Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

Schools beat the weather

Time changes are being made for football games in an effort to avoid the anticipated storm.

By Mike Lowe mlowe@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

It's either too hot, too humid; the air quality is poor; or it's going to be too wet.

However you look at it, the weather is having an early effect on the high school sports season.

The SMAA cross country relays were canceled Thursday because of the heat and air quality, and this weekend's schedule is very fluid because of the threat of Hurricane Earl.

Several schools already have moved their games from Saturday to today, and others have pushed up their starting times or pushed them back, depending on when they think the rain will arrive.

John Raby, the cross country coach at Thornton Academy, which was to host the SMAA relays, said it wasn't just Thursday's heat that canceled the event, even though there was a Heat Advisory and Air Quality Alert issued.

"It was about the total week," he said. "Kids have been practicing in the heat. They've been sitting in hot classrooms. They would be riding on hot busses.

"We just decided it wasn't worth taking the risk with any kids."

The event won't be made up, which, Raby said, is too bad for the first-year runners.

"It kind of eases them into the season," he said. "And it's also a chance for all the teams to see each other."

Thornton Academy and Cheverus moved their home football games to 1 p.m. today instead of Saturday afternoon. The Trojans will play Kennebunk and Cheverus will host Gorham.

"We're just trying to get ahead of the storm," said Gary Stevens, the athletic director at Thornton.

Stevens moved his school's home field hockey game against McAuley up to 11 a.m. today in hopes of beating the rain.

Other schools are doing the same with their football games tonight.

Today's football game at Marshwood against Biddeford was moved to 1 p.m.

York and Yarmouth moved their home football games today up an hour, to 6 p.m.

York will play Falmouth and Yarmouth will meet Old Orchard Beach.

Sanford also adjusted its soccer schedules.

The girls' game against Deering was moved from tonight to 2 p.m. Saturday.

The boys' soccer game against Deering was pushed back an hour on Saturday to noon to allow for the rain to pass.

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:

mlowe@pressherald.com