A Snapshot of Math Competitions in Maine (as of 1996)
Maine’s tradition of math competition began in May 1969, when educators at Oxford Hills High School sparked the idea for a league inspired by the Tri-State Math League. Nate Morris (Oxford Hills) and Herb Hoppe (Falmouth) had long discussed the idea. With support from Oxford Hills principal Paul Squarcia, invitations were sent to area schools. A founding meeting was held at Oxford Hills that spring, with representatives from Oxford Hills, Falmouth, Gray-New Gloucester, Lake Region, and Telstar in attendance. During that meeting, the league was officially named the Pi-Cone Math League — a name proposed by John Porter of Gray-New Gloucester — and officers were elected.
The first meet took place in October 1969 at Oxford Hills, with eight to ten schools participating, including Oxford Hills, Falmouth, Gray-New Gloucester, Lake Region, Portland, Rumford, Livermore Falls, and Greely. Brunswick joined at the second meet. In the early years, host schools even provided dinner after competitions — often Italian food.
As the league expanded rapidly, it eventually split into Pi-Cone North and South divisions to accommodate growth and reduce travel time. Additional regional leagues soon formed: the Central Maine Math League, the Eastern Maine Math League, and the Aroostook Math League. These five leagues eventually coordinated under the Maine Association of Math Leagues (MAML), which managed problem writing, statistics, dues, and the formation of Maine’s All-Star Team for national competitions.
One of the early turning points was hiring Verne Byers of Farmington State (now UMF) to write meet problems, providing much-needed consistency. By the mid-1990s, Bruce Thompson of Dirigo High School had taken over as problem writer, continuing to balance quality with fairness.
In 1975, Maine coaches helped establish the New England Math Meet, with participation from all six New England states. This annual meet helped inspire the National Competition, which Maine’s All-Star team regularly attended at Penn State.
The first Maine State Math Meet was held in 1977 at the University of Southern Maine’s Portland-Gorham campus, with 36 schools braving snowy weather. By the mid-1990s, nearly 90 schools registered annually. The meet grew to include four school size divisions, as well as individual and team awards, including scholarships for top scorers.
Scoring formats, calculator policies, and participation rules evolved over the years. Originally, only six students per team competed in each round; by 1996, all ten students on a team solved each question, with the top six scores counting. Calculators, initially banned, were allowed in select categories by this time.
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Developments Since 1996
Since 1996, the Maine Association of Math Leagues (MAML) has continued to grow and adapt while maintaining the strong foundation of student-centered competition. One major change came in 2002, when MAML became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, helping to formalize its operations and support long-term sustainability.
In 2012, the Downeast Math League became the sixth league to join MAML. While no leagues have dissolved or merged, many now operate in multiple locations to accommodate geographic spread and school density. For example, Pi-Cone South holds competitions in four locations, and Central Maine and Eastern Maine each operate in two or three sites. Some leagues allow schools to field multiple teams, and in recent years the league has seen as many as 122 teams compete statewide.
MAML hosts on their website the scores for all schools and the top students for the season. Individual leagues submit their results to MAML, which compiles school and student scores statewide.
The State Math Meet has moved venues several times as participation outgrew earlier spaces. Originally held at USM’s Portland-Gorham campus, the meet has since rotated between Bates College, UMaine Orono, the Cumberland County Civic Center, and the Bangor Auditorium, before settling permanently at the Augusta Civic Center. The meet still includes four school divisions, with a structure of six individual rounds, two relay rounds, and two team rounds.
Calculator policies have shifted slightly. While calculators are allowed during specific rounds of regular-season meets (Round 5 and the Team Round), calculators are not permitted at all during the State Meet. COVID-19 forced cancellations for a couple of years, but participation is steadily rebounding.
Problem writing remains in the capable hands of Bruce Thompson, who now coordinates a team of 3–4 writers. Problems are carefully reviewed and edited by multiple readers before being finalized and mailed out. The structure and categories of competition have remained largely consistent, preserving the integrity and identity of the league.
MAML continues to recognize excellence across both individual and team performance. Trophies are awarded to top-performing schools throughout the season and at the State Meet. The top 10 students from the regular season also receive special honors, including named awards and scholarship checks. At the State Meet itself, individual awards are presented to 15 seniors, 12 juniors, 10 sophomores, and 8 freshmen or younger. The top schools in each league — as well as top performers overall — are also recognized.
Though Maine has never hosted the New England Math Meet, the state has maintained participation when feasible. However, travel to both New England and national competitions has become increasingly difficult due to rising transportation costs.
Technology has played a growing role in MAML’s operations. For many years, the State Meet relied on a PC-based database system on a local network. In more recent years, MAML launched a dedicated website, www.mainestatemathmeet.net, which now handles a wide range of functions: registration, team and coach management, job assignments, and a secure digital scoring system for the State Meet.
Named Awards Honoring MAML Contributors
Each year at the State Meet, the Maine Association of Math Leagues presents a series of special awards to recognize the top-performing students from the regular season. These honors not only celebrate mathematical excellence but also pay tribute to the individuals who helped shape math competition in Maine.
The top 9 students statewide from the regular season each receive a commemorative engraved bowl, named in honor of a key contributor to MAML’s history. These awards represent decades of leadership, creativity, and dedication to student learning.
- George Millay Bowl
- Nola Urban Bowl
- Neil Tame Bowl
- Allen Gerry Bowl
- Barry Scott Bowl
- Dottie Kelleher Bowl
- Lew Purinton Bowl
- Skip Gates Bowl
- Pete Pedersen Bowl
Each name carries a story — of founding coaches, long-time problem writers, influential volunteers, and advocates for mathematics education. Plans are underway to make more information about each individual available through dedicated profile pages or hover-over popups for those exploring the site.
In addition, the top overall school at the State Meet receives the Crystal Trophy, renamed in 2015 as the Brian Twitchell Award, recognizing decades of service to MAML and its students.