Barkac outpointed his first three opponents in the two-day competition to earn a berth in the championship match against sophomore Sean Boyle of Lowell, Mass.

Barkac struck first, scoring an early takedown to take a 2-0 lead, but Boyle then scored an escape and built a 3-2 lead by the end of the first period en route to a 6-4 decision.

Boyle finished his season with a 51-0 record in leading Lowell to the New England team championship.

Barkac, a four-time Class C state champion from Parkman who finished third at the New England championships at 112 pounds last year and fifth at 103 pounds as a sophomore, finished this year's New England meet with a 3-1 record and his senior season at 48-1 overall with 42 pins.

Barkac compiled a 189-6 record during his four years at Dexter, marking a state record for career victories. He also was undefeated against instate competition during his high school career.

Barkac was one of two Maine wrestlers to earn a second-place finish at this year's New Englands, as Josh Eon of Class A champions Massabesic of Waterboro placed second at 171 pounds.

While Maine does not send full teams to the New Englands, Massabesic's individual performers amassed 41 points, enough for the Mustangs to finish sixth in the team standings.

Seven other Maine competitors were medalists after earning top-six finishes at the New Englands.

Joey Eon, Josh Eon's brother, placed third at 140 pounds, while Jesse Rayworth of Noble of North Berwick was fourth at 189. Jacob Berry of Camden Hills of Rockport (152 pounds) and Sam Webber of Mt. Blue of Farmington (125) each finished fifth, and Jake Longley of Noble (112), Chris Smith of Deering of Portland (119) and Jon Hussey of Marshwood of Eliot (152) each placed sixth.
"This content originally appeared as a copyrighted article in the Monday, March 05, 2007 edition of the Bangor Daily NEWS and is used here with permission."