Editor’s Note: The following is the first of two articles highlighting some of 2019’s most important sports stories. This article highlights events from January through June.
January
Eight Caribou wrestlers came home with medals from the annual Christmas tournament held at Penobscot Valley High School. Ethan Edgecomb, Caleb Robbins and Angel Riopelle all were runners-up in their weight divisions. Rylee Saucier and Kaden DeMerchant both placed third and Matt McCormack, Tom O’Meara and Jacob Smart came in fourth place.
Kevin Sjoberg, the sports editor for The Star-Herald and Aroostook Republican and News, is one of three individuals selected for induction into the Maine Sports Legends. (Courtesy of Kevin Sjoberg)
Seven of the eight Caribou Vikings’ wrestlers later went on to earn medals during a Jan. 12 wrestling tournament held at Piscataquis Community High School.
The Caribou JV girls’ basketball team headed into the new year with a 3-4 record following a recent stretch that included two wins and a loss, with its last game of the year on Dec. 31 featuring a tie being broken by Caribou with just seconds left on the clock, leading to a 51-50 victory.
Three Aroostook County natives were slated to be honored as Maine Sports Legends later in the year, including former Aroostook Republican and Star-Herald sports editor Kevin Sjoberg. In addition to Sjoberg, Pete Webb and G. Caroline Morris were scheduled to be honored during a June 23 ceremony in Brewer.
The Caribou Vikings narrowly defeated Lincoln Academy during a Jan. 19 Dexter Duals wrestling tournament with a 36-33 victory.
February
Caribou sophomores Caleb Robbins and Kaden DeMerchant both placed third in their weight divisions at the Penobscot Valley Conference Wrestling Championships on Feb. 2.
Caribou Vikings closed out its season with a 12-game winning streak, along with a final record of 15-3 on Feb. 7, and began to advance into the Class B North quarterfinals as the No. 2 seed.
Caribou Vikings players celebrate with the regional championship plaque following Saturday, Feb. 23’s victory over Hermon in the Class B North title game. From left are Iffy Sargent, Michael Brigman, Ethan Holdsworth, Austin Findlen, Alex Bouchard and Parker Deprey. (Joseph Cyr | Houlton Pioneer Times)
Caribou Vikings captured the Class B North Boys’ crown at the Cross Insurance Center on Saturday afternoon after defeating defending state champions Hermon in a 43-40 victory.
Hundreds of local basketball fans drove through hazardous winter roads to gather at Caribou High School and cheer on the Vikings as the team prepared to play against Cape Elizabeth for the state crown.
March
The Caribou boys then defeated Cape Elizabeth in a 49-47 victory, winning the gold ball for the first time in 50 years during a March 2 game at the Cross Insurance Arena. The game went into double overtime at 47-47 with Caribou getting the only points on a free throw by Alex Bouchard with 2:36 remaining and another by Isaac Marker with only 19.8 seconds left, ending the game 49-47.
The Vikings junior varsity boys basketball team also went undefeated with a 25-0 record for the season.
Young Caribou athletes won first place honors during the Maine Recreation and Parks Association/Maine Red Claws Regional Hotshot Competition in Caribou on March 4. Chandler St. Peter of Caribou won first place in the 9-10 year-old boys division with 128 points and Madelynn Deprey of Caribou won first for the 11-12 year old girls division with 104 points.
April
State Sen.Troy Jackson meets with Caribou High School boys basketball coach Kyle Corrigan and members of the state championship Caribou Vikings team in the Maine Senate Chamber. (Courtesy of Sen. Troy Jackson)
The Caribou High School boys basketball team was formally recognized for winning its first state championship in 50 years when Maine Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, welcomed them to the State House, where the team was recognized on both the House and Senate floors.
Alex Ezzy of Caribou High School received the 2019 Maine Sports Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Award, and was slated to receive a $5,000 scholarship during the hall of fame’s annual inductions and awards banquet on May 19 at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland.
May
The Caribou’s boys and girls track team had strong showings during a May 4 meet in Ellsworth, with the Viking girls finishing first in the meet with 180 points and the boys finishing fourth with 100.50 points.
Caribou High School hosted a May 11 track event during which the Caribou Vikings finished first in the girls team standings with 156 points.
Houlton’s Makenna Cooley competes in the triple jump during a Saturday, May 11, track and field meet in Caribou. (Contributed photo)
June
The Caribou Vikings brought home state titles following a Class C Track and Field championship at Mt. Blue High School. The Caribou girls placed third while the Caribou boys finished in fifth place. The Viking 4×800 relay team of Alexander Ezzy, Kyle Boucher, Tom Pinette and Dylan Marrero brought home top honors in their event, finishing with a time of 8 minutes, 25.36 seconds.
The 10th annual Caribou Summer Viking Wrestling Camp returned Monday, June 24 through Friday, June 28 at Caribou High School. Caribou High School varsity coach James “Chico” Hernandez led the camp, teaching proper wrestling etiquette from the basic moves to more advanced techniques.
