One of the top wrestlers in Maine schoolboy history will join a championship program on the collegiate level beginning next fall.

Jeremiah Barkac of Parkman, a senior at Dexter Regional High School, recently accepted a scholarship offer to wrestle and study at Dana College, an NAIA school in Blair, Neb.

“I knew I wanted to keep wrestling after high school,” said Barkac, who visited the Dana campus several weeks ago. “That was one of the main things, and I don’t have to worry about that anymore.”

Dana, a school of approximately 650 students located about 20 miles north of Omaha, is the reigning NAIA national wrestling champion, having won the first such title in school history in 2006.

The Vikings have a strong history, having reigned as the four-time defending Great Plains Athletic Conference champion and finishing fifth at the 2005 NAIA nationals. This year’s team, now gearing up for postseason competition, has wrestlers on its roster representing 16 different states.

The 18-year-old Barkac, the son of Michael and Kim Barkac, is undefeated against in-state competition throughout his high school career and hopes to join older brother Chris as a four-time individual Class C state champion at Dexter.

The 112-pound wrestler also is closing in on the state record for career wrestling victories, currently 180 as held by former Noble of North Berwick standout Decota Cotten.

Dana coach Richard Fergola learned about Barkac through his participation in the Cadet and Junior national wrestling tournament held annually in Fargo, N.D. While Barkac didn’t compete in that event last summer due to a back injury, he had earned All-America status at the Fargo event the previous two years.

“I brought Jeremiah out here for a visit and he fell in love with the school and our wrestling program,” said Fergola. “Jeremiah also wrestled one of my current athletes when they were competing on the Cadet level at Cadet Nationals in Fargo.”

Barkac plans to study sports administration, with a long-range goal of operating his own gym.

“Jeremiah is a good student and a great wrestler,” said Fergola. “He is the kind of student-athlete that we are looking for. Jeremiah will find success here right away because of his desire for competition.”

Laite shines for Windjammers

Cody Laite is capping off his high school career in impressive fashion.

The Camden Hills of Rockport senior registered his 158th career victory by pinning Matt Duka of Mountain Valley of Rumford last Saturday during a meet in Waldoboro. That win set a school record for victories, breaking the previous mark of 157 set by four-time state champion Chris Remsen, now starting at Arizona State University.

“When you get the chance to wrestle for four years, it’s something you shoot for as a goal,” said Laite.

Laite also recorded his 100th career pin during the meet to join Remsen and Cotten as the only Maine wrestlers to reach that milestone.

“Cody’s not overpowering with his strength, but he has precision-like technique,” said his stepfather, Camden Hills head coach John Kelly. “He’s been able to add things every single year to make himself better, and he’s able to adapt to the different wrestling styles he comes up against.”

Laite won an individual state title at 140 pounds as a sophomore before finishing second at 145 pounds as last year’s Class B state championships.

This year Laite hopes to return to the top of the wrestling world, as well as help the Windjammers regain the state title they lost by 1.5 points to Mountain Valley at last year’s championship meet. Camden Hills and Mountain Valley shared the 2005 state title after the Windjammers had won the championship outright each of the five previous years.

Laite plans to study forestry in college, and may attend either the University of Maine or Plymouth (N.H.) State University.

Conference meets on tap

High school wrestling’s postseason gets under way Saturday with conference championship meets around the state.

Those include the Penobscot Valley Conference championship meet at Nokomis Regional High School in Newport and the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championships at the Alfond Youth Center in Waterville.

Both meets figure to be highly competitive. Dexter, Bucksport, and defending champion Foxcroft Academy should be among the top contenders at the PVCs, with Dexter having defeated both its rivals in dual-meet competition during a recent meet at Brewer.

“We’ve seen what happens in dual meets, but when it comes to tournament time, who knows what will happen,” said Dexter coach Adam Gudroe. “I think a lot of teams have a shot to win it this year.”

Belfast and defending champion Camden Hills of Rockport are expected to battle for the KVAC crown.

Belfast recently defeated Camden Hills in a dual meet in which the Windjammers had to forfeit three classes, but CH coach John Kelly is hoping good health helps his team close the gap.

“When we get our lineup even close to good health, Belfast and us are so equal that it’s going to be who has a better day that day,” he said.