The Oxford Hills wrestling program is on the upswing, and the numbers tell the story, in more ways than one.

The Vikings have eight wins this season, nearly triple their total from the previous four years combined (three).

At the recent Warrior Clash at Nokomis, the Vikings tallied 57 points, a vast improvement over last year’s total of 17. Four wrestlers — Cordell Brooks, Malik Geiger, Jake Hall and Bill Leahy — placed at one of the season’s biggest tournaments.

Coach Tony Stevens said the biggest difference this year is the number of bodies he has in the wrestling room every day.

“We had 10 kids finish the season last year and this year we have 15. Having the numbers we have in practice is big,” he said. “With all of our kids and the independents, we have 22 to 24 kids in practice. It gives a chance for our kids to see different competition. They’re a close group and they work well with each other.”

Oxford Hills practices include three independent wrestlers each from Edward Little and Poland.

A strong freshman class has also infused the ranks. Brooks, a 106-pounder, has a 19-6 record and has placed in every tournament he’s competed in. Geiger (152) has an 18-9 record and placed at the prestigious McDonald’s Invitational at Mountain Valley High School.

Leahy, a junior, has emerged as one of the top heavyweights in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference, placing in every tournament and posting a 17-3 record.

Stevens’ goal is for the team to finish the season at .500 (currently 8-10), finish in the top half of the KVAC and Eastern A regionals and have three or four wrestlers qualify for states.

Stevens thinks the Vikings should be able to keep the momentum going into next season and beyond. They will graduate just one senior, and the feeder program is going strong, with close to 50 kids participating in the K-6 program.

Dirigo duels

Dirigo had a productive holiday weekend, finishing second at the Bob Walker Kennebunk Duals on Saturday, then swept the Winslow Duals on Monday.

In Kennebunk, the Cougars dispatched Noble, Biddeford, Deering and York before running into a Marshwood buzz saw in the championship round. Riley Lombardi (126) collected four wins on first-period pins. Nelson Pepin (170) and Zach White (220) picked up three victories apiece on the mat (along with one forfeit each), and were the only Cougars to have their hands raised against Marshwood. Jesse Hutchinson (145), Thomas Barnett (170) and Cliff Boynton (285) also picked up the hat trick.

At Winslow, Dirigo toppled Winslow, Foxcroft Academy and Mt. View. Pepin, White, Justin Jasper and Caleb Hall each won three matches, with Pepin, Jasper and Hall going the pin route in every one.

The 41-32 win over Foxcroft was the Cougars’ second meeting of the season with the defending Class C champions. The Ponies beat them the first time, 39-30, at on Dec. 9 at DeFoe Gymnasium. Foxcroft actually won seven of 11 contests but forfeited three others. Three of Dirigo’s four victories were via pin (Hall, Jasper and Pepin). White won the fourth with a technical fall. Hall (132) avenged a loss to Trevor Weymouth in that December meet with a second period pin.

Cougar clutch

Mt. Blue continued to roll through its undefeated regular season with dual victories over Mt. View, Medomak Valley, Morse, Oak Hill, and Oxford Hills.  The Cougars could have a clash of undefeated teams next Wednesday when they travel to Camden Hills to face the unbeaten Class B favorite Windjammers.