Windjammers may be poised to regain ‘B’ title All 3 classes at Augusta today

Change may be in the offing today when the state high school wrestling championships are held at the Augusta Civic Center.

All three defending state champions, Noble of North Berwick in Class A, Mountain Valley of Rumford in Class B, and Lisbon in Class C, are back in their respective fields, but none is a clear favorite to successfully defend its title.

Here’s a preview:

Class B: Camden Hills of Rockport’s seven-year reign as state champion – six years outright, co-champion in 2005, was ended last year when Mountain Valley edged the Windjammers by 1.5 points.

But coach John Kelly’s club may be peaking at the right time this season, with back-to-back victories at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference and Eastern Maine Class B championships the last two weekends.

The Windjammers have advanced 11 wrestlers from the regional, a group led by 140-pound senior Cody Laite, the school’s record holder in career wins and pins. Laite was one of four regional champs from Camden Hills, along with Murphy McGowan (125 pounds), Jack Simpkins (135), and Jacob Berry (152).

Belfast, second to Camden Hills at both the KVACs and regional, also qualified 11 for the state meet, including five regional champs in Jimmy Spencer (130), Kote Aldus (152), Mike Rollerson (160), Travis Spencer (189), and Logan Kelley (215).

York surprised Mountain Valley to win the Western B championship, and the Wildcats will fill all 14 weight classes at states, including three regional champions. Mountain Valley will be represented by 12 wrestlers at the states, including six Western B champions.

Class C: Dirigo of Dixfield has loomed as the favorite all winter to win its first state title since 1996. The Cougars did nothing to dispel that notion by defeating Mountain Valley at the Mid-State League championships two weekends ago and earning a 216-165 victory over Lisbon at the Western C regional.

Dirigo will be represented in all 14 weight classes at the state meet, with seven wrestlers earning top seeds after winning their weight classes at the regional. Lisbon looms as a top rival, with four regional champions among its 12 wrestlers competing at the states.

The top Eastern C contenders have done little to sort themselves out during the earlier stages of postseason competition. Bucksport is the Penobscot Valley Conference champion but placed third at the regional. Foxcroft Academy won its fourth straight Eastern C title after placing third at the PVCs, and Dexter finished second at both the PVCs and the regional.

Foxcroft leads the Eastern contenders with 10 qualifiers, including regional winners Colby Johnson (130), Jerod Rideout (145), and Jon Geiger (215).

Dexter has five regional champs among its nine state qualifiers, a contingent led by 112-pound senior Jeremiah Barkac, who is trying to become the eighth four-time champion in state history. Twins Michael (103) and Brian O’Connor (119) and brothers Ronnie (125) and Josh Harvey (152) also are coming off title-winning efforts at the regional.

Seven Bucksport wrestlers qualified for the state meet, led by regional champions Ray Wood (135), Jon Pelletier (140), Stephen Klenowski (160), and Andrew Wescott (285).

Class A: Noble’s quest for a ninth straight state title appears in jeopardy, if the Western Maine regional is any indication. Coming off a solid win at the Southern Maine Classic a week earlier, the Knights were no match for Massabesic of Waterboro last Saturday, losing 191-138.

Massabesic, the last team other than Noble to win the Class A state title (1998), will have 11 wrestlers at the states compared to seven for the Knights.