Windjammers Annis, Smith, Lion Bruns, Panther Thompson runners-up
By Ken Waltz
FRYEBURG — While no Midcoast high school wrestling team was able to win a championship this season, two student-athletes — Camden Hills' Kaylo Littlejohn (195 pounds) and Belfast's Jared Hansen (285) — secured individual titles during the state Class B mat competition on Saturday, Feb. 14 at Fryeburg Academy.
Ellsworth dominated the event, winning the state team title, with three-time defending champ Camden Hills second.
The team scores were: Ellsworth 147.5, Camden Hills of Rockport 105, Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft 96.5, Mountain Valley of Rumford 95, Belfast 83, Winslow 75, Fryeburg Academy 55, Gardiner 54, Oak Hill of Sabattus 53.5, York 45.5, Wells 35, Morse of Bath 25, Medomak Valley of Waldoboro 18, Mount View of Thorndike 7, Erskine Academy of South China 7, Mount Desert Island 4, Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield 4, Oceanside of Rockland/Thomaston 3 and Caribou 3.
That the Windjammers were able to battle to second is an amazing accomplishment, in some respects, because the squad has faced a boatload of adversity this season, including the usually championship-driven program struggling to field enough grapplers to fill weight classes at different points this winter due to a variety of reasons.
But, as the Windjammers usually do under a veteran coaching staff, led by Patrick Kelly, they again turned in some of their best work on the grandest stages.
Historically, the Windjammers have secured 15 state titles and been state runners-up eight times, as well as won 12 Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference crowns and 19 Eastern B titles.
For this season, Ellsworth also secured the Eastern Class B title the previous week in Waldoboro.
The KVAC meet was canceled this year due to inclement weather.
The Midcoast individuals who placed among the top four at Saturday's state meet were:
Camden Hills — Kaylo Littlejohn (1st at 195 pounds), Zac Annis (2nd at 113), Eli Smith (2nd at 160), Hilary Merrifled (3rd at 106), Taylor Crosby (3rd at 145), Jared Gilbert (3rd at 220) and John Underhill (4th at 138).
Belfast —Jared Hansen (1st at 285), Brendan Bruns (2nd at 106), Chase Curry (3rd at 120), Brandon Waterman (3rd at 138) and Austin Merando (4th at 113),
Mount View — Anthony Barnard (4th at 145).
Medomak Valley — Steven Thompson (2nd at 132).
Next up is the New England qualifier, slated for Saturday, Feb. 21 at Sanford High School. The top four finishers in each weight class at the state Class A, B and C tournaments may participate in the qualifier.
Thus, the 14 Midcoast student-athletes listed above may participate in the qualifier.
The top three finishers in each class at the qualifier move on to the New Englands on Friday and Saturday, March 6-7 in North Andover, Mass.
The individual state meet results for each Midcoast wrestler included:
106 pounds — Brendan Bruns, Bel, received a bye; beat Mike Sprague, EA, 15-2; pinned Brandon Weston, FoxA, at 0:33; and lost to Danny Buteau, OakH, 11-0 in the championship final.
Hilary Merrifield, CH, received a bye; beat Josh Mackaman, York, 4-2; lost to Danny Buteau, OakH, 9-2; beat Mike Sprague, EA, 6-1 and pinned Brandon Weston, FoxA, at 5:15 in the consolation final.
113 pounds — Zac Annis, CH, received a bye; pinned Michaela Sprague, EA, at 1:33; beat Zachery Cloutier, OakH, 14-5; and lost to Devin Vigue, Win, 8-3 in the championship final.
Austin Merando, Bel, received a bye; lost to Zachery Cloutier, OakH, 15-11; pinned Michaela Sprague, EA, at 1:32; pinned Abraham Malloy, MDI, at 1:27; and was pinned by Zachery Cloutier, OakH, at 3:41 in the consolation final.
120 pounds — Chase Curry, Bel, received a bye; beat Cullen Cummings, Wells, 6-2; lost to Ethan Boucher, MountVal, 5-0; pinned Frank Smith, OakH, at 2:43; and beat Noah Robidoux, Ells, 4-1 in the consolation final.
Jayred Robishaw, Ocean, received a bye; was pinned by Ethan Boucher, MountVal, at 1:29; and lost to Cullen Cummings, Wells, 18-2.
126 pounds — Shannon Ripley, Ocean, received a bye; was pinned by Peter DelGallo, Gard, at 3:54; and lost to Caleb Chase, Wells, 15-0.
Deagen Poland, Med, received a bye; was pinned by Eddie DeRoche, MountVal, at 0:53; and was pinned by Isaac Taylor, EA, at 1:07.
132 pounds — Steven Thompson, Med, received a bye; beat Isaac Desrochers, Wells, 9-1; beat Brandon Gill, MountVal, 6-5; and was pinned by Peyton Cole, Ells, at 2:17 in the championship final.
Jason Barnard, MtView, received a bye; was pinned by Brandon Gill, MountVal, at 1:51; and was pinned by Isaac Desrochers, Wells, at 4:11.
138 pounds — Brandon Waterman, Bel, received a bye; beat Patrick Duffy, FryeA, 2-0; was pinned by Dakota Jacques, MountVal, at 0:56; beat Randy Nelson, FoxA, 6-4; and beat John Underhill, CH, 3-2 in the consolation final.
John Underhill, CH, received a bye; pinned Randy Nelson, FoxA, at 1:07; lost to Michael Wrigley, Wells, 15-1; pinned Patrick Duffy, FryeA, at 2;16; and lost to Brandon Waterman, Bel, 3-2 in the consolation final.
145 pounds — Taylor Crosby, CH, received a bye; beat Anthony Barnard, MtView, 15-4; lost to Dagan Berenyi, Ells, 16-1; pinned Riley McCollett, Med, at 4:33; and beat Anthony Barnard, MtView, 7-1 in the consolation final.
Anthony Barnard, MtView, received a bye; lost to Taylor Crosby, CH, 15-4; beat Charlie Durfee, Wells, 8-7; beat Mike Provencher, MountVal, 14-2; and lost to Taylor Crosby, CH, 7-1 in the consolation final.
Riley McCollett, Med, received a bye; lost to Mike Provencher, MountVal, 7-2; pinned Isaaac Whittemore, FoxA, at 3:02; and was pinned by Taylor Crosby, CH, at 4:33.
152 pounds — Dallas Ball, Ocean, received a bye; was pinned by Josh Smith, York, at 2:35; pinned Isaac Therian, MountVal, at 3:08; and lost to Hunter Reed, Mor, 4-0.
160 pounds — Eli Smith, CH, received a bye; beat Zach Isbell, EA, 11-8; pinned Raz Baltazar, Mor, at 5:19; and was pinned by Trent Goodman, Ells, at 1:44 in the championship final.
170 pounds — Matthew Smith, Bel, received a bye; was pinned by Willie McFawn, FryeA, at 3:41; beat Adrian Joy, CH, 15-3; and lost to Billy Brock, FoxA, 10-2.
Adrian Joy, CH, received a bye; was pinned by Ryan Fredette, Win, at 1:25; and lost to Matthew Smith, Bel, 15-3.
182 pounds — Austin Sprague, Bel, received a bye; was pinned by A. Doody-Veilleux, Gard, at 1:14; pinned Kyle Provencher, FryeA, at 2:57; and was pinned by Jeff Weeks, Ells, at 1:26.
Wyatt Parra, CH, received a bye; was pinned by Ian Austin, MountVal, at 1:02; and lost to Chad Bonti, Mor, 7-2.
195 pounds — Kaylo Littlejohn, CH, received a bye; pinned Austin Talgo, Mor, at 3:54; pinned Jacob Truman, Gard, at 3:09; and beat Trevor Henschel, FryeA, 6-2 in the championship final.
Jared Vaughn, Bel, received a bye; was pinned by Jacob Truman, Gard, at 5:54; beat Austin Talgo, Mor, 13-4; and was pinned by Mark Slusher, York, at 2:58.
220 pounds — Jared Gilbert, CH, received a bye; pinned Derek Dyer, EA, at 0:31; was pinned by Michael Curtis, Wells, at 3:14; pinned Travis Tran, Bel, at 3:20; and beat Michael Pendriss, FoxA, 4-0 in the consolation final.
Travis Tran, Bel, received bye; was pinned by Nathaniel Beckwith, Win, at 2:20; pinned Alex Rackiffe, Ocean, at 2:39; and was pinned by Jared Gilbert, CH, at 3:20.
Alex Rackliffe, Ocean, received a bye; was pinned by Michael Pendriss, FoxA, at 1:37; and was pinned by Travis Tran, Bel, at 2:39.
285 pounds — Jared Hansen, Bel, received a bye; pinned Matt Healey, Wells, at 1:05; pinned Coyote Freeman, MountVal, at 0:32; and pinned Logan Childs, OakH, at 2:50 in the championship final.
Owen Gilbert, Med, received a bye; was pinned by Coyote Freeman, MountVal, at 5:10; and lost by default to Matt Healey, Wells.
Thomas Curtis, Ocean, received a bye; was pinned by Logan Childs, OakH, at 0:53; and lost to Angel Escalante, FryeA, 6-5.