Maine

Meet the new Maine high school football head coaches

Published

2 years ago

September 5, 2024

Meet the new Maine high school football head coaches

New Cheverus football coach Skip Capone works with players during a Sept. 4 practice in Portland. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer

Being a high school varsity football coach is a multi-faceted job. Head coaches oversee players and assistant coaches. They are the final disciplinarian. They will coach a position group and usually call the offensive or defensive signals. Interacting with parents, school administrators, booster groups, grounds and maintenance crews, athletic training staff, and media are part of the job. It requires passion, planning and precision to be successful.

Several Maine teams have new leaders at the top. Here’s a look at first-year head coaches.

NATE DANFORTH, Oxford Hills: Danforth is no stranger to the Vikings’ program. He’s been on the coaching staff since 1999 and was the team’s head coach from 2008-10. He was a key assistant under Mark Soehren (2012-23) and the team’s defensive coordinator as Oxford Hills rose to the top of the Class A ranks, winning the state championship in 2022. Soehren retired in May, and Danforth was chosen as the new coach in early August.

SKIP CAPONE, Cheverus: There aren’t many coaches in Maine with more experience – or sheer enthusiasm – than the 69-year-old Capone. A native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Capone is in his 47th year as a football coach, including a 14-year stint as Lewiston’s head coach and 22 years as an assistant at Bates College. Capone replaces Mike Vance, who led the Stags for eight years after replacing John Wolfgram. Cheverus moves from Class C to Class B, and Capone, hired in January, said he wants to guide the program back to Class A.

MARK BOISSONNEAULT, Sanford: Another long-time assistant taking over for an established coach, Boissonneault has been at Sanford for 32 years, the last five as the Spartans’ offensive coordinator. He replaces Mike Fallon, who resigned after accepting an assistant principal’s position at Sanford.

Skip Capone is in his 47th season coaching football, but his first as the head coach at Cheverus. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer

SPENCER EMERSON, Falmouth: The 2011 graduate of Edward Little takes over for John Fitzsimmons, Falmouth’s coach since 2007, who resigned under pressure from parents, and ultimately players. Emerson has significant coaching experience. He was the head coach at Poland in 2018-19 and has since been a college assistant at Bates, Georgetown and the University of Chicago.

SETH JOHNSON, Poland: Johnson replaces Gus Leblanc, a longtime and respected educator and administrator who died in February. He was the coach at Sacopee Valley last year, which plays in the eight-man ranks. Johnson said he enjoyed coaching at Sacopee but is excited to be back in the 11-player ranks. He is also the varsity baseball coach at Gray-New Gloucester.

NICK ORSI, Yarmouth: A relative newcomer to Maine football circles, Orsi takes over for Jim Hartman. An investment advisor and former high school quarterback outside Chicago, Orsi has been a high school assistant for three seasons, all in the eight-player ranks. He was on Hartman’s Yarmouth staff in 2021 and 2022, and last year was the offensive coordinator at Brunswick.

JOEL STONETON, Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale: Stoneton, the former Winthrop athletic director, takes over for Dave St. Hilaire, who went 55-32 in nine seasons. Stoneton, a 1993 graduate of Winthrop, was the Ramblers’ head coach prior to St. Hilaire, going 61-35 in 10 seasons. His 2008 team went 11-1, losing in the Class C state final. Stoneton had been the team’s defensive coordinator under St. Hilaire.

Nate Danforth is serving as head coach at Oxford Hills for a second time. He has been on the Vikings’ coaching staff since 1999, including three seasons as the head coach from 2008-10. Brewster Burns photo

FRED LOWER, Brewer: The former athletic director at Hampden Academy and current assistant principal at Brewer, Lower returns to the sidelines. Lower previously was a head coach at Hampden Academy, had two stints as an assistant coach at Husson University, and was on the Bangor staff for more than 10 years.

ERIC SCHROEDER, Sacopee Valley: Schroeder takes over from Seth Johnson, who left to become head coach at Poland. A longtime assistant, this is Schroeder’s 10th season coaching at his alma mater. He was a member of Sacopee Valley’s inaugural football team.

GERALD HARTLEY, Mount View: Hartley was an assistant coach with the Mustangs under his predecessor, Rick Leary, who coached for seven seasons. Hartley takes over a young team that went 2-17 over the last three seasons. A longtime coach at youth levels, Hartley is a head coach for the first time.

JOHN EDWARDS, Valley: A former high school football coach in Montana, Edwards takes over the state’s northernmost team. Playing in its third varsity season, Valley is a co-op of players from Fort Kent, Madawaska and Wisdom. The program is still looking for its first varsity win.

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Maine

Wet, cooler today; rain & snow impacts across Maine

Published

6 hours ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Wet, cooler today; rain & snow impacts across Maine

BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – Good morning and Happy Sunday everyone. Skies are cloudy with fog across much of Maine this morning. Rain has entered locations along the interstate and to the northwest. Temperatures vary from the upper 30s to mid 40s. Winds are out of the SE between about 5-15 mph.

Today will be a wet and impactful day with rain and even snow anticipated as a large cold front passes through Maine. Skies will be cloudy with plenty of fog lasting through the morning. Rain will expand across the interstate by the late morning hours, reaching Downeast locations by midday/the early afternoon.

By the early to midafternoon, temperatures will start to drop across northwestern locations as the cold front passes through Maine. This will result in rain turning over to mixed precipitation and eventually snow across the Western Mountains, Moosehead region, and Northern Maine. Rain will continue steadily and at times heavily across the foothills, Interstate, Coast, and Downeast. A few thunderstorms are even possible closer to the coast.

Snow will expand across areas to the northwest of the interstate this evening, reaching all the way down to Interior Midcoast communities, the Bangor region, and Interior Downeast areas by sunset and into the start of the night. Precipitation will taper off across Western Maine shortly after sunset, before exiting the entire state around midnight tonight. High temps today will vary from the low 40s to low 50s with SSE to NW gusts reaching 20-25 mph.

WABI Weather 4/19/26 AM(WABI)

Snowfall totals will vary under 2 inches across Western, Northern, and Interior Downeast locations. However, a few pockets of 2-4 inches are possible, mostly in higher elevations across the mountains. Rainfall totals will accumulate around a half inch to three quarters of an inch when all is said and done.

Precipitation will be out of Maine by midnight tonight, with cloudy conditions giving way to mostly clear skies by sunrise. Lows overnight will dip back below freezing across much of the state, from the low 20s to mid 30s tonight, so cover up any plants or flowers outside. WNW gusts will reach 20-25 mph. A Small Craft Advisory is expected offshore.

Skies will be partly to mostly sunny across the interstate and coast on Monday morning. However, by the late morning to midday hours, clouds will build with a few scattered rain and snow showers in spots. Conditions will remain on the cloudier side in the afternoon before clearing up around sunset into the start of Monday night. Highs will be chilly on Monday, from the low 30s to upper 40s. WNW to SW gusts will be a bit breezy, reaching 20-25 mph, which will add to the wind chill factor.

High pressure will build on Monday night, remaining overhead on Tuesday. Skies will be sunny in the morning, becoming partly to mostly sunny in the afternoon. Highs will remain cool, in the 40s across the board with North to SW gusts only reaching 15-20 mph.

A weaker low-pressure system could bring showers across Maine on Wednesday and Thursday. There is a bit of model uncertainty on exactly when it will impact Maine. The GFS has impacts on Wednesday, while the EURO, GRAF, and GDPS models have most of the impacts on Thursday. We will continue to monitor this system and potential impacts. All it looks to provide as of now are cloudier skies and rain showers, with some snow shower chances farther to the North.

By Friday and Saturday, conditions are trending on the drier side with sunshine and average temperatures returning to the forecast.

SUNDAY: Highs from low 40s to low 50s. Cloudy with AM fog. Rain becoming widespread throughout the day, turning over to snow to the north & west during PM. SSE to NW gusts reach 20-25 mph.

MONDAY: Highs from low 30s to upper 40s. Partly to mostly sunny early. Developing clouds with scattered rain/snow showers by midday/afternoon. WNW to SW gusts reach 20-25 mph.

TUESDAY: Highs throughout the 40s. Sunnier AM. Partly to mostly sunny PM. North to SW gusts reach 15-20 mph.

WEDNESDAY: Highs from low 40s to low 50s. Mostly cloudy with a few rain showers. Few AM snow showers possible North. SSE to SSW gusts reach 20-25 mph.

THURSDAY: Highs from mid 40s to mid 50s. Cloudier skies with rain showers possible. Some AM snow showers possible North. NW gusts reach 20-25 mph.

FRIDAY: Highs from upper 40s to mid 50s. Partly cloudy. NNW gusts reach 20 mph.

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Maine

18 jaw-dropping views from Katahdin to help you plan for warmer weather

Published

18 hours ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

18 jaw-dropping views from Katahdin to help you plan for warmer weather

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in September 2022.

When it comes to Maine hiking, summiting Katahdin is the ultimate achievement.

Maine’s tallest mountain stands at 5,269 feet, and there are a number of different trails hikers can take to get up and down Katahdin. And while some are harder than others, none are easy.

But the views are incredible.

Whether it’s the rugged terrain of the Knife Edge or the vast landscape of the 200,000 acres that compose Baxter State Park below, here’s a look at what it’s like to climb Katahdin.

Hunt Trail

Hunt Trail traces the edge of a ridge on the west side of Katahdin known as Hunt Spur. Credit: Aislinn Sarnacki / BDN

Katahdin Stream Falls is one of the many scenic highlights of Katahdin’s Hunt Trail. It’s located about a mile from the trailhead at Katahdin Stream Campground. Credit: Aislinn Sarnacki / BDN

Abol Trail

Chimney Pond Trail

Cathedral Trail

Saddle Trail

Northwest Basin Trail

Knife Edge

Hikers on the Knife Edge of Katahdin have few options for getting off trail to relieve themselves of human waste. Above treeline, Leave No Trace principles recommend planning ahead to avoid the necessity of going to the bathroom in fragile alpine areas, or getting off trail as far as possible to relieve themselves on rock or gravel. Credit: Courtesy of Brad Viles

Tablelands

South Peak

Hamlin Peak

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Maine

Maine Township Residents OK Purchase Of Building For Food Pantry – Journal & Topics Media Group

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2026

Press Room

Maine Township Residents OK Purchase Of Building For Food Pantry – Journal & Topics Media Group

Maine Township residents vote in support of purchasing building for the relocation of the township food pantry.

A proposal for Maine Township to purchase a building at 9850 Milwaukee Ave. in Glenview to move its popular and growing food pantry received strong approval at the township’s Annual Meeting held last week at the Town Hall on Ballard Road.
More than 100 residents attended the meeting where they approved buying the property for $1,429,000. The 3,000 sq. ft. building, which is located within the township, had been the home of a local restaurant. It is currently vacant.
In March, Supervisor Kim Jones explained that the food pantry needs more space for food and to accommodate clients who need food. “We’ve totally outgrown it,” said Jones at the time. “We’ve been looking for more than a year.”
Following last week’s meeting, Jones said about the vote, “That magical moment really encapsulated the strong support system that’s been built from neighbors helping neighbors throughout our community. The food pantry has grown in leaps and bounds throughout the last five years thanks to the dedicated work of its staff, volunteers and the public.”
Des Plaines City Clerk Dominik Bronakowski served as ceremonial moderator for the event.
Jones also recognized a number of employees and officials who currently serve the township. They included Assessor Susan Moylan-Krey and MaineStay Youth and Family Services Director Richard Lyon for their 20 years of service to Maine. Assistant Director of MaineStreamers, Therese Tully was recognized for her 25 years of service.
The meeting also recognized former Des Plaines Self-Help Closet and Pantry Director Debbie Walusiak who was presented the Sgt. Karen Lader Good Citizen Award for her more than 20 years of service to the Des Plaines community.
“Debbie is an exceptional community leader and volunteer,” said township Clerk Pete Gialamas whose office runs the annual award program. “Her work with the Des Plaines community, particularly her leadership navigating the Self-Help Closet and Pantry’s 2020 move to a larger location in the midst of the COVID pandemic really shows the depth and resolve of that leadership and dedication to service.”
In 2011, the clerk’s office instituted the award in honor of Lader, a resident of Des Plaines and a 15-year veteran of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police who lost her battle with cancer in 2010. She was deeply involved with the township’s Neighborhood Watch program and active in Maine’s National Night Out Against Crime event held each August. She also worked on Special Olympics and animal rescue.

If you like this story, you can get a whole lot more practically every day of the week by subscribing to journal-topics.com. Click here to choose your preference of either print or online, or call 847-299-5511.

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