DEAR SUN SPOTS: When “tourney time” rolls around, I always wonder how the teams are picked to play each other. For instance, why does No. 2 play No. 10? Couldn’t these teams be more evenly matched? I think it would provide better sport for players and spectators. Seems like a daunting task for the lower-ranked team. When they do win, it is a major event for the team and followers, though. — No name, Strong.
ANSWER: To answer this question, Sun Spots reached out to the experts: the Sun Journal’s sports department. Here is their answer:
Nothing is arbitrary. The brackets are set up in traditional form, so No. 1 plays No. 8, No. 2 plays No. 7, No. 3 plays No. 6, and No. 4 plays No. 5.
If there are more than eight teams to make the tournament, the traditional bracket setup expands, much like the NCAA tournament or any other standard tourney, and the teams face each other according to seed (No. 8 vs. No. 9, No. 7 vs. No. 10, etc.)
In this case, Mt. Abram was the No. 10 seed. They faced the No. 7 seed in the first round, and won, in an upset. In that bracket, the No. 7 was to meet the No. 2 seed, but since the No. 10 team, Mt. Abram, upset the No. 7 team, the No. 10 team takes its place, thus creating the 10/2 matchup.
DEAR SUN SPOTS: Rural Community Action Ministry is a nonprofit agency located in Leeds. The agency has been serving the surrounding communities since 1970. We are currently seeking individuals who want to make a short- or long-term commitment to become a volunteer for RCAM. Volunteering opportunities are available in all of the RCAM’s service areas which include the following towns: Buckfield, Canton, Greene, Hartford, Leeds, Litchfield, Livermore, Livermore Falls, Monmouth, Sabattus, Sumner, Turner, Wales and Wayne. In effort to meet the service needs for residents in these towns — we need you as an RCAM volunteer.
As a volunteer, you may be asked to transport an individual to and from medical appointments, plant a garden, stack someone’s firewood, provide clerical support in the RCAM office, help with fundraising events, mow lawns, clean shelters, or even crochet and knit mittens and/or hats right in the comfort of your own home. This is just a small list of tasks that RCAM is seeking volunteers to assist with and there is so much more that you might be able to offer than this list includes.
As a volunteer, you are helping someone in need, you learn new skills, meet new people, share your skills and knowledge with others, and volunteering is very rewarding when you are making a difference in another’s life. In addition, mileage reimbursement is available when transporting clients.
We are always in need of more volunteers in order to keep up with the requests for services that we receive from our clients. If you have skills, some free time on your hands, have recently retired and find you need to be active or if you want to give back to the community, then call RCAM to inquire about how you can become a volunteer. Please call 207-524-5095 to schedule a meeting to discuss how you can become a member of our team. — Jody Robertson, volunteer coordinator
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