ANNOUONCEMENTS


Monday, May 1, 1995

Hall of Fame Inductee: Gerry Perkins - COACH

 There isn't to much that Jerry Perkins hasn't seen or done during a coaching career that spans five decades and there will certainly be no regrets when he hangs up his wrestling shoes at the conclusion of this season. The coach has numerous memories of teams and events through out the years which bring smiles, however, Perkins is realistic and will be the first one to point out that it's the hundreds of wrestlers who deerve a lot of the credit.

There was no mistaking who has been in complete charge of the programs, although the names have changed from Stephens, to Rumford High Schools between 1967-88 and for the past seven years at Mountain Valley. The main constant has been that the student-athletes have all come from the same blue-collar, mill-town area nestled in the mountains of Western Maine.

"Wrestling is perfect for this town and area,"Perkins said. "I've found that the kids are hard-nosed and have the mentality to succeed in the sport. I knew when I first started that I was on to something and one of the things needed to be done was to redirect the energy of the kids."


Perkins, a Brewer native, had just graduated from the University of Maine and was a member of the Black Bear football that played in the 1965 Tangerine Bowl. Perkins was recommended by Walter Abbott to coach football at Stephens. He was originally hired as an assistant and served as the head coach from 1970-80. The wrestling job was available because founder Mel Preble wasn't interested in returning. Despite having only wrestled while at Brewer H.S. under Don Horsapple and in intramurals at UMAINE, Perkins was eager to take over the reins and the team was excited because it prevented the program from being disbanded.



"I was 23 years old and I wanted to be a head coach,"Perkins said. "I went home with a couple books and learned all that I could. I can remember that we used to wrestle in the armory on a bunch of (lumpy) horse-hair mats that were tied together. But, I loved it and I still have the same passion for the sport today."

Perkins was drawn to wrestling because of the hand-to-hand combative combat, the strategies involved and the hard work and dedication that was necessary to be  successful. Perkin' own persona and work ethic certainly blended right in, and the wrestlers bought in to his philosophies. Early in his career, Perkins established himself as a task master, with a no-nonsense attitude. These trademarks have included enduring his intimidating icy stare to taking directions from a booming voice that created fear in whoever it was directed at."

"We dreaded the long bus ride up to Rumford,"Terry Devereaux said. " The thing that impressed me about Jerry was how much he cares for his athletes and wants them to succeed in life after graduation. He earned their respect and I've never heard any of his ex-athletes speak a negative word about him and he is certainly revered by some of them."

The sport of wrestling in the state was still growing and there wasn't much support or publicity, however, things started to change beginning in 1970 when Dave Giroux won a New England championship. Rumford then put itself on another level that had other teams left in complete awe.

The Panthers won five Class A state championships in a 10 year span, including consecutive state championships from 1972-74. The '72; team won despite having no individual state champions and the '73; team set a then-national record with six state champions. Wrestlers on that team included Dave Magoon and Steve DeFillip who each started as juniors and were both two-time individual state champions.

"Jerry was tough,"former assistant Tom Costello said. "He pushes kids, but there's nothing he likes better than to see kids succeed. He preaches hard work and established a tradition."

Perkins, a 1994 inductee in the Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance Hall of Fame, has always utilized two philosophies in preparing wrestlers for battle and those are still quite successful even today. He teaches the basics to the wrestlers because the same moves are effective year after year, but more importantly was the strong emphasis that has been placed on physical conditioning. The mentality and mat toughness of the wrestlers is widely known because the teams traditionally have won numerous matches in the third period by being in better condition.

"Jerry Perkins is a legend,"former coach Dennis Bishop said. "Jerry did a lot for the sport and those Rumford teams always had some tough wrestlers who were well prepared. When ever opposing teams stepped on the mat, they had to be ready for a battle."

Rumford also won state titles in 1978 and 1981 and finished first or second in the state 11 of 14 years between 1967-81. The success even drew national attention when Wrestling U.SA. Magazine labeled Rumford "Wrestling Capitol of Maine."

Perkins record speaks for itself and he'll leave a benchmark that all coaches can only strive to attain. In 28 years his over all dual-meet record is 432-73-7, including 100-15 at Mountain Valley.

"I've learned that respect is the cornerstone of the sport,"Lisbon coach Mark Stevens said. "The teams are so fine tuned with skill and discipline. Coach Perkins would say you can have a talented wrestler, but if he doesn't show signs of discipline, respect and coach-ability he will embarrass you and the team."

The continuity in the system is a factor through out the years has contributed to the team' even-flow of remaining competitive. Several 18-hour days are not uncommon, so the support received by parents, school and assistant coaches, Tom Paradis, Costello, Tom Ward, Doug Gilbert, Steve Nokes, Gary Dolloff and Chris Bean, has always been visible.

"It takes a special breed to want to wrestle,"Perkins said. "In order to have coached 28 years, I needed a strong family backing and my wife Joyce has been there. Plus, I was always surrounded by some good people and I'm confident that Gary Dolloff will continue the tradition."

Saturday, February 11, 1995

HIGH SCHOOL: STATE MEET 1995 CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

WeightClsChampion2nd3rd4th
103ANate Andrade
Sanford 

(10-8 OT)
Mike Tierney
Massabesic
Bill Cross
Noble (11-2)
K.J. Marquis
Gardiner
BReed Devoe
Fort Kent (5-2)
Joe Stuart
Fryeburg
Kale Inoue
Kennebunk (1:30)
Joe Lebrecque
Mtn Valley
CMatt Lindsay
Penobscot  (6-5)
Sean Cole
Dexter
Chris McKenna
Dirigo (1:56)
Chad Martin
Madawaska
112ANate Phillips
Mt Blue (1:39)
Sear Bo
Sanford
Abe Ward
Mt. Ararat (6-3)
Dan Johnson
Bonny Eagle
BBruce Stuart
Fryeburg 
Dan Gervais
Oak Hill
Troy Sprague
Belfast (4:02)
Mike Laurendeau
Wells
CChris Sirois
Penobscot  (5-1)
Ken Welch
Dexter
Richard Brown
Boothbay (2:14)
Brian Van Wert
Hyde 
119ADoug Bruce
Noble (9-4)
Ryan Payeur
Sanford
Ben Cracolici
Mt. Ararat (12-3)
A.J. Reno
Morse
BDusty Hackett
Mtn Valley (1:31)
Chad Parent
Marshwood
Dale Harper
Wells (13-4)
Andy Maguire
Bucksport
CChris Saucier
Pen. Valley (6-5)
Aaron Thompson
Dexter
Brad St. Laurent
Dirigo (2:30)
Andy Lach
Wiscasset
125AJohn Raio
Gardiner (14-8)
Mark Dang
Portland
Dan Wedgewood
Massabesic (9-8)
Josh Kenney
Bonny Eagle
BKeith Parent
Marshwood 
Shane Gerrish
Belfast
Seth Soule
Kennebunk (1:48)
Mark Theriault
Oak Hill
CJoe Cox
Dexter (11-0)
David Bennett
Boothbay
Nate Pandora
Dirigo (7-2)
Jamie Cyr
Madawaska
130AMatt Wedgewood
Massabesic 

(16-0)
Tony Bouchard
Oxford Hills
Jarrod Fuller
Mt. Ararat (9-2)
Brett Bruce
Noble
BHai Nguyen
Kennebunk 

(Inj. Dft.)
Richard Plourde
Fort Kent
Cory Freeman
Mtn Valley (10-8)
Mike Carpenter
Lisbon
CBen Gammell
Dirigo (5-3)
Darren ThibodeauPenobscot Collin Clough
Traip Acad. 

(10-1)
Luke Lavin
Hyde
135ABen Braasch
Deering (5-4)
Eric Wilson
Oxford Hills
Chris Cunningham
Morse (4:25)
Jake Sawyer
Bonny Eagle
BJake Rodrique
Winslow (12-4)
Daric Buttrick
Marshwood
Scott Harvey
Belfast (1-0)
Dan McCann
Bucksport
CDakin Magoon
Penobscot (9-2)
Gary Balducci
Wiscasset
Dan Phair
Dirigo (10-1)
Mitch Dube
Madawaska
140ANick Perro
Noble (9-7 OT)
Gary Day
Portland
Ryan Francoeur
Bonny Eagle 

(4-2 OT)
Travis Rochette
Westbrook
BBrian Harvey
Belfast (1:52)
Tristen McKittrick
Camden
Paul Brunelle
Lisbon (9-5)
Brian Huff
Kennebunk
CJosh Ryder
Mattanawcook (7-2)
Fred Lewis
Wiscasset
Henry Harper
Penobscot  (5:40)
Jim Fecteau
Traip 
145ATim Wade
Gardiner (15-11)
Todd Merrick
Noble
Jim Hurd
Westbrook (12-8)
Mike Tracy
Cony
BBrian Wagner
Belfast 
James Borkowski
Oak Hill
Robert Disisto
Camden
Eric Arsenault
Mtn Valley
CBrian Evans
Madawaska 

(4-3)
Travis Dennis
Traip 
Ben Wallace
Dexter (4:34)
Jerry James
Calais
152AMarshall Craggy
Westbrook (9-3)
Ben Baker
Gardiner
Andy Kalman
Sanford (18-10)
Mike Ruel
Biddeford
BRandy Simmons
Med. Valley (T.F.)
Brian Hetherman
M.C.I.
Chris Gamache
Lisbon (2:52)
Jared Sawyer
Camden
CBob Severance
Mattanawcook (10-4)
Jason Errington
Dirigo
Patrick Taylor
Katahdin (10-2)
Glendon Bowers
Penobscot 
160AJustin Gross
Westbrook (16-11)
Adam Farrington
Bonny Eagle
Eric Godin
Noble (10-4)
Rob Gwinn
Deering
BDavid Romilly
Wells (4-3)
Anthony Mazza
Mtn Valley
Rusty Robinson
Med. Valley (1:39)
Larry Cobb
Ellsworth
CFred Thody
Dexter (2:38)
Rickey Cyr
Penobscot 
Matt Roy
Madawaska (7-3)
Joshua Cookson
Traip 
171ABen McCrillis
Westbrook (Fall)
Aaron Hussey
Cony
Matt Neuville
Sanford (7-3)
John Vasalle
Noble
BJosh Getchell
Marshwood (6-4)
Todd Austin
Mtn Valley
Jim Prescott
Med. Valley (5:56)
Eric Clement
Bucksport
CAllen Crocker
Boothbay (6-1)
Wes Dube
Penobscot 
Jamie Doucette
Madawaska (10-2)
Tim Murdock
Traip 
189ARoss Sirois
Skowhegan (5-2)
Andy Faulkner
Sanford
Eric Gray
Westbrook 
Brendon Nichols
Morse
BEric Foley
Kennebunk 

(14-4)
Scott Padelford
Mt. View
Chad Demarais
Wells 
Rob Gaudette
Mtn Valley
CDan Paige
Dexter (1:43)
Chip Priest
Penobscot 
Wayne Tardiff
Mattanawcook (1:41)
Jose Pina
Hyde 
275AMike Lowell
Oxford Hills (9-1)
Bill Grady
Gardiner
Chris Belanger
Caribou (2:48)
Tom Lapierre
Sanford
BKen Adams
Lisbon (9-4)
David Gross
Bucksport
James Woodbury
Belfast (1:40)
Mike Fleming
Kennebunk
CAaron Gilman
Penobscot 
(1:52)
Tanek Hood
Katahdin
Brent Cunningham
Dexter (3:57)
Jason Weston
Dirigo

Team Results
ClassABC
ChampionSanfordBelfastPenobscot 
2ndNobleKennebunkDexter