The Question

The Question: Should Maine High School Soccer Adopt a Promotion/Relegation Format?

As most of us know, the classification of high school soccer teams (and other high school sports) in Maine is based on the various high schools' enrollment numbers, instead of the strength of a soccer program at a particular school.

The question to debate, then, is this: Should high school soccer adopt a promotion/relegation system so that the classification of programs has more to do with the strength of a soccer program than it does the number of students enrolled at a school?

To put this hypothetical question into concrete terms, the 16-team Western Class 'A'* classification would relegate two teams** per season to Western Class 'B,' and Western Class 'B' would promote two teams to Western Class 'A.' Based on results from this year, for example, Bonny Eagle and Biddeford would drop to Western Class 'B,' while the two regional finalists from Western 'B'--Falmouth and York--would be promoted to Western 'A.'

What are the pros and the cons of such an idea? What would the promotion and relegation format look like exactly? And if the pros overwhelmingly outweight the cons, what are the chances for something like this actually ever happening?

- John C.L. Morgan

* Cape Elizabeth and Greely, two teams that are included in the Western Class 'A' Heal Points rankings and tourney despite playing a Western Class 'B' regular season schedule, have been inserted into the Western Class 'B' Heal Points rankings for the sake of this thought experiment.

** The number of teams relegated and promoted is based on the Barclays Premier League's policy of 15% (or 3 of 20) of its teams being relegated to the Championship League.

Westbrook Soccer Alum Enjoys Record-Setting Season at St. Joe's

PPH:

But now [Zach] Johnson is enrolled at St. Joseph's,where he is a business major and a record-setting scorer for the Monks' soccer team. Johnson scored one of the goals Saturday as St. Joseph's beat Norwich 4-1 for the Great Northeast Atlantic Conference title and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs. The Monks, making their second NCAA appearance in three years, will play Trinity in the first round at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Babson College in Massachusetts.

- John C.L. Morgan

(Update: St. Joseph's lost to Trinity College, 1-0).

White Brothers, Lane Construction to Donate Playing Fields

PPH:

It wasn't long after Mike and Tim White started buying up property in 2004 for a quarry off Small Hardy Road that they started talking about donating land for athletic fields there. As kids growing up on Duck Pond Road, the brothers--former owners of White Bros. Construction--knew firsthand about the lack of recreational space in the northern end of the city.

[snip]

The multipurpose fields will probably be ready to use in 2013. Maria Dorn, Westbrook's community services director, said there's an ever-increasing demand for soccer fields in the city. "Everybody's on them all the time," she said. Priority for playing time on the fields will go to the Westbrook Soccer League, which serves 300 kids from age 3 to 13 years old.

- John C.L. Morgan

Levesque Enjoying Best MLS Season Yet

PPH:

[Roger] Levesque has two goals in three starts for the Sounders this season and has had another nine appearances off the bench. That is by far the most minutes he's played in three years with the team. He's nearly eclipsed last year's total minutes of 510. He has played 497 minutes in 12 games. Two seasons ago, he played just 260 minutes. He has evolved as a player since lighting up the field at Falmouth High a dozen years ago.

- John C.L. Morgan

An Online Guide to the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup

The U.S. Women's National Team opens its 2011 World Cup tomorrow morning, when it takes on North Korea (11:45a ESPN, ESPN3.com). Below are some links you might find helpful as you follow the U.S. as it tries

FIFA 2011 Women's World Cup

U.S. Soccer Women's National Team

U.S. Women's National Team player profiles

ESPN Soccernet

- John C.L. Morgan

Roger Levesque Caps Supporters' Tifo

Supporters of the Seattle Sounders FC unveiled an impressive choreographed visual display, or a tifo, on May 14 prior to its game against rival Portland, and Maine native Roger Levesque's face highlighted the display.

Levesque, a Falmouth product, was celebrated for a first-minute goal he scored against Portland in a 2009 U.S. Open Cup game. Of course, the fact that he also appears to be the most hated player in Portland fans' eyes (see here or here) probably didn't hurt when Sounder fans picked which Sounders, past and present, would represent the club.

- John C.L. Morgan