TOPSHAM – There can be a series of highs and lows during a wrestling meet, and teams from Mt. Ararat and Oxford Hills experienced them in a battle of wits Saturday.
A decision by Ben Cox at 145 pounds over Ben Stoodley, knotted the score at 32-32 between Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference foes, but Mt. Ararat was eventually declared the winner.
The respective coaches convened at the scorer’s table and a fourth criteria was necessary to set the record straight.
The deciding match was the lone all-female match between Kelly Golek of Mt. Ararat and Vikings’ Megan Wormwood at 103. The Eagle wrestler used numerous pinning combinations to prevail 18-3 for a technical fall.
Oxford Hills (10-3) beat undermanned Cony and Gardiner (1-11), Mt. Ararat beat the Rams and Tigers, 71-11 and 76-18, respectively.
“This was the kind of meet that I like to see,” Oxford Hills coach Mark Dolloff said. “It was back-and-forth action, the kind that has you on the edge of your seat. We had big wins by Craig Varney at 112 and Adam Egerton at 140. Varney really came through and wrestled the way he’s capable of.”
Varney secured a cradle to pin Adam Libby, while Egerton scored five points in the first period and eventually decisioned Josh Steuart 9-3.
Oxford Hills led 32-29 entering the final match and Cox’s reversal broke a 2-2 knot.
“That was a key match,” Mt. Ararat coach Eric Jensen said. “I really thought Josh Stuart would win. I feel really good about this team, we have good numbers out and the kids are all working hard.”
Mt. Ararat (12-0) closed a double-digit deficit, following pins by T.J. Burns and Theo Marshall at 125 and 135. Marshall used a stack on Justin Estes. The Eagles’ Jon Perkins won 5-3 in overtime at 275. Matt Stoodley executed a standing escape with 48 seconds left in regulation.
Oxford Hills jumped ahead 19-3 behind decisions by Tom Moulton at 160 and Jack Pike at 171. Keith Brown and Devin Pike each pinned at 189 and 215. Moulton, a junior, earned his 99th career victory by taking down Mike Golek 7-3.
“My strengths are getting off the bottom and takedowns,” Moulton Smith said. “I like using a five-on-two (bow and arrow) and a head-and-arm.”
Gardiner was paced by multiple winners Kenny Stackpole, Keith Sleeper and Dan West, who transferred from Sanford. Tyler Robinson of Cony won three matches at 215, including a 3-0 decision against 181-pound Devin Pike.
Zach Vickers of Hall Dale, who trains with Gardiner, raised his record to 14-11 with two wins at 119.
“This is my first year and its my best sport,” Vickers said. “My Dad wrestled in the 70s at Hinckley, plus I knew Keith Sleeper and the sport appealed to me.”
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