The Mustangs’ Matt Freeman shines after winning three matches.
By Bob McPhee
Staff Writer

DIXFIELD – Monmouth Academy freshman Matt Freeman is gaining some valuable experience against some worthy opponents.

But it still requires a team effort to put things as Dirigo strung together three convincing wins, including a 63-18 pasting over Monmouth Saturday morning in Mid-State League action.

Class C Dirigo (11-3) also had its way against undermanned Fryeburg 66-9 and Lake Region. The Cougars’ Mike Jonaitis (112), Nate Carrier (135), Jamie Bedard (140) and Pat O’Leary (189) each recorded two wins on the mat. Carrier recorded the fastest pin in 11 seconds.

Class C Monmouth (4-8) cruised past the two Class B teams.

The proceedings started out with a bang with Freeman having to regroup before pinning Carrier with a flash in the second period. The Cougar wrestler had led 8-0 after executing two pinning combinations.

“Matt Freeman had looked good and he was our only wrestler with three wins today,” Monmouth co-coach Bill Moore said. “I thought that we’d do better against Dirigo, but one trouble is when the kids shoot in for a takedown. Once they get (inside), they stop and they have to learn to follow though with it.”

The Cougars then took full control by winning the next seven matches, beginning with Bedard sticking Clayton Tidsdale and teammate Kyle Meile showing Dennis Trask the lights in 56 seconds. Hall followed with a 12-6 decision against Zac Sager.

In a seesaw match, Kyle Dolloff had to shake any rustiness against Kyle Fox at 171. The Cougar senior tied the score 7-7 with a reversal late in the second period and then showed Fox the lights.

“Friday was the first time I had practiced in two weeks,” Dolloff said. “I was out of shape, but I knew that I needed to win. Other wise, he would have been seeded ahead of me in the regional. I had an MRI and it showed a torn minukis, so I may need to be scoped, but I’ll be back.”

O’Leary flashed through and then secured a reverse half nelson to stick Joel Emery. A pair of Mustang freshmen was pinned by Jonaitis and Aaron Patenaude (119).

Lake Region (four wrestlers) was led by Liam McLaod who won three matches at 125. The Laker pinned Matt Smith of Dirigo and decisioned Fryeburg’s Shawn Hoagland and Wes Danforth of Monmouth. Danforth had pulled to within one point, but an aggressive move allowed the Laker wrestler to score a reversal for a 9-6 win.

Danforth pinned Smith and later on had escaped and held off Hoagland 3-2. Nick Pomerleau stuck the Cougars Justin Jackson in 44 seconds at 130.

“Shawn has a good (shuck) move,”Fryeburg coach Jeff Leach said. “But, instead of going through with it right off, he telegraphs it by pulling (opponents) arm by two or three times. I’ve tried telling him it’s better to try a move and if you come up short, it’s better than to have not tried at all.”