ANNOUONCEMENTS


Sunday, January 10, 2010

York High girl earns 100th wrestling victory




By Jay Pinsonnault

jpinsonnault@seacoastonline.com

Reaha Goyetche has wrestled in many tournaments in her three-plus years as a member of the York High School wrestling team.

During that time, the 103-pound senior always thought it was "cool" when the tournament director announced over the public address system someone had just earned their 100th career varsity victory.

Goyetche heard her own name be honored Saturday during the annual Kennebunk Duals.

York head coach Wally Caldwell thought it was ironic that Goyetche, who competes against boys about 75 to 80 percent of the time, earned her milestone victory against a girl — beating Mountain Valley's Nicole Burgess.

"I have heard a lot of names be called out for 100 wins over the years," Goyetche said, "it was cool to hear my name be called out."

Caldwell couldn't have been happier for his senior captain.

"It was magical, it really was," Caldwell said. "She's in a special place. Not more than a handful of girls have reached that milestone, which makes it extra special. Getting 100 wins is tough. You have to stay healthy, stay on weight, which is tough, especially for a girl, and wrestle well for four years."

Goyetche is the fifth Wildcat to reach the 100-win plateau and the first girl.

"I think being the fifth overall means more to me than being the first girl, because there haven't been many girl wrestlers at York," Goyetche said.

Goyetche joins current teammate Billy Gauthier, and Ray Gauthier, Dan Towers and Brian Carl on the York's 100-win club.

Caldwell has coached the Wildcats wrestling program since its inception in 1995 and only remembers two girls from the state of Maine to reach 100 wins during that time, Deanna Rix of Marshwood and Kirsten Pierce of Camden Hills.

"She's on a pretty short list, especially during my tenure," Caldwell said. "What she (Reaha) does in practice every day is mind-boggling. It's how tough she is in practice and not the just the meets. It's what she does in the offseason and how focused she is on what she wants to do. She's so well-respected by her school and her teammates."

Goyetche started thinking she had a chance at reaching 100 wins after last season.

"My coaches and my dad told me how many (wins) I had compared to how many matches I would have this year and I said I should be able to get it," Goyetche.

One thing she knows is she is glad she can just concentrate on the next match and not how many wins she needs to reach 100.

"It's really exciting to get it, but it's nice to be past it now and just focus on wrestling," Goyetche said.

Goyetche won the Western Maine Class B tournament last season at 103 pounds and was fourth at the state meet. She hopes to repeat as regional champion this season and improve on her state placement.

"I would be very, very surprised to win state," Goyetche said. "I hope I finish in the top three."

Goyetche is attending Bowdoin College in the fall, and it doesn't have a wrestling program.

"It would be cool to wrestle in college, but it's OK it's over with after this year — I guess," Goyetche said.