Wrestling, cheering to hold state championship meets today

With February vacation just one week away, high school wrestlers and cheerleaders get a head start on championship competition with state meets scheduled for Saturday.

But they’re not alone, as conference titles also will be determined in indoor track and swimming.

WRESTLING: Three state team champions will be crowned at the Bangor Auditorium, but will that coronation represent change or more of the same?

Team titles are not something easily relinquished in this sport, as evidenced by the current championship landscape. Noble High of North Berwick is in search of its eighth consecutive Class A crown, while Camden Hills of Rockport seeks its seventh straight Class B title after sharing last year’s championship with Mountain Valley of Rumford.

And in Class C, Foxcroft Academy is in pursuit of its third championship in as many years.

All three defending champions are coming off victories in their respective regionals. Noble likely will be challenged in Class A by Western A rival Massabesic of Waterboro, while Camden Hills, Western B champ Mountain Valley, and Belfast are expected to be the top three in Class B. Foxcroft’s quest could be threatened by Western C champion Dirigo of Dixfield, Lisbon, Bucksport, and Dexter.

Competition began Friday night with early-round action on six mats at the Auditorium, and continues at 9 a.m. today. The championship finals in each class are scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

CHEERING: The state championships at the Augusta Civic Center begin with Class A at 9:25 a.m., followed by Class D at 1:10 p.m., Class B at 4:55 p.m., and Class C at 8:35 p.m.

Bonny Eagle of Standish is the defending Class A champion, dethroning Lewiston, which had won the title in 2003 and 2004. Lewiston again leads the Eastern A contingent, having won its regional last week to follow up on its Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championship. Oxford Hills of South Paris, Penobscot Valley Conference champion Brewer, Lawrence of Fairfield, Bangor, and Hampden Academy also represent the East in the 12-team event.

John Bapst of Bangor will attempt to win its second straight Class B state title. The 2006 Eastern Maine champions will be joined at the states by 2005 Eastern B titlist Hermon, Rockland, Caribou, Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln, and Waterville in challenging the best of the west.

Houlton is seeking its second Class C championship in three years after already winning this year’s PVC C, Aroostook League, and Eastern C crowns. Other Eastern Maine representatives are Calais, Orono, Central of Corinth, Washington Academy of East Machias, and Dexter. St. Dominic of Lewiston is the defending Class C state champ.

The top eight teams from the Jan. 30 combined Class D East/Regional return to competition, this time with a state title on the line. Fort Fairfield won the regional, and will be joined at the states by Machias, Central Aroostook of Mars Hill, 2005 state champion Bangor Christian, Buckfield, Katahdin of Stacyville, Deer Isle-Stonington, and Richmond.

CONFERENCE CALLS: An undefeated Bangor boys squad is favored to win the Penobscot Valley Conference-Eastern Maine Indoor Track League championship meet slated to begin at 3:45 p.m. at the University of Maine field house in Orono. The 27-0 Rams are led by distance runner Casey Quaglia and sprinter Cam Cormier, who combined are seeded to win five individual events.

The girls meet figures to be closer, particularly in light of Old Town’s recent regular-season win over Bangor that ended the Rams’ undefeated record in league competition that had dated back to the 2003 EMITL championship meet. Both Bangor and Old Town finished the regular season with 26-1 records.

Also scheduled Saturday is the Penobscot Valley Conference girls swimming championships to be held at Husson College in Bangor. Bangor High is the meet’s seven-time defending champion.