AUGUSTA — There’s no question Mountain Valley was on a mission and the Falcons had no problem dominating in the Class B state wrestling championship at the Augusta Civic Center on Saturday.
Mountain Valley has relied on its superior depth throughout the season and it paid off by scoring 168½ points to easily win the team crown over Camden Hills, which scored 141 points.
Mountain Valley produced the most champions, including Ryan Burgess (112-pounds), Josh Thornton (145), Josh Allen (189), Christian Durland (215) and Ryan Glover (285). Cody Magoon (125) and Taylor Carey (171) were finalists. Belfast and Fryeburg Academy rounded out the top four.
“Kids came to wrestle today,” said Mountain Valley assistant coach Joe Thornton, who was part of a trio who filled in for Gary Dolloff who had been suspended for two misconducts in the regional meets. “They are going with a bang and we had some big wins. I think our seven wins in the semifinals put us to far up. Nicole Burgess (fourth at 103) is the first girl wrestler to have ever placed for us.”
Mountain Valley scored 110 points in the semifinals to lead Camden Hills 129-76 and by 20 entering the finals. Mountain Valley were co-state champions with Camden in 1995 and outright champions in 1996.
Burgess earned a hard-fought 6-3 decision against Colin Sevigney of Wells. The Falcon senior trailed 3-2 entering the third period, but executed a reversal and near fall. Burgess had won an 8-6 overtime decision against Sevigney in the regional final last Saturday.j
“I didn’t to lose,” said Burgess, who clinched the team crown with his 150th win. “Trailing 3-0 made me mad because I felt my mind was clear. He is one tough freshman, but it’s the third-straight year I’ve had to wrestle the same guy three weeks in a row.”
Each state champion automatically qualified for next month’sNew England championships.
“It was between Camden and us coming in,” said Josh Thornton. “But the team was confident. We have seniors who are hungrier and we advanced more in semifinals.”
Magoon was pinned by Brent Waterman of Belfast
“I try not to go out on the mat and over-think and psych myself out,’’ Magoon said. “My lungs are burning. I should have done some more running. My finals match is the toughest because Waterman is strong’’
Carey lost 2-1 to Konealius Wood off Belfast. It was the second-straight year Carey lost by one point in a state final. Wood won a state crown last year.
Thornton defended his state crown with a 7-2 decision by controlling Peter Bacchiocci of Fryeburg. Glover won 3-0 against Aaron Mitchell of Morse. Glover decisioned Mitchell 3-2 in overtime last week.
Durland shot in for a takedown with four seconds left for a 6-4 decision eastern No.1 Rhett Chase of Camden Hills . The Falcon senior fell behind, but maintained his focus.
“I had a couple tough matches before,” Durland said. “I knew (Wood) would be tough. They judge you on how you do at end of season besides a wrestling state title (Burgess, Allen, Glover) and I won wrestling and football team championships so I feel blessed.”
Fryeburg champions were Connor Sheehan (103) and Stefan Emery at 152. Sheehan, 2010 state finalist, used a technical fall on Evan Drinkwater of Belfast and Emery defended his crown. Jake Thurston was a finalist and Matt York placed third at 112.
“We had a rough semifinal,”Oak Hill coach Shane Bouchard said. “We usually get kids to the finals and that didn’t happen, but the kids battled back and that was nice to see.”
The Raiders’ Keith Madore was fourth at 140.
Allen pinned Sean Marrero of Morse in the third period.
“I’ve been ready for this since I woke up at five,” said Allen, whose late father Mark placed third in the 1975 state meet for Mexico. “We want to get it done for coach Dolloff because he can’t be here. But you still need to wrestle each match because any thing can happen.”
The Falcons earned valuable points in the consolations. Joe Provencher (135) had two come-from-behind wins and placed third.
Steve Swindalls refer-reed his 33rd and final state meet and Belfast coach Ted Heroux had three grandsons win state titles.
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- Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Oak Hills’ Keith Madore left, grapples with Gardiner’s Wyatt Thornton in their match in the 140 lb class at the Maine Wrestling State Championships held at the Augusta Civic Center Saturday.
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- Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Oak Hill’s Nick Wells right, puts a hold on Camden Hills’ Rhett Chase in their match at the Maine Wrestling State Championships held at the Augusta Civic Center Saturday.
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- Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Mt Valley’s Christian Durland right, grapples with Wells’ Alex Robinson in the 215 lb class match at the Maine Wrestling State Championships held at the Augusta Civic Center Saturday. Durland won the match on a pin.
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- Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Fryeburg’s Peter Bacchiocchi top, works on Belfast’s Justin Philbrook in the 145 lb class match at the Maine Wrestling State Championships held at the Augusta Civic Center Saturday.
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