By Bob McPhee,Staff Writer

Consistency earns respect. Few area wrestlers were more consistent than Brian Borkowski.

Borkowski proved himself on the wrestling mat more than a decade ago. Those exploits didn’t go unnoticed. Borkowski is being inducted in to the Maine Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame.

The former Oak Hill High School standout adopted the philosophy of never quitting and striving to be the best early in his career. That attitude carried over at the next level at Plymouth State.

Opponents knew what they were up against when they drew Borkowski’s name. The former Raider standout would physically overpower and execute a series of moves on the mat to crush his foe.

Borkowski, a teacher and a behavioral analyst in New Hampshire, won the Class B state championship in 1994.

The Raiders had a strong showing, finishing fourth and advanced four wrestlers to the finals.

“The fear of losing drove me,” Borkowski said. “I didn’t want to let my family and friends down. Coach (Mike) Pottle was an intelligent coach who demonstrated commitment and loyalty to all his wrestlers.”

Borkowski enrolled at Plymouth State College and never looked back. He listened and learned the importance of setting goals and striving to achieve them. The hard work and dedication paid off as he earned All-New England honors three times and won New England championships as a junior and senior.

“At Plymouth State, the environment was intense,” Borkowski said. “We had the best wrestlers in New England in 94 and 95. I remember selecting each wrestler’s best moves and putting together a style that could possibly dominate.”

The native of Sabattus placed third in New Englands as a sophomore, finishing with a 25-8 record, and helping the Panthers win the New England Championship.

Borkowski was 33-4, with a team-high 13 pins as a junior, winning four tournaments, including his first New England championship. He then won two matches at the NCAA Championships.

Borkowski concluded his career with a terrific senior campaign, winning four tournaments, including his second straight New England Championship. He advanced to the finals of the NCAA Championships. He finishing 33-1 for the year to increase his career mark to 98-21 – 91-13 over his last three seasons.

Plymouth State named him its male athlete of the year in 1998. He was inducted into the college’s athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.

“So many great memories,” Borkowski said. “I believed with the new coaches training regiment and along with my style, I would be the first National Champion at Plymouth State. At Plymouth, I could remember climbing mountains every weekend with my teammates.”

Borkowski also excelled in the classroom and earned Academic All-American, with a 3.34 GPA. He earned a teacher Certification, in health/physical education/business administration.

Borkowski credited the activities, planned by the coaches, during the program’s “Hell Week,” for providing greater direction. He said the attention to details helped to mold his character.

“Be prepared to go through hell if you want to be the best,” Borkowski said. “It takes pure dedication, determination and pure desire to be the best. I would recommend setting goals and continue working on your weak link. I would also stress the importance of academics and finishing with a degree.”

Borkowski still maintains that competitive flare. He was recently hired as an assistant coach at Bridgewater State College.

“Brian will be a great addition to the program and will bring a very dedicated attitude to the team. Brian has been an All-American on and off the mat, and with his aggressive style of wrestling, coaching, and education, it will add an element that we haven’t had since I have been here,” Bears head coach Mike Kenney said. “Brian will also be very active in recruiting in the New England area.”

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