CALAIS, Maine — The Caribou Vikings wrestling team earned a second-place finish at the Calais Wrestling Invitational Tournament Jan. 4, in addition to earning a total of nine medals.
Caribou and Piscataquis Community High School were tied with 120 points, however Caribou won the tiebreaker to earn the second-place spot. Bucksport came in first with a total of 172 points.
Of the nine medals, three Viking wrestlers made it to the finals with both Angel Riopelle (138 pounds) and Thomas O’Meara (152 pounds) finishing first, and Caleb Robbins (145 pounds) getting a silver medal.
Additionally, Caribou wrestlers Ethan Edgecomb (106 pounds), Rylee Saucier (113 pounds), Matt McCormack (160 pounds), Kaden DeMerchant (182 pounds), Jacob Smart (220 pounds), and Gunner Hatfield (285 pounds) all placed third.
“I thought we did very well, and had one of our best performances as a team in years putting up 120 points in a tournament,” said Caribou’s coach Chico Hernandez.
Hernandez added that the team could have done better, citing four disappointing defeats in the semifinal bouts. He said that if those defeats were converted into victories, the squad may have won the entire tournament.
The coach commended Robbins, saying that he is showing promise as a top tier wrestler, as he has wrestled for the second time in the championship finals against two-time state champion Landon St. Peter of John Bapst. And although he lost both of those matches, Hernandez said Robbins is getting closer.
“What is amazing about this is Caleb is wrestling two weight classes over his normal weight class of 132 (pounds),” he said.
Hernandez said team leaders at the midway point of the season are Tom O’Meara with an 18-4 record, Gunner Hatfield at 14-5, and Angel Riopelle, 13-4.
Wrestlers of the week were Riopelle, Robbins and O’Meara. Upcoming matches will be at Fort Kent on Jan. 8 and the Foxcroft Academy Duals on Jan. 11.
