Chretien bringing wrestling to Lawrence
Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
For the first time in his high school wrestling career, Kyle Chretien has a team. He still spends most of his practice time with the Winslow High School wrestling team, but these days, Kyle is joined by five other wrestlers wearing the blue and white of Lawrence High School.
“Last year, I got one other kid to do it with me, “Kyle says, “but he quit on the second day.”
The Lawrence six took part in the Eastern Maine Class A regional championship at Oxford Hills Comprehensive School on Saturday. Officially, Lawrence doesn’t have a wrestling team, so they were there as independents. Normally, the Lawrence wrestlers practice with and are coached by Winslow, but the Black Raiders were hundreds of miles away in Presque Isle at the Class B regional meet, and the Bulldogs were coached by Skowhegan.
“It’s difficult, but a team’s a team, whoever coaches us, “Kyle said.
Now a sophomore at Lawrence, Kyle was disheartened to learn the school didn’t have a wrestling program when his family moved to Maine from Maryland a few years ago. In eighth grade, he was allowed to train with Winslow, and he has since.
This year, the Black Raiders were happy to take in a few more Lawrence wrestlers.
“I knew some of the Winslow guys and just wrestled with them when I could. I couldn’t go in knowing nothing, “Kyle said. “I was serious about it.”
“We thank God for Winslow for letting him work with them and their coaching, “Kyle’s father, Joe, said.
Kyle entered the regional tournament as the No. 3 seed at 160 pounds. After a quick win over Erskine Academy’s Zach Blagdon, Kyle was pinned midway through the second round of a match against Mike Golek of Mt. Ararat High School.
Kyle knew immediately why he lost.
“The biggest thing was I kept my head down. Even when I was on top, I kept my head down, “Kyle said.
“I just need to improve my endurance. I do fine until I run out of breath.”
That endurance would be better if Kyle hadn’t missed part of the season after dislocating his hip and suffering a concussion. Still, in a consolation semifinal match against Michael Jalbert of Lewiston High School, Kyle moved quickly, pinning Jalbert in just 26 seconds.
“I was very mad and I knew what I wanted, “Kyle said. “I wasn’t going to have (Jalbert) last long enough for me to get tired.”
Of the six Lawrence wrestlers, only one, 140-pound Ron Hood, is a senior, the rest are sophomores and freshmen, and there are junior high students interested in taking up the sport.
If that feeder program comes to light, Kyle hopes Lawrence will offer a high school team soon.
This summer, he plans on having fundraisers to buy the school some wrestling mats.
“It’s all about bringing more kids into it, “Joe said. “I’m absolutely taken aback by how hard Kyle has worked.”
Kyle won’t represent Lawrence alone at states. Sophomore Ryan Chenevert qualified at 125 pounds, and freshman Seth Mullenax will compete in the 145-pound class.
“This is amazing, “Kyle said. “For us to get two out of six would be amazing, but three?”
No bad for a team that doesn’t officially exist.
Travis Lazarczyk – 861-9242
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