Is there any question about the depth of the Colonial Athletic Association when it comes to football?

Five teams, including the University of Maine, are among the final 16 teams in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

In Saturday’s first round, James Madison beat Eastern Kentucky 20-17, and Old Dominion topped Norfolk State 35-18. The other three CAA playoff teams got first-round byes.

The second round may not be so kind to the CAA. All but one team will be considered an underdog. Only league champion Towson is favored, over visiting Patriot League champion Lehigh.

New Hampshire is at Montana State. Old Dominion is at third-seeded Georgia Southern. James Madison is at second-seeded North Dakota State. And Maine is at Appalachian State in Boone, N.C., at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The Mountaineers feature a high-scoring spread offense that has averaged 401 yards and 30.2 points per game. Those are ASU’s lowest totals since 2003.

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The Mountaineers are the only FCS school to win three straight national championships, accomplishing the feat from 2005-07. Their football success goes back to the 1930s, when they were an NAIA school. The 1937 team, coached by Kidd Brewer, for whom the Mountaineers’ stadium is named, outscored opponents 206-0 during the regular season.

 

UMAINE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL has featured some powerhouses on its schedule in previous years, including Connecticut, Duke and several Southeastern Conference teams.

But at 6 p.m. tonight, the Black Bears (2-3) will host Division III Maine Maritime Academy (2-1) in Memorial Gymnasium.

Tracy Guerrette, Maine’s director of basketball operations, said the Mariners were a late addition to the schedule – when the Black Bears found themselves one game short with few available teams to play.

 

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THE BOWDOIN-USM women’s basketball rivalry is well known, but the Bowdoin-USM men’s game should also be entertaining when the two schools meet tonight for a doubleheader at Hill Gymnasium in Gorham. The women’s game begins at 5:30 p.m., the men’s game follows.

For the men, both Bowdoin and USM are 4-1, with each defeat a close one to St. Joseph’s (Bowdoin lost 70-68; USM lost 61-59 in overtime on Sunday)

The Bowdoin women are 3-0. They are led by senior guard Jill Henrickson of Bath (and Morse High), who is averaging 18.7 points per game and has made 8 of 24 3-pointers.

USM (3-2) is led by senior center Courtney Cochran of Waite, who is averaging 20 points and 10.2 rebounds. Senior guard Nicole Garland of Portland (and Deering High) is averaging 13.8 points. The Huskies had won three straight before a 65-59 overtime loss to St. Joseph’s on Sunday.

And, yes, that made for two overtime games Sunday at St. Joseph’s.

 

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ST. JOSEPH’S is off to a good basketball start, with the men 3-0 and the women 3-1.

For the women, the Monks are led by a trio of Mainers — center Ashley Geel of St. George (14 points, 9.3 rebounds per game), forward Allie Parent of Camden (12.8 points) and guard Megan McDevitt of Cumberland (10.5 points).

The St. Joseph men will host Husson (0-3) at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday before facing conference rival Albertus Magnus (3-0) in another home game at 3 p.m. Saturday. The Monks are led by guards Zach O’Brien (20.7 points per game) and Chris Petzy (19 ppg).

 

THE NATIONAL FIELD Hockey Coaches Association announced their All-America teams, with the University of Maine, Bowdoin and St. Joseph’s represented.

Senior forward Kelly Newton of Maine was named to the Division I third team.

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Bowdoin had three seniors named Division III All-Americans — forward Katie Herter and defender Ella Curren to the first team, and midfielder Elizabeth Clegg to the second team.

St. Joseph’s senior goalie Meaghan Johnson of Portland (and Cheverus High) was named to the Division III third team.

 

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at: kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: KevinThomasPPH

 


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