Smith, Elsemore claim league meet crowns
By Jay Pinsonnault
jpinsonnault@seacoastonline.com
The drive through wintry conditions to Rumford on Saturday was better than they thought, the results once they got there were even better.
The York High School wrestling team made the 114-mile trek to Mountain Valley High School on Saturday for the eight-team league meet, and the Wildcats returned home with a fourth-place finish and two champions.
Josh Smith, at 152 pounds, and Connor Elsemore, at 170, won their respective weight classes for York.
Smith beat Bryce Whitmore of Dirigo in the championship match,, while Elsemore pinned Fryeburg Academy’s Willy McFawn in the finals.
“He (Whitmore) is a solid wrestler, a kid Josh had lost to earlier in the season,” York coach Wally Caldwell said. “Connor went out and was just phenomenal. He is focused right now. You don’t to get him agitated. He has a gear that I haven’t seen in too many wrestlers at Yok. He has that fifth gear. I pity the person he wrestler. He did a great job in the finals and he comes off the mat and he’s not jumping up and down, he just walked off like he took care of business.”
Jon Mackamin placed second at 113, while Josh Mackamin was third at 106.
Mountain Valley won the meet with 148 points, while Dirigo (141) and Fryeburg Academy (129) placed second and third, respectively.
York will now compete in Saturday’s 11-team regional meet at Wells High School. Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.
“It’s wide open, there’s four teams we don’t have a clue about and what they have in any weight class,” Caldwell said. “I’d say that after last weekend Mountain Valley and Fryeburg are the top two teams. I can’t really see any team sneaking in and getting one of those two spots.”
The top four wrestlers in each weight class will advance to the state championship meet the following Saturday at Fryeburg Academy.
Caldwell hopes five or six of his nine-man lineup can do well enough to advance.
The nine York wrestlers include Josh Mackamin (106), Jon Mackamin (113), Thomas Beecher (120), Alex Papp (145), Smith (152), Andrew Brenner (160), Elsemore (170), Mark Slusher (195) and Ben Mahoney (unlimited).
Smith and Elsemore won the Class B state championship last year.
York beats Deering
The Wildcats defeated Deering, 36-30 last Wednesday at Kennebunk High School.
Elsemore, Slusher and Smith all pinned their respective opponents.