For as long as they can remember — at least since they were as young as 5, maybe 6 years old — the Shorey brothers spent the better part of the day wrestling.

Wrestling around on the bed, the floor, the grass, the dirt… whatever surface happened to be handy.

Despite the passage of more than a decade, they’re still at it.

But now, Dustin Shorey and Derek Shorey do the majority of their wrestling on mats. And instead of fighting for their lives or the avoidance of a serious beating, they do it for points.

But for different teams.

Although the Shorey brothers don’t wrestle each other nearly as much as they used to, they’ve been making up for lost time lately.

For two consecutive weeks, Derek and Dustin have found themselves facing off against each other — Derek for Foxcroft Academy and Dustin for Penobscot Valley of Howland – in the 103-pound class with a title on the line.

“It’s getting tougher. We’ve matched up in championship matches three times now this year and he’s getting better every time,” said Derek, a sophomore who first faced his older brother in a Christmas tournament.

Since then, Derek pinned Dustin for the Penobscot Valley Conference crown two weeks ago and won by major decision for the Eastern Maine Class C title last week.

They could meet again today in the state Class C meet at Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln at 9:30 a.m.

How did brothers end up wrestling for two different schools?

“Our parents are divorced. I was living with my dad in Dover, but I moved in with my mom in Howland. I just wanted to live with my mom. I asked dad, and it was OK with him,” said Dustin, who was PVC and Eastern Maine runnerup in 103 last year — as a member of Foxcroft’s team.

“Dustin would go live with mom for a while and then come to dad’s. We’ve both done that,” said Derek. “I guess Dustin decided he wanted to try living with mom again and I wanted to stay in Foxcroft. It was football season at the time and we were doing great, so I decided to stay with my dad.”

The brothers explained they’ve both lived with each parent — Ron Shorey and Shari Smith — at one time or another since their parents divorced about 12 years ago.

“We’re still close,” said Dustin, a junior. “We see each other on holidays and every chance we get. We get along really well.”

Even on the mat.

“We don’t care who places as long as we don’t get hurt. As long as we both get to the finals, we don’t care who wins,” Dustin said.

That’s fine for them, but it must be tougher on their parents.

“Sometimes I have to leave because I can’t watch,” admitted Ron Shorey. “But I’d like to see them take first and second rather than see them wrestle somebody else and lose.”

So who does he root for when they do match up?

“I take the underdog every time. It’s kind of natural, I guess.”

Although he’s a year younger, Derek is the more experienced wrestler with one more year under his belt.

“It’s kind of a funny story. I had just gotten out of detention in seventh grade and I went down to the cafeteria and they were wrestling,” Derek explained. “I always wanted to do it, so I went up to the coach and asked him if it was too late to join and he said, `No.”‘

A year later, his brother joined up — with his father’s blessing.

“They grew up in a house where they were rough with each other anyway. So I said, `Take it onto a mat, guys,”‘ Ron Shorey explained. “Plus, their attitudes kind of stunk, so I thought it would help control their anger. This sport really does help kids mature as far as discipline.”

Although Derek has had the upper hand in this matchup, Dustin is steadily catching up to his younger sibling and hopes a third postseason match will be the charm.

“He’s got more muscle because he’s played football for two years and I haven’t, but it’s getting closer every time,” Dustin said. “Maybe I’ll get him at states.”

“I don’t know about next week. I’m hoping we meet in the finals again,” Derek said. “It’s funny, us wrestling against each other like this. We always used to roll around in the house and stuff. This is where it counts, right here.”