A Lewiston High School student-athlete is heading to Ohio this weekend to represent Maine on a national stage, competing against some of the country’s top high school athletes for a share of $250,000 in college scholarships.
Liam Jones, a junior at Lewiston High School, has been selected to represent Maine in the 2026 Patriot Games, a national athletic competition being held Aug. 9-11 at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio.
Lewiston Public Schools celebrated Jones’ selection this week, with Superintendent Jake Langlais congratulating the young athlete before his trip.
“Congratulations to LHS Junior Liam Jones headed to Ohio to represent Maine in the 2026 Patriot Games. Go Blue!” Langlais wrote in a social media post.
Jones brings a multi-sport background to a competition specifically designed to test athletes across a range of disciplines.
His football recruiting profile identifies him as a Class of 2028 prospect for Lewiston High School, playing quarterback and wide receiver. The profile lists Jones at 5-foot-7 and 130 pounds and includes video of him throwing a touchdown pass in Scarborough.
Jones has also played baseball for Lewiston. MaxPreps records show him competing during the 2026 season, including appearances against Bangor, Edward Little, Mt. Blue, Messalonskee, Camden Hills, Oxford Hills and other Maine schools.
His accomplishments aren’t limited to athletics.
During his freshman year, Jones earned first honors at Lewiston High School for the second quarter of the 2024-25 school year, according to an honor roll published by the Sun Journal.
Now, Jones will trade his Lewiston Blue Devils uniform for the opportunity to represent the entire state of Maine.
The Patriot Games bring together high school athletes ages 14 to 17 from across the United States, territories and tribal nations as part of the country’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Athletes will be put through a series of physical and mental challenges testing strength, endurance, agility, teamwork and perseverance.
The competition won’t focus on a single sport.
Participants will face challenges incorporating elements of football, basketball, soccer and track, along with exercises from the Presidential Fitness Test. Competitors will also take on a military-inspired boot camp circuit before finalists advance to an obstacle course designed to test both strategy and athletic ability.
The stakes are substantial.
One male and one female overall champion are expected to receive $125,000 college scholarships, splitting the competition’s $250,000 scholarship pool.
For Jones, that means three days of competition could translate into a potentially life-changing educational opportunity.
It will also put the Lewiston athlete in front of a national television audience.
ESPN will provide live coverage of the Patriot Games through the ESPN App beginning Sunday, Aug. 9. The network will then air a one-hour primetime special on ABC at 9 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, Aug. 13, featuring highlights from the competition and the crowning of the champions.
ESPN’s coverage will feature Laura Rutledge, Matt Barrie, Beth Mowins and Tom Hart, with analysts Jordan Rodgers, Sean Farnham, Ron Slay and Danielle Lawrie. Brooke Weisbrod and Marion Crowder will serve as reporters.
Rutledge and Barrie will co-host the ABC primetime special.
Freedom 250 is organizing the Patriot Games as part of the nationwide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence.
For Lewiston, the national competition will have a distinctly local connection.
While athletes from across America descend on Ohio this weekend, one of them will be wearing Maine’s name, Lewiston High School junior Liam Jones.
So lovely to have a success story out of Lewiston. Good luck Liam!