He may not have known it – but everyone else there did.
When EHS Senior Wrestling Captain Jovin Pesek won his third match of the day at the Class B North Regional Tournament this year, he was certain of one thing – he had just qualified for the state tournament at the 138-lb weight class.
What he didn’t know was that he had also just reached a career milestone that many high school grapplers dream of the minute they strap on the headgear for the first time: his 100th victory.
"I had no idea that I was at 99," Jovin admitted. "I knew I was close, though. I was pretty happy when my coaches stood up and looked at my mother, and then I looked up, and there was just everybody in the stands with the 100 wins poster. They happened to be right directly in front of the mat, so that was pretty great.”
That moment was the culmination of an eight-year journey that began back in the sixth grade – and his entire corner showed out in support at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor that day.
“I wrestled down in middle school from sixth grade to eighth grade on two different teams, the middle school team and then on the travel team,” Pesek says. “I thanked my middle school coach, and everybody like that. It was great to see people who were there for me before, were there for me that day.”
For the last four years, Jovin has been a staple of the grit and toughness taught each day throughout the season – right here in the EHS cafeteria after school.
“We push all the mats together. There’s not much room, but you know, you don't need room in wrestling because you're all nice and tight,” he says.
“Like my coaches say, football is a contact sport, soccer is a contact sport, wrestling is a combat sport. I think that's what makes it so special, is that it's physically and mentally draining – a lot more than other sports. And you're a team, and you can thank your practice partner and everyone for success, but you're the one on the mat. When you're on the mat at a meet it's all about you but when you're at home practicing it's all about the team.”
Throughout his high school career, Jovin often volunteered to wrestle in higher weight classes to ensure the team didn't have to forfeit matches. He may not have had much of a choice his junior year – with he and last year’s 100th-win-reaching senior Luke Horne clocking in at the same weight – but that just made those practice battles all the more rewarding.
"I would rather have a varsity spot and fill all the spots for the team than worry about winning a weight class," he explained. “When I can practice with him and then go into meets and a different weight class, it's pretty great. When I practice with bigger people it's a lot different than when you're practicing with somebody your weight. So it's a lot of muscle training.”
With his 100th win secured and his name now etched alongside the program's greats, Jovin’s career serves as a reminder of what the Eagles value most: grit, growth, and putting the team above the individual.
“I made it to States and got my 100th win on the same day,” he recalls. And there may not be a better send off than that.
