub at 420 Main St. in Oxford is also known for its dog-friendly atmosphere. Rocket Ron’s American Grill is a food truck at 576 Main St. in Oxford and gets an extra thumbs-up for offering free snacks to dogs accompanied by their people.

Tractor Supply’s doors are always open for customers to bring their dogs inside. The Oxford store is at 1272 Main St.

For the adventurous among us, dogsledding is regularly done on the ITS trail between Hebron and Buckfield and at Hancock Lumber’s Jugtown Forest Trail off Ellen Drive in Naples. The Roberts Farm Preserve on Roberts Road in Norway holds Cani-cross races Sunday mornings during the fall and winter seasons.

And leashed dogs are welcomed at public trails in the region, including at Hawk Mountain and Mount Tire ‘m in Waterford, Pennesseewassee Park in Norway and the Smith Bridge Preserve in Oxford.

RANGELEY AREA

The Rangeley Lakes Trail Center has over 30 miles of conserved trails in Dallas Plantation. Dogs are welcome on select trails during the winter months, including the Geneva Loop for skijoring and snowshoeing. Dogs must remain on a leash at all times during a hike.

Parkside & Main at 2520 Main St. in downtown Rangeley allows dogs on its outdoor deck during the summer months. Be sure to keep your pup on a leash while dining as a courtesy to other customers.

Cascade Stream Gorge trail, owned by the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust is a 1 mile trail in Sandy River Plantation with views of a stream and waterfalls along the path. Make sure to practice “leave no trace” on your hike and pick up after your dog.

RUMFORD AREA

The dog park at McGouldrick Park in Dixfield at 38 Dix Ave. features a small fenced-off section for small dogs and a larger section for medium and large dogs. There are posted rules and the park is equipped with waste removal stations.

In 2023, Dirigo student Kiley LaFollette presented to the Dixfield Select Board her idea to add a dog park to McGouldrick Park. Her presentation inspired the creation of Friends of McGouldrick Park, a nonprofit, which has brought new life to the park and community. The park features a section for the pooches, as well as a new playground, new boat launch, new picnic tables, and an improved ice skating rink for the humans.

The Swift River Trail is a .8 mile paved path through the woods between the river and Hosmer Field Athletic Complex in Rumford. The parking lot for this trail can be reached by turning off Hosmer Lane on the west side of the river by the basketball courts. Dogs must be leashed and their waste picked up.

AUGUSTA — Thornton Academy successfully defended its Class A state championship last weekend, and Jake Skillings was a big reason why.

On Saturday, Skillings became the second straight Thornton player to win Maine’s most prestigious hockey trophy: the Travis Roy Award.

Skillings, who led Class A in scoring with 21 goals and 28 assists, was honored as the state’s best senior at the Class A Hockey Coaches Association’s banquet at the Augusta Civic Center.

The award is named for Travis Roy, who played for Yarmouth High, North Yarmouth Academy and Tabor Academy, then went on to Boston University. In his first shift for the Terriers in 1995, Roy lost his balance and went head-first into the boards. The accident left him a quadriplegic, and he went on to become a speaker and author who also started the Travis Roy Foundation, which provided support for those with spinal injuries. Roy died on Oct. 29, 2020, at age 45.

Thornton goaltender Drew Johnson won the award in 2025.

“It means a lot to me,” Skillings said after the ceremony. “I read (Travis Roy’s) book, too, and just learning and how he dealt with stuff just really pushed me to be the best person and player I am today.”

Another message Skillings took from Travis Roy’s book, “Eleven Seconds”, is that there will always be bumps in the road.

Skillings spoke about one recent bump, the death last fall of his 18U coach, Jake Brown, who died at age 34 as a result of injuries sustained in a car crash.

“We had to play for him,” Skillings said. “We know he loved the sport. We loved him as a coach. He was a very easy guy to talk to and somebody to go to if you needed help. And it’s just too sad on what happened, but he is truly remembered as a great person.”

Thornton coach Jamie Gagnon said Skillings was one of the locker room leaders.

“He did things the right way in the locker room and that’s kind of what you’d hope would be the representative of this award,” Gagnon said. “He’s, you know, very unassuming, very much so. Like, just wanted everything to be for the team. Everything had to be for the team. And it was always the first thing out of his mouth was: How does it impact the team?”

Skillings was joined by his Thornton teammate Trent LeSieur, Falmouth’s Cale Hanson and Cheverus/Yarmouth’s Ben Dumais as finalists for the award.  

Skillings and LeSieur became friends at age 5 when their fathers started talking at a Learn to Skate session. They have been teammates ever since.

“Yes, it’s something that we dreamed of, and it’s honestly a great accomplishment for both of us,” Skillings said.

Skillings is Thornton Academy’s third winner. C.J. Maskut (2012) was the first Golden Trojans’ player to win the award.

Gagnon said it was nerve-wracking having two finalists from his team.

“But yeah, it’s obviously, as you see two guys up there and doing something they’re not familiar with, they’d rather be out there playing hockey, which we’ll be doing tonight,” Gagnon said. “It’s rewarding to see it go to one of them, but I think both of them would have said that, if they could pass that trophy off and give it to the other, they probably would, too. So two selfless athletes, good people, good players.”