Graves Ketsugo students win big
HOULTON — Along with the martial arts students from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Brunswick and southern Maine, competitors from eight Aroostook dojos of Graves’ Institute of Self Defense vied their skills at the annual Kick-Off Tournament. Karate practitioners between the ages of 5 and 67, wearing colored belts from novice white to veteran black belt levels, entered divisions determined by age, weight, height and gender to assure fairness.
KARATE WINNERS — Graves’ students having success at a recent tournament were, in front from left, Jacob Bynion-Cullins, Allie Wheeler, Felicia DeMerchant, Madison Plant, Nick Sokolich, Brannon Hall, Xavier Couturier and Chloe Wheeler. 
Middle row, Sensei Matt Coty, Wesley DeMerchant, Patrick DeMerchant, Dave Stewart, Jeremy Thomas and Mitch Wheeler. Back, Dustin Coty, Sensei Jennifer Pictou, Rob Cullins, Master Jerod Kingsbury, Sensei Jay Peavey, Grand Master Bill Graves, Sensei John Sanders, Noah Jackins, Keegan Qualey, Sensei Norm Green, Sensei Valerie Sullivan and Dylan Coty.
Among the competitions were point sparring, form kata, weapons kata, ju-jitsu pair throwing and power impactor. In total, more than 40 divisions were judged and 269 trophies and awards handed out, including six huge three-tiered, four-foot-tall grand championship trophies for various black belt division winners. Two of these large awards went home with local instructors Sensei Jay Peavey of Mars Hill and Sensei John Sanders of Presque Isle for their top point-getting performance in the black belt Ju-Jitsu division.
With so many top rate fighters and throwers it requires a lot of skill to win just one trophy, yet several regional Graves’ martial artists managed to place among the top three in two different events. In the Maxi Pee Wee Advanced division for green/purple belt girls, Chloe Wheeler of Mars Hill won a fighting and a throwing trophy.
Nick Sokolich of Caribou won a second in sparring and a second in Ju-Jitsu pairs in the boys maxi Pee-Wee event. From the Perth-Andover dojo Xavier Clouturier garnered a first place in the throwing and a second place sparring in the maxi pee-wee novice division for white and yellow belts.
Mitch Wheeler of Mars Hill pulled off the rare trifecta in men’s brown belt events by winning two first places and a second in point sparring, power impactor and form kata respectively. Three members of the Wheeler family participated in the tournament and brought home six trophies between them.
Other family group winners included Sensei Matt Coty of Caribou and his two twin brothers Dylan and Dustin; Dave Stewart of Caribou and his grandson Brannon Hall; Rob Cullins and his son Jacob Binion-Cullins of Fort Fairfield, and the DeMerchant family of Perth-Andover, New Brunswick, made up of husband-and-wife combination Wesley and Felicia along with son Patrick, each toook first place in various divisions.
Students from all the regional schools of Graves Institute of Self Defense participated and enjoyed Aroostook’s only martial arts tournament. Youngsters or adults wishing to view a class or join their local dojo can call head Sensei Bill Graves at 764-1497 for times, locations and information.
