Growing up in a town where basketball and soccer are the priority sports, you could say that the variety of competition that a young athlete exposes themselves to is miniscule. Athletes like this play their respected sport- and I mean just one sport- year round. They compete in AAU basketball tournaments, premier soccer events, fall baseball, etc. They sacrifice their weekends to sharpen their skills in sports they have dedicated themselves to. Is focusing on one sport year round in the best interest for a young athlete though? I firmly believe that athletes should look to venture out of the cocoon that is their one sport, and give themselves a chance to participate in others. I'm not saying that dedicating oneself to a particular sport is bad, but an athlete needs a variety of competition or else they'll either be worn out by the time college comes into play, or they'll be sick of playing the same sport over and over again.
Senior Tyler Jasud (Rumford) became USM's first ever men's cross-country All-American as he finished 22nd out of 276 of the countries top cross country runners in the 2009 Division III National Men's Cross Country Championships in Highland Hills, Ohio on Nov. 21. Jasud completed the eight-kilometer course in a time of 25 minutes, 58.1 seconds. He improved from his 2008 finish at the DIII Nationals by 21 places, and improved his time by approximately 52 seconds. Jasud's All-American honor adds to his already impressive line of awards that include the 2008 Little East Conference Runner of the Year and multiple LEC Runner of the Week accolades.
The USM men's basketball team traveled to Biddeford on Nov. 17 to take on a UNE Nor'easters squad that features players from all over the country. Unlike last year's season opener, the Huskies were upended by UNE in a shooting duel 82-70. UNE's performance was backed by four Nor'easters who were in double-figures and a team effort that featured 45.3 percent (25 for 64) shooting from the field to edge USM. The Huskies managed to keep the score close as they trailed 43-34 after the first half of play. USM is burdened with limited selection right now as they are without several of their key players that benefited last year's team.
Joe Johnson leaves his Buxton home every morning and makes his way to the Brooks Students Center on the Gorham Campus. He takes pride in his work as a custodian at the USM Dining Hall, working extra hard until he clocks out at 1:30 p.m., when the real fun begins. Three years ago Joe wasn't in a great place. He was stressed because of pressure from work and at home, and his blood pressure was through the roof at a mind blowing 198 over 100. His wife told him something needed to be done. That's when Joe discovered the world of Jukado. Jukado is a form of martial arts that combines Karate, Kung Fu, Akiado and Judo, and involves open hand and weapon skill. It focuses on discipline, respect, and mentality, and has really taught Joe a lot.
Last year the USM women's basketball team opened their season with a 77-57 win at home against the UNE Nor'easters. This year UNE came out with a vengeance as they buried USM 72-55. The loss marked the Huskies first defeat in a season opener since 1989. UNE used a combination of balanced scoring and tenacious defense to shut down the annually dominant Huskies. USM kept up with the Nor'easters in the first 20 minutes, trailing by just four points as the score rounded out to 37-34 at half. UNE showcased an accurate shooting performance in the first half as they shot 47.1 percent (16 for 34) from the field, including a 50 percent effort from 3-point range (5 for 10).
The USM Huskies jumped off to an early lead in their season opener when freshman Ben Maclaughlin (Beverly, MA) intercepted a clearing pass by a Saint Michael's College defender directly in front of the net and put it past junior goalie Brendan Rimmer 46 seconds into the contest. The Huskies held the lead the entire game, beating the Purple Knights 3-2 Friday night at the USM Ice Arena in Gorham. USM increased their lead midway through the first period when junior Zach Joy (Dover, NH) took the puck from the opposite end, skating through Saint Michael's defenders, to beat Rimmer with a wrist shot. Senior Chris Travis (Scituate, MA) and junior Mike Carpenter (Minot) were credited with assists on the goal. The Purple Knights struggled mounting any attack during the first period and were out-shot 12-6.
