Maine High School Upperclassmen Accused of Abusing Freshmen

As any of us that have gone through the trials of high school know, it's not always easy to get through those four years. And, for some Maine high school students, their high school career has been made much worse.

If you've been following Maine news for any amount of time over the last few months, you are likely aware of the controversy surrounding the football team at Maine's Lisbon High School. Months ago, the school announced it was withdrawing from upcoming games over an alleged hazing incident. Fast forward to January 2025 and more details are emerging.

What allegedly happened to the players?

According to an article published by WGME 13, an investigation into the matter found that several players were involved in derogatory acts of hazing against younger players.

The investigation reportedly revealed that some upperclassmen on the Lisbon football team were whipping others with leather belts. Additionally, the report describes acts of degradation, humiliation and abuse committed against freshman players.

The news station even reported that some freshman players were being 'poked' with broom handles by upperclassmen on the school's football team.

So what happens next?

While details around punishments for specific students aren't exactly clear, we do know based on WGME's reporting that current Lisbon High football coach, Chris Kates, won't be returning for the 2025 fall season. Instead, the school indicated they were looking for someone new to fill the now vacant position.

In addition to looking for a new coach to take over the school's program, Lisbon High School officials indicated that they are also looking at hazing prevention courses that would likely be mandatory for players and coaches to take.

The details surrounding the hazing incidents and what consequences will be (or were) administered to the student perpetrators are still unclear. We will keep this story updated as we get more information.

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Gallery Credit: Chris Sedenka