Foxcroft Academy to host Maine-Nebraska Wrestling Exchange
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Foxcroft Academy has been chosen to be one of the sites to host the 2018 Maine-Nebraska Wrestling Exchange. The school will be hosting this wrestling event at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 13.
The Maine-Nebraska Friendship Series is one of the longest running exchanges of its type between two states, dating back to 1984. The two states have alternated hosting each other, with the visiting team typically wrestling at four sites. The other sites where Team Nebraska will be wrestling while in Maine are Sanford, Skowhegan and Bucksport.
“This is a great honor for us to host this event,” said Foxcroft Academy head wrestling coach Luis Ayala. “We want to be a great host to the team from Nebraska, something that will be memorable for everyone.”
The team wrestling in Dover-Foxcroft has grapplers from nine different schools. These wrestlers have been chosen as the best wrestlers in their divisions. They are from Calais, Dexter, MCI, Medomak Valley, Mount View, Nokomis, Penobscot Valley, Piscataquis, Winslow and Foxcroft Academy. The Foxcroft wrestling team will be well represented with 106 pounds Austin Jackson, 113 Rico Ayala, 120 Brandon Weston, 132 RJ Nelson and 160 Dustin Simmons.
“With this responsibility comes a lot of work that needs to be done” Ayala said.
The Nebraska team is bringing 22 people, 18 wrestlers and four coaches. The group will be arriving from Skowhegan at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 12 and leaving on Saturday, July 14 at 10 a.m. for Bucksport.
The Nebraska wrestlers will be having two cookouts while they are in the area. Ayala is looking for people that would like to help in donating food or their time to help set up these two cookouts.
“While wrestling is fierce on the mats, the main purpose of this exchange is to initiate friendship and develop an understanding of different ways of life.” Ayala said.
If any organizations, businesses or families would like to help for this event, please contact Ayala at 717-5298 or luis.ayala@foxcroftacademy.org.