DIXFIELD – Every wrestling match provides a different challenge and a new opportunity. The Dirigo wrestling team took advantage of both as the Cougars came away with a split in a triangular meet Saturday.

Senior Jamie Bedard (140-pounds) jump-started things on the front end of four straight pins as Dirigo rallied for a 48-32 win against Dexter.

That same pinning fever came back to haunt the Cougars. Kennebunk (12-5) caught hold of a snowball effect with four pins in the first period en route to a 48-32 win. The Rams also fended off some early shortcomings to tie Dexter and then win the meet on a tie-breaking criteria.

Class C Dirigo (8-2) lost the first three matches that were decided on the mat, but the momentum shifted dramatically. Bedard took control early on and stuck Tyler Richardson with four seconds left in the first period. Kyle Meile (reverse half nelson at 145), Devin Brann (stack at 152) and Randy Hall (160) each followed suit as the Cougars took a 24-point lead.

“I didn’t really go there with a strategy,” Meile said. “I just wanted to win. The ball and chain has been my favorite move and I was looking to (execute) it.”

Meile, a freshman, also stuck Justin Fraser of Kennebunk in 52 seconds to raise his record to 13-3 with 12 pins.

Dexter (9-6) tied the meet following pins. Jeremiah Barkac (103) recorded six takedowns before sticking Josh Ronan. Chad Richards rallied back against Aaron Patenaude at 119. The Tigers, who missed two state champions (injuries), also had pins at 189 and 215, respectively.

“That was a big win for us,” Cougar coach Doug Gilbert said. “Those four middle weights, starting with Jamie Bedard, Kyle Meile, Devin Brann and then Randy Hall, are each capable of doing some damage. We have beat Dexter twice this season and we hadn’t been able to beat them before since I’ve been coaching.”

Kennebunk reshuffled its lineup against Dexter and things paid off. The Rams’ Mike Sickengen-Hohenberg (275) stuck Tyler Porier in the first period to tie the score. Dexter had one team point deducted for unsportsmanlike conduct after the previous match.

Dirigo benefited from forfeits, but the Rams were too overpowering. Steve Ciampia slipped in a half nelson to pin Patenaude. The Cougars’ Justin Jackson and Nate Carrer also saw the lights.

Kennebunk state champion Mike Dumas (17-0) executed a grapevine to stick Bedard.

“We had made some sloppy moves against Dexter,” Kennebunk coach Scott Jones said. “We still have things to improve, but it was a different team out there with Dirigo. The kids were aggressive.”

Brann recorded a 9-0 major decision over Mike Laubes. Hall bumped up and was overpowered by Dan Racienello. The Rams’ Matt Munroe and Matt Foley also pinned Seth McPherson and Nate Conley at 189 and 215, respectively.