Top Maine wrestlers battling Nebraska stars

For the 17th consecutive year, high school wrestlers from the Pine Tree State and Cornhusker State are getting together in the offseason for some good food, good competition, and good company.

This year, it’s Maine’s turn to play host in the alternately-hosted Friendship Series between Maine and Nebraska, which began in 1985 and is the longest-running cultural exchange of its kind.

The series resulted from a visit by Winslow wrestling official Wally LaFountain to a National Federation of High School’s rules committee meeting in Kansas City. There, LaFountain met Mick Pierce, who coached Lincoln (Neb.) Southeast High School’s wrestling team. They proposed a wrestling exchange involving high school wrestlers from different teams in both states.

After directing the Maine portion of the series for 10 years, LaFountain stepped down and longtime Westbrook coach Dennis Walch took over. Over the life of the series, 627 Maine wrestlers have competed in 1,042 matches. Wrestlers from Maine, Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas during the series.

After a short swing through Southern Maine, several Nebraska wrestlers will visit Winslow and Bucksport in the coming days.

This year’s tour began Wednesday as Westbrook hosted the Nebraska wrestlers for a douple days of canoeing, hiking, wrestling and eating.

From Portland, it was on to Rumford for another exhibition wrestling match along with a cookout, swimming, hiking and a paper mill tour.

Sunday, the scene shifts to Winslow a two days of cookouts, lobster feeds, swimming, barbecues, whitewater rafting and another meet.

The Bucksport swing begins Monday and involves a barbecue, tour of Fort Knox, a trip to Acadia National Park (Cadillac Mountain, Sand Beach), whale watching, and a final meet on Tuesday night.

Maine coaches are Walch, former Bucksport coach Mike Carter and former Mountain Valley of Rumford coach Jerry Perkins.

Local wrestlers participating are Kyle Perkins, Shawn Costigan and Adam Bourgoin of Bucksport; Levi Rollins, Joe Zak, Ian Slaymaker, Art Smith, Chris Remsen and Josiah Glover of Camden Hills; Ken Lackie and Steve Weeman from Maine Central Institute, Ross Palmer of Dexter; Keith Chapman from Penobscot Valley of Howland; and Justin Nesbitt, Dan Stace, and Chris Nasser of Winslow.