The 33rd Maine Shriner Lobster Bowl Classic is a tremendous opportunity for any Maine high school senior, but also does a lot of good raising money for the Shriners Children’s Hospitals. Windham was well represented this year by seniors Max Arbour, Logan Hirning and Alex Yeaton who played on the East football team at Don Roux Field in Lewiston on Saturday, July 15 against the West.
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| Windham seniors Max Arbour, left, Alex Yeaton, and Logan Hirning gather after their team, the East, beat the West in the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl at Lewiston High School on Saturday, July 15. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA |
The teams spent a week having three practices a day and rooming together in dormitories. Hirning said that the players really came together, and it was the comradery that pushed these former rivals to unify as a team. Next year, Hirning will attend the University of Maine and major in construction engineering.
According to the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl website, “The Shriners Hospitals for Children is a network of 22 non-profit medical facilities across North America that provide care to children with orthopedic conditions, burns or spinal cord injuries as well those who are suffering from cleft lip and palate. These hospitals offer all services in an environment where family members feel comfortable enough so they can bond emotionally while providing treatment needed by their loved ones during difficult times, regardless of the patients’ ability to pay.”
The East team had the lead for most of the game, and while the West scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, the East was able to hold them off and won the game, 28-23.
While the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl website describes the game as a “tightly contested battle,” there are no losers during this event. Maine seniors help raise money for Shriners Hospitals and those seniors get to play in this respected game.
Since 1990, the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl athletes have donated more than $750,000 for Shriners Children’s Hospitals. This year, its participants did an amazing job and raised over $235,000 which will go directly to Shriners medical facilities across the country.
“It meant a lot to my family, my community, all the kids that were unable to play – representing Shriners meant a lot to me,” said Arbour.
Arbour went in not knowing anyone, but by the end, all his teammates felt like brothers to him. He said it was weird at first to be practicing alongside players Windham competed against for the past four years, but before long they had really solidified as a team.
In school, Arbour started out playing soccer and wasn’t enjoying it, so once he reached second grade, he began playing football and he’s never looked back. It’s his favorite sport and he will play it at the University of New England next year while majoring in medical biology.
“It was really fun, there were a lot of ups and downs,” said Yeaton about the Lobster Bowl game. “But at the end of the day we won so I couldn’t be [happier] with my team.”
Yeaton also began playing football in second grade. He had watched it on TV and said he couldn’t wait to get on the field to play. Next year, Yeaton will also attend the University of New England where he will play football and major in business.
“All three of them were integral to this game,” said Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl East head coach Mark Soehren about the Windham players. “They are fantastic, coachable, tough – I can’t say enough about them.”<
Since 1990, the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl athletes have donated more than $750,000 for Shriners Children’s Hospitals. This year, its participants did an amazing job and raised over $235,000 which will go directly to Shriners medical facilities across the country.
“It meant a lot to my family, my community, all the kids that were unable to play – representing Shriners meant a lot to me,” said Arbour.
Arbour went in not knowing anyone, but by the end, all his teammates felt like brothers to him. He said it was weird at first to be practicing alongside players Windham competed against for the past four years, but before long they had really solidified as a team.
In school, Arbour started out playing soccer and wasn’t enjoying it, so once he reached second grade, he began playing football and he’s never looked back. It’s his favorite sport and he will play it at the University of New England next year while majoring in medical biology.
“It was really fun, there were a lot of ups and downs,” said Yeaton about the Lobster Bowl game. “But at the end of the day we won so I couldn’t be [happier] with my team.”
Yeaton also began playing football in second grade. He had watched it on TV and said he couldn’t wait to get on the field to play. Next year, Yeaton will also attend the University of New England where he will play football and major in business.
“All three of them were integral to this game,” said Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl East head coach Mark Soehren about the Windham players. “They are fantastic, coachable, tough – I can’t say enough about them.”<
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