RUMFORD – A dose of strategy was necessary and it paid off for the Mountain Valley wrestling team in a triangular meet Wednesday night in Puiia Gymnasium.
Sophomore Derek Sicotte bumped up to 130-pounds and won a big match as the Falcons pulled away for a 48-24 win over Lisbon.
In the finale, unbeaten Mountain Valley battled Class A Oxford Hills (8-2). Representing the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference, Oxford Hills was competing against the top two teams from the Mid-State League.
Sicotte fought off a burst by Dan Cornell early on and won a 14-0 decision.
“I’d been sick at the Redskin,” Sicotte said. “Plus, I was nervous about Cornell because I’d never wrestled him before, but once match got under way, I was fine.”
Lisbon roared back with three big wins, including Elijah Trefts, who executed a lateral drop to stick Kyle Dow at 275 Matt Stooley of OH.
Pins by Chris Cayer and Aaron Arsenault got the Falcons going. Tyler Child decisioned Rob Tietjen at 189, which off set Nick Adams 4-2 win over Falcon Chris Brennick.
“The two pins jump-started us,” Falcon coach Gary Dolloff said. “Derek’s match was big and the wins will help us for the Kennebunk Duals on Saturday.”
Mountain Valley’s Brenden Bradley was decisioned 3-1 by Mark Stambach.
The two wrestlers had each won decisions against each other this season. This time, Stambach secured an ankle takedown, on the edge of mat, with 58 seconds left.
Oxford Hills had jumped ahead of Lisbon 18-9, behind decisions by Ben Stoodley (145), Brad Smith (152), Jack Pike (160), and Keith Brown (189). The Vikings relied on several pinning combinations and Pike upset Nick Adams 6-5.
The Greyhounds, came back to win 37-31, behind pins by Stambach, Trefts, Jeff Cossar (spadle at 112) and Tyler Clark at 125.
Cayer went after his 100th career win in the last match.
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