Young Wildcat swimmers
looking for improvement
PRESQUE ISLE — Presque Isle High School will be well represented in the pool, as 19 Wildcats will be competing through the winter season. With only one senior on the squad, improvement will undoubtedly come at each and every meet.
WILDCAT SWIMMERS 
— Members of the Presque Isle Wildcats’ swim team are, in front from left, Sara Gilson, Erikka Murley, Abbie Estey, Heather Nadeau, Jackie Lambert, Lewis Amero and Laura Watson. Middle row, Nate Dewitt, Alex Hemphill, Brenden Goulet, David Cyr, Olivia Goulet, Emma Michalowski, Issac Estey, coach Joyce Price and assistant coach Karrie Brawn. Back, manager Jessica Baldwin, Dustin Drabek, Keegan Ennis, Joshua Jones, Naomi McEachern and Matt Burtt.
PRESQUE ISLE’S Sara Gilson competes in the second heat of the 50-yard freestyle during Friday’s meet at the Presque Isle Indoor Pool. 
The Wildcats defeated Brewer in the dual meet.
Five seniors graduated from the team a year ago – Erica Hemphill, Grace Short, Sarah McEachern, Jay Getman and Tristan Russell. In addition, Mary Mitchell moved away.
Short and Hemphill were state meet qualifiers a year ago.
The lone senior on the 2012-13 team is Emma Michalowski, who was an All-Aroostook selection a year ago, while returning junior swimmers include Nate Dewitt, Isaac Estey, Sara Gilson, Alex Hemphill, Joshua Jones, Jacqueline Lambert, Naomi McEachern, Erikka Murley, Dustin Drabek and Heather Nadeau.
The juniors are hoping to build on the success they established a year ago. Estey qualified for the states, finishing sixth in the 100 butterfly, and 13th in the 100 breastroke. He went on to the New England’s, finishing fifth in the 100 butterfly. Murley finished 19th in the 100 butterfly and 19th in the 200 individual medley at the States, and Hemphill placed 35th in the 50 freestyle.
The sophomore class is represented by David Cyr, Keegen Ennis, Brenden Goulet, Olivia Goulet and Laura Watson.
Lambert, Murley, Hemphill, Dewitt, Gilson, Cyr, Drabek, Jones, Ennis and Estey were also All-Aroostook selections a year ago.
The Wildcats gain three newcomers to this year’s team — freshmen Matt Burtt, Lewis Amero and Abbie Estey. The manager for the team is Jessica Baldwin.
Joyce Price is in her 10th year as the varsity swim coach, having been an assistant starting back in 1994 when team members began as independent swimmers. Karrie Brawn is now in her second year as the assistant coach for the Wildcat squad.
Price recognizes that Presque Isle swimming faces a number of obstacles as compared to other swim programs.
“Our team does not have the luxury of a development team such as YMCA or U.S. swim teams. Our team is small in numbers and it will be hard to compete against the powerhouses of MDI, Bangor and Brewer,” she said.
She recognizes, however, that as the season goes on, the athletes will continue to improve and develop.
“I am hoping that all the swimmers will improve their times, strokes, build endurance, and qualify for States,” Price said. “I hope each team member will have fun, learn developmental swimming skills and leadership skills to make this year a successful year.”
Price anticipates that everyone will swim freestyle events and relays, and will also be involved in other events as part of the swim meets. Presque Isle will host swim meets against Brewer, Caribou and John Bapst this winter.
Overall Price is excited about how the season will come together.
“Each swimmer will control their destiny. Practicing hard, learning stroke techniques, improving their strokes, turns and starts are all key factors in improving their times,” she said. “Each swimmer can learn the power of teamwork, and each will compete not only with others, but with themselves and the stopwatch.”
Although Price realizes competing for team championships is not a practical reality, individual accomplishments will come as the level of hard work and dedication continues to rise.
