One of the more decorated wrestlers in Maine high school history has received one more honor.

Jeremiah Barkac, a senior at Dexter Regional High School, has been named a 2007 high school All-American by Wrestling USA magazine.

Barkac recently completed a career unprecedented in Maine’s high school wrestling ranks, setting a state record with his 190 victories over four years and going undefeated against in-state competition while amassing four consecutive individual Class C state championships.

Barkac finished his career with a 190-6 record, his only losses coming in the New England championships where he finished second in the 112-pound decision as a senior, third at 112 as a junior and fifth in the 103-pound class as a sophomore.

The Parkman resident also was a two-time All-American in amateur competition, with top-six finishes after his freshman and sophomore years at the Cadet-Junior National Championships at Fargo, N.D.

Barkac was 48-1 with 42 pins as a senior for coach Adam Gudroe’s Dexter team. He was named most outstanding wrestler of the state championship meet, and his only loss was a 6-4 decision to undefeated Massachusetts all-class champion Sean Boyle in the championship round of the New England tournament.

Among previous Maine wrestlers to earn Wrestling USA All-American honors was Barkac’s older brother Chris, a four-time state champion who graduated from Dexter in 2005.

The Barkac brothers are two of just eight Maine high school wrestlers to win four individual state titles.

Jeremiah Barkac plans to continue his wrestling career next season at Dana College, an NAIA power in Blair, Nebr.

Friendship Series draws near

Many of the state’s top wrestlers are getting in shape to compete in the Maine-Nebraska Friendship Series XXIII, the 23th annual cultural and sporting exchange between the two states that began in 1985.

Nine-hundred thirty-three Maine high school wrestlers have participated in 1,388 matches since the series began, with the states alternating as hosts.

Maine will host this year’s four-meet competition, which is scheduled to begin at York High School on Thursday, June 21. That’s followed by meets June 22 at Winslow High School, June 25 at Dirigo High School of Dixfield and June 27 at Morse High School of Bath.

The Nebraska contingent is expected to include at least three state champions, 275-pound Taylor Foss, a senior who went 40-0 for Kearney High School; 176-pound Cory Steiger, a junior who went 40-1 for Lincoln High; and 112-pound Simon James, a junior who went 32-1 last winter for Franklin High School.

Eastern Maine wrestlers slated to participate in this year’s Friendship Series include Jacob Berry, Kristi Pearse, Murphy McGowan, Jack Simpkins and Oliver Bradeen, all of Camden Hills of Rockport; Cinjin Goewey and Brandon Wright of Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield; Jon Pelletier of Bucksport, Eric Cole of Hermon, Tysen Ober of George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill and Mark Heathcote of Central of Corinth.

Lobster Bowl rosters set

Rosters for the 18th annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic all-star football game have taken shape.

The game, to be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 22 , at historic Waterhouse Field in Biddeford, features the state’s top high school senior players from the previous season. Each high school football program in the state is eligible to be represented in the game.

Among Eastern Maine standouts expected to represent the East squad are Travis Lee of Belfast, Gene Kim of Stearns of Millinocket, Collin Walton of Mount Desert Island, Anthony Ortiz of John Bapst of Bangor, Ryan Babin of Brewer, Josh Ranger of Hampden Academy, Dom Frost of Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield, Robert Seccareccia and Brad White of Bangor, Steve Shea of Nokomis of Newport, Shaw Weeks of Foxcroft Academy, Isaac Young and Shey Gardner of Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln, Dustin Nevells of Orono, Matt Gray of Bucksport and Josh Elwell of Rockland.

The East squad also will include three players from Class A state champion Lawrence of Fairfield, Aaron Champagne, Tom Hersom and David Wallace, and Fitzpatrick Trophy winner Jared Turcotte of Lewiston.

Mike Marston of Skowhegan will serve as the East head coach, assisted by Butch Arthers, Butch Richards, Pete Bolduc, Wes Littlefield, Tom Hinds, Darryl Weiss, Mike Siviski and Mike Hathaway.

The West squad will be led by quarterback Chris Treister of Portland, lineman Chris Leroy of Deering of Portland and Andy Nash of Gorham, running back Brian Sandora of Deeriing and wide receiver Ben Delcourt of Bonny Eagle of Standish.

Matt Perkins of Windham is the West head coach, assisted by Kevin Cooper, Brendan Scully, Steve Stinson, Sean Austin, Jim Thurston, Phil Rossetti and Kevin Millington.

Training camp for this year’s Lobster Bowl begins Sunday, July 22, at Hebron Academy.

The West leads the series 14-3, but the teams have split the last four matchups. The East won the 2006 game 22-21.

Hinds leaves Cony post

Cony High School has an opening for a varsity football coach with the announcement this week that Tom Hinds has resigned after seven seasons to become an assistant coach at Bates College in Lewiston.

Cony went 16-43 during Hinds’ tenure, including 0-16 during the last two seasons. The Rams won two games in 2005, but had to forfeit them when it was discovered the team used an ineligible player.

Cony reached the Pine Tree Conference Class A playoffs three times under Hinds’ watch, in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

Hinds’ son Gabe quarterbacked the Rams in recent years, but he is graduating and will attempt to join the University of Maine program this fall after competing in the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic next month.

Hinds will remain as Cony’s boys tennis coach, as well as retain his position in the school’s physical education department.