FA making title run at ‘C’ power Lisbon

BANGOR – New state high school wrestling champions will be crowned Saturday at the Bangor Auditorium.

Or perhaps not, given recent history.

Defending champions Noble of Berwick, Camden Hills of Rockport and Lisbon are considered favorites to maintain their status atop the wrestling ranks – status that already has considerable staying power, given that Noble is the five-time reigning Class A champ, Camden Hills the four-time Class B titlist, and Lisbon the best in Class C for the last three years.

But challengers abound in each class.

Opening ceremonies for the 2004 state meet begin at 5 p.m. today, followed by first-round matches in all three classes. The meet continues at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, with officials hoping to start championship matches by 4 p.m.

In Class C, Lisbon’s hold on the state title may be challenged by first-time Eastern Maine champion Foxcroft Academy.

The Ponies have rolled to both the Penobscot Valley Conference and regional titles and have qualified wrestlers for the state meet in 13 of the 14 weight classes, seven as top seeds.

Coach Luis Ayala’s club is strongest in the middle and upper weight classes, including defending state champions Caleb Pelletier (152 pounds) and Randy Briggs (171), along with Max Kennedy (145), Josh Pelletier (215), and Chris Lewis (275).

“We’ve worked hard all year to have the chance to win the state championship, and winning Eastern Maine for the first time shows how that work has paid off,” Ayala said. “But we don’t want the kids to settle, we want to be the state champion, and to do that we have to go through Lisbon.”

Lisbon will bring 12 wrestlers to the state meet, including nine weight-class winners from the Western C championships. Coach Mark Stevens’ Greyhounds are considered deep in all areas, but strongest in the lower weight classes.

“Lisbon’s the three-time state champion, and they earn respect because they go to some tough tournaments and compete with the best teams in A, B, and C,” said Ayala. “They’re ranked in the top three in the state behind Noble and Camden Hills, and for a Class C team to be in the top three, you’ve got to give them respect.”

Foxcroft’s hopes to defeat Lisbon may depend on the success of its biggest rival, Dexter. The Tigers, who placed second to FA at the regional, has several potential individual winners in defending state champs Chris Barkac (125) and Keith Thompson (130), as well as Jeremiah Barkac (103) and Billy Greene (135).

Dirigo of Dixfield placed a close second to Lisbon at the Western C regional, qualifying all 14 of its wrestlers for the state meet. Eastern Maine representatives Dexter, Bucksport, and Penobscot Valley of Howland also are expected to contend for top finishes.

In Class B, Camden Hills showed its determination to win a fifth straight state title with a dominant effort while winning the Eastern Maine crown for the 10th straight year.

The Windjammers will have 12 wrestlers at the state meet, a slate led by three-time state champion Chris Remsen at 145 pounds. Remsen, who recently reached 150 career wins and 100 career pins, is one of nine Camden Hills wrestlers who won their weight classes at the regional, among them 2003 state champions Kyle Young (140) and Bryan Creamer (189).

“If I had sat down [before the meet] and somebody said you can be reasonable and predict what you want and you can have it, I wouldn’t have predicted this high,” said Camden Hills coach Patrick Kelly of his team’s effort at the regional. “I think we’re set for [this] weekend.”

Camden Hills’ main competition will include Western B champion Mountain Valley of Rumford, which will have 13 wrestlers at the state meet, Wells, Belfast, and Winslow.

In Class A, Noble’s bid for a sixth straight state title is spearheaded by senior Decota Cotton, the state’s career leader in wins and pins. The Knights enter the meet coming off a 199-188.5 victory over Marshwood of Eliot in the Western Maine regional.

Noble qualified 12 wrestlers – including five regional champions – for the state meet, compared to 10 wrestlers for Marshwood.

Those teams will be challenged by Eastern Maine champion Mt. Blue of Farmington, which scored a 162-161 win over Oxford Hills of South Paris to win its regional, with third-place Skowhegan not far behind with 145 points.

Both Mt. Blue and Oxford Hills have 10 wrestlers in the state meet. Skowhegan qualified wrestlers in eight weight classes, including an Eastern A-best five regional champs in Jeremy Tarpen (103), Brooks Thompson (125), Dylan Wentworth (130), Lucas Cole (152), and Chris Belyeu (215).

Brewer, fifth at the Eastern A meet, will have five representatives at the state meet, led by regional champions Chris Noyes (160) and Justin Bowen (275). Other participating Witches are Alex Smith (112), Ricky Study (130), and Matt Littlefield (189).