Champions crowned in Festival sporting events

    FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — The Maine Potato Blossom Festival wrapped up Sunday and with it a full slate of athletic events.   In the three-on-three basketball tournament held last Tuesday at the Fort Fairfield Community Center, nine teams participated in the double-elimination event. Winning with a 4-0 final record was the team of Ben Rosser, Jarryd Rossignol, Jacob Rioux and Daren Stone. The second-place team, with a record of 5-2, was made up of Josh Churchill, Austin Dufour, Josh Booth, Andrew Forsman and Brad Burlock.
The junior girls’ softball tournament was held earlier that day at the Fort Fairfield Middle-High School Athletic Complex. Five Aroostook County teams participated in the single-elimination event for 9-12 year old girls. In the semi-final round of play, Fort Fairfield defeated Presque Isle, 14-7, while Ashland downed Washburn, 19-8. Fort Fairfield then went on to defeat Ashland in the finals, 21-1. Members of the first-place team included coaches Matt Tompkins and Rob Langner, Cassidy Coiley, Cammi King, Gabby Ricker, Brenna LeVasseur, Rachael Milliard, Sarah McShea, Olivia Langner, Camryn Ala, Kira Rogers, Emma Crouse, Delaney St Pierre and Layla Harris.
The annual swim meet took place last Wednesday at the Fort Fairfield Municipal Swimming Pool and was for boys and girls ages 18 and under. Forty-two swimmers participated and the high point swimmers in each age group were: Ellie Calhoun (8 and under girls), Graydon Rosato-King (8 and under boys), Izabelle Higgins (9-10 girls), Matthew Hedrich (9-10 boys), Cassidy Coiley (11-12 girls), Madelyn Wing (13-14 girls), Ryan Watson (13-14 boys), Kaleigh Kinney (15-18 girls); and Alex Hemphill (15-18 boys).
The 5-Miler Road Race was held Saturday, starting and ending on Main Street in Fort Fairfield. A total of 98 runners and walkers took part in the event and P.J. Gorneault of Caribou was the overall race winner in a time of 26:35, followed in second place by Curtis Wheeler with a time of 28:03.
Alecia Palmer of Presque Isle crossed the finish line first for the women in a time of 33:56, with second place going to Paige Selant in in 34:57.
Stephanie Beaulieu was the first Fort Fairfield resident to finish with a time of 38:55.
The first-place finisher in the walking division was Joe Doherty with a time of 59:12, while Rene Gorneault had the fastest time for the women in 1:02:47.
Other divisional winners included: Alexis Coiley, Logan Spittle, Anna Soderberg, Jose Batista, Selant, Wheeler, Stephanie Coffin, Evan Graves, Beaulieu, Jeff Ashby, Kim Wright, Carl Soderberg, Lynn Soucy, Larry Tonzi, and 80-year-old Art Thompson of Limestone, who completed the course for the 40th consecutive year.
Saturday’s scramble golf tournament at Aroostook Valley Country Club included 34 three-person teams.
In Div. I, first gross was the team of Warren Tremblay, Brad Tremblay and Justin Sappier with a 60 and in second were Narval Sappier, Gary Grant and Noah Nicholas with a 64. The winning team in Div. II was made up of Terry Brewer, Brent Brewer and Jason Woodworth with a 62. The runner-up team, with a 67, included Harry Orser, Ryan Guerrette and Josh Haines.
The Regatta on the Aroostook was also held Saturday, beginning at Forbes Landing and finishing at the Fort Fairfield public boat landing. This year marked the 10th anniversary of the six-and-a-half mile event.  Thirty people participated in this year’s regatta, with Fran Cyr and Dave McCrossin finishing first overall. The duo paddled a racing canoe for a time of 50:15. Second place went to Amos Ward and Nicole Cyr, who also paddled a racing canoe and finished in 59:53.
The first-place finisher for the women was Susan Towle, paddling a kayak in a time of 1:03:51. She was followed by Emily Dubay with a time of 1:11:5, also in a kayak.
Other divisional winners included Ryan Johnson, Zachary Lasater, Brandon Lasater and Paige Selant; John Barnes Sr. and John Barnes Jr.; Derek Johnson, Greg Johnson and Kim Johnson; and Tom Towle and Morgann Towle.
The Spud Cycle bicycle race took place Sunday with the 25-mile event starting and finishing on Main Street in Fort Fairfield. Thirty-seven cyclists participated and Fort Fairfield native Brendan McLaughlin won with an impressive time of 56:08. He established a new course record in the process. McLaughlin easily outpaced the second-place finisher, Adam Bland of Presque Isle, whose time was a very respectable 1:00:25.
Stephanie Beaulieu of Fort Fairfield was the first women to cross the finish line in a time of 1:25:31, followed by Beth Doane in 1:34:19.
Other divisional winners included Avery Cormier, Shawn Berry, Thad LaValle, Gregg Collins, Marcel Bastide and Sara Beaulieu.
The Spud Challenge Triathlon consisted of the combined times in the 5-Miler Road Race, the Regatta on the Aroostook and the Spud Cycle Bicycle Race. The winner was Zachary Lasater of Perry, Ga., whose combined time of 2:56:59 was good enough to finish just ahead of last year’s winner Craig Dubay of Connor, whose time this year was 2:58:07. Third place went to Jose Batista with a combined time of 3:07:46.