Editor’s Note: Here are highlights of some of the Caribou region’s top sports stories from 2023 compiled by Paula Brewer. Part 2 covers July through December.
July
In a thrilling twist in the history of the S.W. Collins 5K road race, Teanne Ewings of Houlton outpaced 54 other runners and made history by becoming the first woman to secure the overall win in the 29 years of this road race. Ewings clocked in at 17 minutes, 42.7 seconds, a significant improvement of over 2:30 from her last year’s race time.
The Cary Classic Benefit Golf Tournament celebrated its 39th with the most players in more than a decade. One hundred and six golfers, including several past champions from throughout northern Maine and western New Brunswick, turned out. Ralph Michaud of Fort Fairfield won the men’s low gross at 74, and Jane Hunter of Stockholm won women’s low gross with 84.
August
Ron Ericson officially retired this year after serving the Washburn School District for 48 years. Ericson performed many different jobs during his tenure as educator, administrator and sports coach. He was one of three Aroostook County natives inducted into the Maine Sports Legends Hall of Honors in 2023.
It was a rambunctious evening Saturday, Aug. 19, at the Mars Hill Community Center as independent pro wrestlers fought for the hardcore championship title. In the final round of the Crown of Maine Wrestling’s Summer Hardcore Havoc 2, last year’s champion J.P. O’Reilly took home the title after a lengthy hardcore match against Pete Corvus.
Wisdom beat Van Buren 6-to-2 in the nation’s first official game of boys eight-player soccer. In April, more than two dozen Maine boys and girls high school soccer teams switched to eight-player, due to decreasing enrollment and the desire to remain competitive. Maine was the first state in the country to adopt the sport.
Austin Theriault returned to the racetrack for the 50th annual Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway Aug. 27. Theriault appeared through a partnership with the Travis Mills Foundation and Bar Harbor Bank & Trust. The race marked his first time on the track since 2019 when he raced in the NASCAR Cup Series.
September
A total of 56 runners participated in the Trevor Graves Memorial 5K Run, along with 30 virtual runners. Each ran either for Graves or the memory of another person who had lost their life to substance use disorder. Approximately $4,000 was raised from the race to benefit Caribou’s two sober houses.
Stephen Perreault retired as Caribou’s middle school boys soccer coach. Perreault’s career also included 38 years of coaching middle school boys basketball until 2018, and five years of middle school girls softball from the late 1980s to early ’90s. The school honored Perreault for his years as a coach before his final home soccer game.
October
James “Chico” Hernandez of Washburn competed at the Arkansas State Senior Games Track and Field Championships. The 70-year-old took gold medals in his division in the javelin, 400 meter power walk, 1,500 meter power walk and football throw along with silver medal in the softball throw and bronze in the high jump and hammer throw.
The Easton Bears soundly defeated the Maine School of Science and Mathematics 9-0 in a Class D boys soccer quarterfinal match. The match ended in the second half via the mercy rule with Easton blowing out the MSSM Penguins. Easton advanced to the Class D semifinal match in the Maine Principal Association tournament.
November
The Aroostook League announced its fall All-Aroostook teams in soccer, cross-country and golf. Boys Class B/C Soccer: Caribou: Dylan Bouchard, Owen Corrigan, Damarion Gagnon, Sam Hebert, Dawson St. Pierre. Boys Class D Soccer: Fort Fairfield: Cayden Ala, Joel Cormier, Micah Daigle. MSSM: Quinn Smith. Van Buren: Addien Davies, Dawsyn Searles. Girls Class B/C Soccer: Ainsley Caron, Amelia Godin, Brianna Levesque, Madelyn Morrow, Jillian Zieglar. Girls Class D Soccer: Fort Fairfield: Brianna Osterblom. MSSM: Aubrey Ainsworth, Elizabeth Rethman. Boys Cross Country: Caribou: Seth Dubay, Tewolde Stewart, Harrison Landes, Jacob Violette. MSSM: Ben Uhlenhake. Girls Cross Country: Caribou: Maggie Bell, Annabelle Haily. Golf: Caribou: Ty Hunter, Matt Pellietier, Lars Spooner. Fort Fairfield: Cayden Ala, Michael Bruce, Graedon King, Brett Senal.
December
Caribou High School announced the 2024 Athletic Hall of Fame class. The following people are being inducted: Roland Duprey, coach of the 1983 girls state championship team; Conrad Walton, longtime running coach; Verna Johnson,Class of 1967 and Caribou pioneer in female athletes; Kyle Webb, Class of 1976; Gregg Wardwel, Class of 1978; Laura “Bouchard” Gardiner Class of 1978; Scott Hunter, Class of 1983; Michelle Duprey, Class of 1983; Tony Michaud, Class of 1984; Lynn Hartley, Class of 1988; Gina “Leblanc” Eggert, Class of 1987; Troy Caverhill, Class of 1992; Erin Cole-Karagory Knight, Class of 1996; Kyle Corrigan, Class of 2008; and Jenna Sealander, Class of 2011. The 1983 girls state basketball championship team is also being inducted.
