RUMFORD — It has been a trying season for the Mountain Valley wrestling team.

But the Falcons put adversity on the back burner and took care of business against Morse 45-15 and Medomak Valley  66-10 behind pins by Brandon Gill (132-pounds), Joe Provencher (138) and Zach Cross (160) in a quadrangular meet at Puiia Gymnasium on Saturday.

Mountain Valley (10-9) grabbed an early lead by winning three of the first four matches, but was unable to sustain any momentum in a 52-18 loss to unbeaten Camden Hills (25-0). A pin by Cross and major decisions (worth four team points) by Robert Worthley and Taylor Carey gave Mountain Valley a 14-6 lead. The Windjammers then won the next five matches contested on the mat.

Worthley (15-5, 152) went on the offensive against Jared Gilbert and Carey executed take-downs and reversals in a (11-3, 182) over Anthony Batty.

“I felt pretty good for my first match back,” said Carey, who returned with Worthley, also. “I was winded and a twisted knee didn’t help. I have to work more on my cardio because I’ve been lifting (weights). The team was down and by (four seniors) upperclassmen returning it will help get the freshmen on the winning track.”

Mountain Valley was bolstered by Carey, a two-time state finalist and Worthley, who placed in the state meet as a freshman. Santos Rodriguez (195) and Ryan Glover (defending state champion, 285) will benefit the Falcons in upcoming tournaments.

Camden Hills’ James Archer pulled away for 15-6 decision against Nicole Burgess (106). Archer had nailed a five-point move early, but Burgess fought back to trail 7-6 in the second period. Falcon Jake Thornton had a bear hug secured at the final buzzer, but lost 4-2 to Connor Winchenbach at 120.

“A couple weeks ago Glover had asked to return,” Mountain Valley coach Chris Bean said. “He realized he had made a mistake and I believed he deserved a second chance. So, I asked the coaches and team about allowing the others to return also and it was unanimous. When I accepted the job last year, I just wanted the kids to wrestle as hard as they did for (former coaches) Jerry Perkins and Gary (Dolloff).”

Camden Hills is heavily favored to win Class B states, in February. They have experience and depth with Coleman Powers (4-1 over Falcon Nate Boucher, 132), Tom Cassidy (injured, 138), Ryan Graffam (pinned Andrew Boucher, 170), Brandon Graffam (stuck Rodriguez, 195) and Rhett Chase (215)

“The tougher the competition the better this team is,” Camden Hills coach Levi Rollins said. “In the past, our strength had been middle weights, but this season it’s different because our upper weights are scoring well in tournaments.”

The Falcons was missing frosh Dekota Jacques who is sidelined with a thumb injury. Against Morse (6-16), Provencher used a grapevine to stick Chad Bonti and Cross pinned Brody Losier in 1:03. Gill stuck Gary Stevens and Medomak Valllllleys CeCe Luce in 19 seconds and Ian Austin (145).

Mountain Valley had been forced to bump wrestlers (who didn’t make weight) up classes. In a great match, Jake Thornton executed a takedown and near falls in an 8-2 decision against Dylan Harrington of Morse.

“That was good,” said Thornton, who had lost to the Shipbuilder wrestler last week. “It will be better for regional seedings. I knew he wasn’t very good on his feet, so I stayed aggressive.”