ANNOUONCEMENTS


Sunday, February 15, 2009

The special new kid in Lisbon

— When faced with the unknown, Dan Schofield won't fake it. He knows the uneasiness of nervousness, wondering how he'll get through the moment at hand. Fearing that moment is something he doesn't know.

His father taught him that.
Schofield is Lisbon High's 229-pound state heavyweight wrestling champion, one of the seven who qualified for the New England tournament in New Haven, Conn., on March 6-7. Never mind that Schofield never wrestled before this, his senior season. Never mind that he separated his shoulder three weeks before the Class C championship meet in Augusta. Or that his opponent in the state finals had pinned him the week before.
Never mind that he had been uprooted last summer from the life he once knew in Ohio and Michigan. Schofield's father, Roland, had lost his fight with cancer in June, five years after his wife, Ilene, lost hers. Dan and his 15-year-old sister, Amanda, moved to Maine to live with his older brother, Christopher, and his wife, Charlotte.
''It was hard,'' Schofield said Wednesday of the passing and the grieving, of leaving friends from school and church behind. But Roland Schofield had told his son to trust himself and to have faith.
''My dad believed that life gives you opportunities and challenges,'' said Schofield, who measures his words, thinking before he speaks.
He didn't hide the loss of his parents from teammates. Neither did he share a lot of memories.
Happy teammates surrounded Schofield after he beat A.J. Carrier of Dirigo at the end of the tournament. He was the last of seven Lisbon wrestlers to win championships that night. The team title was locked away long ago.
Most new champions feel a surge of intense satisfaction in the moments after competition. Schofield did. ''I feel,'' he said that night, ''that I can do anything.''
Lisbon football coach Dick Mynahan spotted Schofield this summer walking along the road they share. Schofield was a strange face.
''I remember asking myself, why don't we get football players (that size) in Lisbon?'' Later, Mynahan learned that someone had been at the weight room used by Lisbon High football players, asking about playing.
It was Schofield.
Schofield grew up in St. Helen, a small logging town in north-central Michigan so small, it couldn't support a high school. Two years ago his father moved his children to Toledo, Ohio, to be closer to the medical facilities treating his cancer.
''There aren't a lot of differences,'' said Schofield, referring to old friends in Ohio and new ones in Maine. ''I'm always meeting one person that reminds me of someone I knew back home.''
Schofield played defensive tackle and offensive guard on the Lisbon line. He used his exceptional leg strength well.
Teammates encouraged him to go out for wrestling. The Greyhounds needed a heavyweight. Schofield knew what a double-leg takedown was, but little else about the sport.
''I'm home schooled (he attended public schools in Ohio and Michigan) and I wanted something more to do. So why not?''
He's a rangy 229 pounds with good quickness, balance and strength.
What helped him on the football field would help him on the wrestling mat. He learned new moves quickly.
''I was amazed at the amount of knowledge he retained,'' said wrestling coach Mark Stevens. ''We'd show him something new and he'd use it right away.''
He won more bouts than he lost, many times giving away 20 or 30 pounds or more in the 285-pound class. He believed he could at least place in the state meet and maybe win. But in late January, while pulling his arm out of an opponent's hold, he separated his shoulder. He still won the bout but couldn't raise his arm.
Schofield took some time off. The pain lessened but didn't go away. He returned to the mat. The son who was at his father's bedside in a hospice had the strength to push another kind of ache aside.
At the state meet, Schofield pinned both his opponents, including the Eastern Maine champ, Andrew Larson of Foxcroft Academy, in the first period of their semifinals bout. Then came the rematch with Carrier. Up in the Augusta Civic Center grandstand, Dick Mynahan watched, respecting Carrier's talent and thinking the bout would end quickly.
Schofield held his own. That's when those in the Lisbon community who knew Schofield realized they were watching something special.
What happens in two weeks at the New England tournament will take second place to the triumph of the spirit.
Staff Writer Steve Solloway can be contacted at 791-6412 or at:
ssolloway@pressherald.com

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Buddy system leads to wrestling crowns

By Ernie Clark, BDN Staff

Posted Feb. 10, 2009, at 11:14 p.m.
A wrestling match is one of the most individual experiences in high school sport — a one-on-one confrontation against an opponent, under the spotlight, in front of the fans.
But winning a wrestling championship is far more an exercise in teamwork, with teammate helping teammate in the wrestling room throughout the winter to prepare for that moment in the individual spotlight.
“Champions come in pairs,” said Lisbon coach Mark Stevens, who guided the Greyhounds to their second straight Class C state title and third in the last four years at Augusta on Saturday. “If you look at the champions we had, Joe Doughty and Dan Schofield wrestle every day in practice, they train together.”
Doughty, at 215 pounds, and the 285-pound Schofield were among seven individual state champions from Lisbon. Similarly, champions Forest Cornell (112 pounds) and Mike McNamara and Josh Pomerleau, the runner-up at 119 pounds to Scott Carpenter of Calais, also fed off the practice challenges they provided each other throughout the season.
“Mike, Forrest and Josh, they train together every day,” said Stevens. “I think that’s kind of the perpetual motion some of these teams have that are successful here, and we’re included.
“These guys have wrestled together, and they train the new guys coming up, and eventually by the end of the season the new guys are winning matches.”
It’s a similar scenario for the Belfast Lions, who had seven state finalists and five individual champions leading the way to the team’s consecutive Class B state championship.
“We drill together a lot,” said Belfast junior Kote Aldus, the reigning 160-pound New England champion who won his second straight state title in that weight class Saturday. “I kind of think of us as brothers. We do everything together, we always train with each other, and when we don’t want to do any more, one of us gives us that extra shove, and definitely that extra shove helps a lot.”
Belfast’s individual titles came in consecutive weight classes, from Zach Shellabarger (152), Aldus and Kornealius Wood (171) to four-time state champion Travis Spencer (189) and Mark Smith (215).
And while that group represents a weight differential of more than 50 pounds, all of those champions have been able to learn and prosper thanks to each other’s help.
“We’ve all been in the program together since middle school,” said Shellabarger, one of five seniors who will graduate from Belfast’s starting lineup, “so we’ve all helped to develop each other to help get us where we are now.”
More honors for wrestlers, teams
Three competitors and six teams received special recognition after Saturday’s state wrestling championships held at the Augusta Civic Center.
Joey Eon of Massabesic of Waterboro, Travis Spencer of Belfast and Cameron Bubar of Lisbon each was honored as the outstanding wrestler in his class.
Eon won his fourth consecutive state individual title in helping Massabesic finish in the Class A meet. He outlasted Mark Richardson of Noble of North Berwick in the 145-pound championship final, rallying for a 6-4 overtime decision that avenged a loss a week earlier in the Western Maine Class A meet. Eon previously had won three individual state titles at 140 pounds.
Spencer joined Eon in the four-championship club by winning the 189-pound title to help Belfast win its second straight Class B state crown. Spencer had little difficulty winning his third 189-pound championship after winning the 160-pound class as a freshman. He recorded three first-period pins — capped off by a victory over Oak Hill of Sabattus’s Nick Wells at 1:32 of the championship match to continue his undefeated season.
Bubar won his first individual state championship while leading Lisbon to its second straight Class C team title and third in four years. Bubar, who placed third at 140 pounds as a freshman, second at 145 as a sophomore and second at 152 last winter, decisioned Jacob Ferland of Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln 10-3 in this year’s 171-pound final.
Also presented during Saturday’s post-meet awards ceremony were team sportsmanship awards. Eastern Maine teams honored were Skowhegan (Class A), Hermon (Class B) and Fort Kent (Class C), while Western Maine teams recognized were Marshwood of South Berwick (Class A), York (Class B) and Dirigo of Dixfield (Class C).
2nd wrestling postseason looms
What once was a break in the high school wrestling postseason schedule while waiting for the New England championships in early March has filled up fairly rapidly.
The second annual Maine High School Girls Wrestling Invitational meet will be held Feb. 18 at Mt. Blue High School in Farmington.
Fifty-three girls from 31 schools competed in nine weight classes a year ago, with Mount Ararat of Topsham, York, Oxford Hills of South Paris and Caribou emerging as the top four teams.
A larger field is anticipated this year, led by Kayleigh Longley of Noble of North Berwick, who won the 105-pound title at the girls meet last year and reached the championship round of the Class A state meet last weekend.
That meet is followed on Feb. 21 by the inaugural Maine All-State Folkstyle Invitational to be held at Cony High School in Augusta.
The top three finishers in each weight class from Classes A, B and C at the state meet will be invited to determine all-class champions.
That meet leads to the 45th annual New England Interscholastic Wrestling Championships to be held March 6-7 at Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Conn.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

HIGH SCHOOL: STATE MEET 2009 CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS


103 A 
1. Gage DeRosier (MASS) 15-0 
2. Kayleigh Longley (NOBL) 
3. Andy Ancira (CONY) 4-3 
4. Dale Cabral (BONN)
103 B 
1. Ryan Burgess (MTNV) 3-2 
2. Shane Daly (WELL) 
3. Logan Rich (CAMD) 2:54 
4. Reaha Goyetche (YORK)
103 C 
1. Caleb Hall (DIRI) 12-7 
2. Vinnie Malinauskas (DEXT) 
3. Mark Smith (FOXC) 3:50 
4. Matthew McInnis (MONM)
112 A 
1. Jake Rasque (MARS) 5:52 2. DJ Brackett (MORS) 
3. Ethan Gilman (MASS) 4:06 4. Shane Shibles (NOBL)
112 B 
1. Vanya Tomaszewski (WELL) 5-3 2. Jordan Young (BELF) 
3. Jesse Hurtado (WATE)  17-15 
4. Robert Worthley (MTNV)
112 C 
1. Forrest Cornell (LISB) 5:52 
2. Michael O’Connor (DEXT) 
3. Trevor Weymouth (FOXC) 5:30 
4. Cody Lozier (FORT)
119 A
1. Matt DelGallo (GARD) 16-4 
2. Ken Hagen (NOBL) 
3. Ryan Cook (BONN) 4-0 
4. Peter LePage (MASS)
119 B 
1. Brandon Wright (MCIN) 3:33 
2. Keith Madore (OAKH) 
3. Max Bragg (CAMD) 8-0 
4. Tim Ross (MTNV)
119 C 
1. Scott Carpenter (CALA) 8-2 
2. Josh Pomerleau (LISB) 
3. Greg Rowley (PENO) 9-7 
4. Ryan Malo (PISC)
125 A 
1. Ryan Toussaint (DEER) 6-1 
2. Joey Badger (NOBL) 
3. Will Lundquist (CONY) 8-2 
4. Stephen Desjardins (BREW)
125 B 
1. Craig Morrill (OAKH) 1:32 
2. Dustin Vigue (WINS) 
3. Phil Kyser (BELF) 2:27 
4. Tom Cassidy (CAMD)
125 C 
1. Mike McNamara (LISB) 7-1 
2. Kaleb Mann (FOXC) 
3. Zach Lafreniere (PENO) 6-0 
4. Eric Coulombe (MONM)
130 A 
1. Jake Bagley (NOBL) 2:39 
2. Dalton Groeger (BONN) 
3. Justin Dumond (MASS) 13-2 
4. Aaron Taylor (ERSK)
130 B 
1. Zac Fields (CAMD) 8-4 
2. Josh Robbins (BELF) 
3. Chris Neumann (WELL) 4-3 
4. Tim Howie (MTDI)
130 C 
1. Brian O’Connor (DEXT) 0:29 
2. Bryan Blackman (DIRI) 
3. Curtis Lozier (FORT) 4:22 
4. Lawrence DiPietro (JOHN)
135 A 
1. Bryan Anderson (NOBL) 1:10 
2. Kaleb Austin (SKOW) 
3. Zachary Clarke (SANF) 5-0 
4. Kyle Courtway (MASS)
135 B 
1. Ernie Matthews (MTNV) 2:51 
2. Brandon Rich (CAMD) 
3. Derek Juchnik (LINC) 1:33 
4. Matthew DiBona (WELL)
135 C 
1. Brandon Jonaitis (DIRI) 4:20 
2. Matt Nicholson (LISB) 
3. Spencer McCormick (CALA) 9-4 4. Jordan Fogg (BUCK)
140 A 
1. Peter Gilman (MASS) 3:28 
2. Ben Valencia (NOBL) 
3. Brandon Corson (SKOW) 5-2 
4. Kevin Kinehan (BONN)
140 B 
1. Jack Simpkins (CAMD) Pin 1:31 
2. Ryan Botting (HERM) 
3. Ben Fredette (WINS) Dec 4-3 
4. Joshua Thornton (MTNV)
140 C 
1. Ronald Harvey (DEXT) 6-2 
2. Bruce Rumney (BUCK) 
3. Zach Heanssler (DEER) 11-9 
4. Mike McManus (LISB)
145 A 
1. Joseph Eon (MASS) 6-4 
2. Mark Richardson (NOBL) 
3. Drew Leeman (ERSK) 
4. Ian L’Heureux (SANF)
145 B 
1. Billy Gauthier (YORK) 6-5 
2. Jacob Powers (CAMD) 
3. Steven Genthner (MEDO) 4-0 
4. Taylor Carey (MTNV)
145 C 
1. Marcus Bubar (LISB) 3:33 
2. Ray Wood (BUCK) 
3. Tom Hines (DIRI) 9-8 4. Justin Jordan (JOHN)

152 A 1. Peter Bronder (NOBL) Pin 0:19 2. Chris Robinson (CONY) 3. Harrison Strondak (WEST) Dec 6-3 4. Andrew Tripp (MASS) 152 B 1. Zach Shellabarger (BELF) Pin 3:29 2. Patrick Hapworth (MCIN) 3. Dakota Hellum (ELLS) Dec 3-2 4. Matthew Duka (MTNV) 152 C 1. Kyle Huston (LISB) Dec 7-2 2. Alex Miele (DIRI) 3. Cody Caron (DEXT) TF 16-0 4. Fred Lear (JOHN)
160 A 
1. Dillon White (SKOW) 6-3 
2. Patrick Chute (BIDD) 
3. Spencer Chipman (MORS) 6-4 
4. Derek Cloutier (MASS)
160 B 
1. Kote Aldus (BELF) 19-4 
2. Dillon Tibbetts (OAKH) 
3. Revelin Goeway (MCIN) 8-4 
4. Tristan Ripley (MTVI)
160 C 
1. Stephen Klenowski (BUCK) 4-2 
2. Josh Palmer (DIRI) 
3. Kyle Bell-Colfer (HALL) 5:00 
4. Lee Gustin (DEXT)
171 A 
1. Tyler Russell (MORS) Dec 6-5 
2. Stephen Martin (BONN) 
3. Zach Chandler (MTAR) 13-0 
4. Nate Winsor (NOBL)
171 B 
1. Kornelius Wood (BELF) 3-2 
2. Clyde Tibbetts (OAKH) 
3. Derek Clark (WINS) 8-2 
4. Bo Richards (HERM)
171 C 
1. Cameron Bubar (LISB) 10-3 
2. Jacob Ferland (MATT) 
3. River Robertson (BUCK) 12-2 
4. Andrew Jipson (PENO)
189 A 
1. Alexander Holland (MASS) 5-1 
2. TJ Vallee (CONY) 
3. Gerald Gould (NOKO) 8-6 4. Jacob Greenwood (WIND)
189 B 
1. Travis Spencer (BELF) 1:32 
2. Nick Wells (OAKH) 
3. Roy Williams (MCIN) 10-6 
4. Jesse Morkeski (LINC)
189 C 
1. Doug Richardson (DEXT) 5:51 
2. Craig Woodard (BUCK) 
3. Matt Johnston (MATT) 6-4 
4. Art Stambach (LISB)
215 A 
1. Andrew Drouin (WEST) 8-1 
2. Alex Wood (ERSK) 
3. Mike Fraser (CONY) 0:31 
4. Ryan Bogan (SANF)
215 B 
1. Mark Smith (BELF) 19-8 
2. Adam Hathorne (OAKH) 
3. Camden Fernald (MTDI) 1:57 
4. Jared Sargent (ELLS)
215 C 
1. Joe Doughty (LISB) 3-2 
2. Josh Dunbar (BUCK) 
3. Jake Linkletter (MADI) 5-2 
4. Zach Porier (DEXT)
285 A 
1. Nate Lavallee (CAPE) 0:56 
2. Shawn White (CONY) 
3. Tyler DeBardino (DEER) 4:04 
4. Heiko Nichols (NOKO)
285 B 
1. Mark Heathcote (CENT) 4-0 
2. Stephen Johnson (WELL) 
3. Jesse Sawin (FRYE) 2:11 
4. Justin Boyle (BELF)
285 C 
1. Dan Schofield (LISB) 8-6 
2. A.J. Carrier (DIRI) 
3. Andrew Larson (FOXC) 0:27 
4. Evan Goodine (BUCK)

Wrestlers of the Meet (OW)
Class A - Pelletier Award: Class B - LaFountain Award:
Class C - Smith Award:
Joey Eon (Massabesic) Travis Spencer (Belfast)
Cameron Bubar (Lisbon)

 ---------CLASS-A         ---------CLASS-B     ---------CLASS-C
 1. 170.5 Noble           1. 177.5 Belfast     1. 203.5 Lisbon
 2. 155.0 Massabesic      2. 120.0 Camden      2. 129.0 Bucksport
 3.  90.0 Cony            3. 107.5 Oak Hill    2. 129.0 Dirigo
 4.  69.0 Bonny Eagle     4.  98.0 Mtn Valley  4. 128.5 Dexter
 5.  54.0 Skowhegan       5.  78.5 Wells       5.  66.0 Foxcroft 
 6.  49.0 Morse           6.  65.0 MCI         6.  43.0 Penobscot 
 7.  43.0 Erskine         7.  44.0 Winslow     7.  36.5 Fort Kent
 8.  40.0 Deering         8.  32.0 York        8.  36.0 Calais
 8.  40.0 Westbrook       9.  28.5 Lincoln     9.  33.0 Mattanawcook 
 9.  28.5 Sanford        10.  26.5 MDI        10.  28.0 John Bapst 
10.  24.0 Cape Elizabeth 11.  24.0 Ellsworth  11.  23.0 Monmouth  
11.  24.0 Marshwood      12.  23.0 Hermon     12.  13.0 Hall-Dale 
13.  23.0 Gardiner       13.  21.0 Fryeburg   13.  12.0 Piscataquis 
13.  23.0 Mt Ararat      14.  20.0 Central    14.  11.0 Deer Isle 
13.  23.0 Nokomis        15.  19.0 Medomak    14.  11.0 Madison 
14  .15.5 Biddeford      16.  13.0 Waterville 16.  4.0 George Stevens 
15.  13.0 Windham 17.    17.  12.0 Caribou    17.  2.0 Washington 
16.   8.0 Brewer         18.   9.0 Mt View             Boothbay
17. 3.0 Bangor           19.   2.0 Old Town            Calvary Chapel
18. 3.0 Kennebunk                  Sumner              Stearns
19. 3.0 Mt Blue                    Winthrop
20. 3.0 Thornton                   Woodland 
21. 1.0 Scarborough

Sportsmanship Awards
A West: Marshwood
B West: York
C West: Dirigo
A East: Skowhegan
B East: Hermon
C East: Fort Kent


Sunday, February 1, 2009

Appetizer is over in wrestling

PAUL BETIT 

— By

click image to enlarge
Ken Hagen of Noble upends Ryan Cook of Bonny Eagle during their match at 119 pounds. Hagen won, 9-6.
Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

click image to enlarge
Dalton Groeger, top, of Bonny Eagle attempts to gain an advantage against Justin Dumond of Massabesic in the 135-pound final. Groeger earned a 10-2 victory.
Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS BELOW

Staff Writer
NORTH BERWICK: Massabesic and Noble set the stage for another showdown in next Saturday's Class A state wrestling meet.
Massabesic, the two-time defending state champion, finished 24.5 points ahead of Noble in the 14-team field at the Western Class A meet Saturday at Noble High.
''It was not totally lopsided and that's what people come here to see,'' Massabesic Coach Rick DesRosier said. ''They want to see two or three teams, four teams competing, and that's what makes it exciting.''
Massabesic scored 243 points, Noble had 218.5, and Bonny Eagle was third with 176.
Massabesic, which ended Noble's eight-year reign in 2007, and Noble will be the top contenders at the state meet Saturday in Augusta.
The top four wrestlers in each weight class in the regionals go to the state meet. Massabesic and Noble each had 11 wrestlers qualify. Bonny Eagle had eight.
Massabesic and Noble each had four wrestlers win finals.
The teams went head-to-head in four matches in the championship round, with each winning two.
Gage DesRosier of Massabesic collected his 100th career win when he pinned Kayleigh Longley of Noble in the finals at 103. DesRosier is seeking his second consecutive state title. Longley, was the lone female to advance to a regional final.
Noble's Ryan Anderson , after scoring takedowns in the first two periods, outlasted Kyle Courtney of Massabesic for an 8-5 decision at 135.
Peter Gilman of Massabesic pinned Ben Valencia of Noble in the 140-pound final.
In the final at 145, Mark Richardson of Noble beat Joey Eon of Massabesic, who is bidding to become the 11th Maine wrestler to win four state champions. Richardson won 8-5 after scoring a takedown and earning backups to take a 4-1 lead late in the first period.
Ken Hagen of Noble beat Ryan Cook of Bonny Eagle 9-6 in the final at 119.
Ryan Toussaint of Deering, who dropped down one class to wrestle at 125, outpointed Ethan Norwald of Massabesic in the final.
Dalton Groeger of Bonny Eagle beat Justin Dumond of Massabesic 10-2 at 130.
Peter Bronder scored a third-period pin against Harrison Strondek of Westbrook at 152.
In the 160-pound final, Derek Cloutier of Massabesic scored an escape in overtime to eke out a 2-1 decision against Pat Chute of Biddeford.
Stephen Martin of Bonny Eagle pinned Nate Winsor of Noble to win at 171.
Alexander Holland of Massabesic pinned Jacob Greenwood of Westbrook to win 189.
Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:
pbetit@pressherald.com