Camden wins fifth straight state crown Four-time champ Remsen in elite club

BANGOR – Chris Remsen believes the success of the Camden Hills wrestling team has roots both past and present.

“I think it’s just a lot of loyalty from the former wrestlers and the dedication of coaches that rub off on the wrestlers,” he said. “It’s kind of a nice circle.”

That circle was unbroken Saturday, as the Rockport school rolled to its fifth consecutive Class B state title, and the 145-pound Remsen became just the sixth four-time individual champion in state history.

Remsen was one of six Windjammers to win his weight class, and one of 12 to earn a top-three finish as coach Patrick Kelly’s club amassed 236.5 points in a meet that was never in doubt.

“Today our goal was one for the thumb,” Kelly said, “and we earned it in what I would say is dominating fashion, and I don’t mind saying that because I’m just giving credit to my athletes.”

The battle was for second place, with Mountain Valley of Rumford earning 128.5 points to edge Belfast (122.5) and Winslow (115).

Remsen earned his fourth title with three pins in a combined 5 minutes, 39 seconds, defeating Ben Dunham of Belfast in 3:41 in the championship round.

Other Camden Hills champions were Joe McGowan (103 pounds), Jake Rollins (119), Kyle Young (140), Harry Pearson (160) and Bryan Creamer (189). Derek Young (112), Brett Burnside (135) and Pete Forst (152) each placed second, with Jeremy Burnside (125), Cody Laite (130) and Nathaniel Boehmer (171) finishing third.

“I’ve got a group of kids here who are not willing to say no,” said Kelly, whose team lost just six individual matches during the two-day meet. “They will do what I ask them to do, and they respond to the situation. When one guy goes down, someone else steps up.”

Mountain Valley, the Western B champ, used its strength in the upper weight classes to gain second place. Chris Smith (171), Mike Hansen (215) and David Smith (275) were individual champs, while Travis Dragoon (189) and Travis Child (130) placed second.

Belfast got wins from Kyle Bonin (112) and Norman Gilmore (125), as well as runner-up finishes from Steve Joy (103), Tony Gilmore (119) and Dunham.

Other individual champions were Tom Burns of Ellsworth, who avenged a loss to Brett Burnside at the Eastern B meet to win the 135-pound title, David Gregory (130) of Lincoln Academy of Newcastle and Cliff Gardner (152) of Mount View of Thorndike.

In Class A, Noble of Berwick edged York County rival Marshwood of South Berwick 163-155.5 to win its sixth straight state championship.

The Knights led by just 11/2 points entering the championship finals, but won five individual titles – including one by 152-pound Decota Cotten, the state record holder in career wins and pins – compared to three for Marshwood.

Bonny Eagle of Buxton (64.5), and Skowhegan (58) were next, with Mt. Blue of Farmington and Kennebunk tying for fifth place with 55 points each. Skowhegan got second-place finishes from Jeremy Tarpen (103) and Brooks Thompson (125) and a third from Dylan Wentworth (130).