Friday, May 25, 2012
By Paul Betit pbetit@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer
Derek Vermette of Biddeford has been making up for some lost time this season.
Michael Curtis
Courtesy photo
WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
Michael Curtis, Wells: A freshman, Curtis pinned top-seeded D.J. Webber of Dirigo with 10 seconds left to capture the 170-pound title at the Mid-State League championship meet. Earlier, Curtis, who was seeded second, scored a 9-6 decision against third-seeded Kyle Foley of Madison.
HONORABLE MENTION
• Anthony Batty, Camden Hills: Batty pinned all three opponents to help the Windjammers claim the Class B championship at the KVAC meet.
• Jared Petrozzella, York: The fourth-seeded Petrozzella knocked off the top two seeds to win the 138-pound division at the Mid-State League championships.
• Jared Jensen, Brunswick: Jensen pinned three of his four opponents in the 152-pound division to capture Class A wrestler of the meet honors at the KVAC meet.
After missing most of last season while recovering from shoulder surgery, Vermette, a junior, has compiled a 30-2 record in the 182-pound division.
Vermette's physical problems began when he dislocated his shoulder in his first match at the Western Class tournament in 2010.
"He had rehab so he wouldn't miss the football season, but (the shoulder) came out all the way and he ended up having surgery, so he missed all of football season and wrestling season," said his father, Steve Vermette, the Biddeford coach.
While recuperating from the surgery, Vermette tried to stay involved with wrestling.
"He stayed at practice, cheered on his teammates and helped me coach," his father said. "It was kind of difficult for him but he did it."
"It was hard but I just stuck around with the team," the younger Vermette said, "and when I could do stuff I just started practicing with them a little bit."
Near the end of last season, Vermette competed in two matches in the old 189-pound division.
It wasn't enough for him to qualify for the Western Class A meet.
"I wrestled a lot in the summer to stay in shape and get ready for this season," he said.
Two weeks ago, Vermette won the 182-pound division at the Southern Maine Classic in Waterboro.
Last Saturday he pinned all three opponents in a quadrangular meet at Westbrook.
CAMDEN HILLS tuned up for its run at the Class B state championship by cruising to an extremely decisive victory in last Saturday's Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championship meet in Augusta.
The Windjammers were officially crowned the meet's Class B champion, but ended up 123 points in front of host Cony, the meet's top Class A finisher, in the team standings.
Camden Hills wrestlers advanced to 10 of the 14 championship finals, and five captured titles.
Individual winners for the Windjammers were Neal Harrison-Billiat at 145, Ryan Graffam at 170, Anthony Batty at 182, Brandon Graffam at 195 and Rhett Chase at 220.
Cony was the surprise team in the meet. The Rams nosed out highly regarded Mt. Blue and Skowhegan to end up as the top Class A team.
THE SOLID 1-2 finish by Dirigo and Mountain Valley in last Saturday's 10-team Mid-State League championship meet set them up as the teams to beat in their respective Western Maine meets Saturday.
Dirigo, which is seeking its first Class C state championship since 2007, finished 10 points ahead of the Falcons, the defending Class B state champions, in the final team standings.
Individual winners for the Cougars were Caleb Hall at 132, Thomas Barnett at 160 and Nelson Pepin at 182.
Winning titles for Mountain Valley were Nicole Burgess at 106, Santos Rodriguez at 195 and Ryan Glover at 285.
FOXCROFT ACADEMY and Dexter finished in a near dead heat for the top spot in the Penobscot Valley Conference championship meet Saturday in Lincoln.
Foxcroft Academy, the defending Class C champion, outpointed the Tigers 176-175 to win the 18-team meet.
The two teams will meet again Saturday in the Eastern Class C meet in Howland.
Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at: pbetit@pressherald.com
Twitter: PaulBetitPPH
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