Five area wrestlers were extended an invitation to join the Maine team in June during its tour through Nebraska for the 20th annual Friendship Series.

The Friendship Series, a cultural exchange between the two states, is the longest active series in the U.S.

The area wrestlers selected were Justine Cornell and Derek Guisto of Lisbon, Seth McAlister of Oxford Hills and David Smith of Mountain Valley.

“This is a very good team,” Maine team leader Dennis Walch said. “I got most all the wrestlers I asked. I sent the roster to (Nebraska team leader) Tom McCann and he is impressed with who I was bringing. Hope we do well, but no matter what, it will be another great experience.”

The potential venues in Nebraska during the last week of June include Creighton, Hastings, Kearney and Millard South (Omaha).

Cornell was unbeaten in Maine en route to winning a Class C state championship at 112. Guisto, a three-time Class C state champion, won more than 100 matches during his career. Guisto returned from an elbow injury last season to win his third state crown.

“Derek Giusto was four seconds away from being a very rare four-time Maine state champion,” Maine co-coach Mark Stevens of Lisbon said. “He was winning (state finals match) and got turned and pinned with four seconds left on the clock, his freshmen year.

Since then, he never looked back. That loss made him more determined, and he became the only the fourth three-time state champion is Lisbon history.”

McAlister, won Class A state champions as a freshman (2001) and last February. The Viking senior (43-3) compiled an 80-0 record in dual meets. McAlister, who plans to wrestle at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania next year, compiled a career mark of 150-9.

Smith earned a reputation as a solid competitor for the Falcons. The first-year starter made an impact en route to earning the tag as the best heavyweight wrestler in Maine.

Smith swept through the regular season unbeaten before capturing the Mid State League and regional crowns. He capped off the season by winning a Class B state championship for a 34-0 record.

“I think he is going to turn out to be one of the top wrestlers they bring out there,” Mountain Valley coach Gary Dolloff said. “It will be a great experience for him. I hope to get some wrestling for him before he goes.”

“I prepare the same way for each match,” Smith said. “I do deep breathing exercises. It calms me down, so I don’t go out there thinking I’m going to win or lose. I just approach every match as totally new and try doing what comes naturally.”

The Falcon sophomore also maintained his focus to place sixth at the New England Championships in March. He was one of three Maine wrestlers to advance to the semifinals.

The Maine roster includes New England champions Chris Remsen (44-0) of Camden Hills and Dekota Cotten (60-0) of Noble. Cotten also won a N.E. title in 2003 and Remsen is a four-time state champion. Ben Kinerson won a national prep champ at Blair Academy in New Jersey. Other multiple state champions include Jake Rollins (32-6) of Camden Hills; Norman Gilmore (29-6) of Belfast; David Gregory of Lincoln Academy; Colby Lamson (44-4) of Marshwood and Caleb Pelletier of Foxcroft Academy. Kyle Bonin (38-5) of Belfast; Jared Porper of Noble; Scott Holton and Jon Brooks of Marshwood and Chris Desrosiers of Winslow complete the Mainers. Neil Wood of Belfast is also a co-coach.

“It is an honor for me to have been asked to represent Maine Wrestling this summer,” Stevens said. “I am looking forward to seeing Tom (McCann) and the rest of the great people that I met last summer. Maine has an outstanding cast of wrestlers going, not only good talent, but great all-around-kids.”

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