AUGUSTA — Whether you were with the Class A champions from Massabesic High or the Class B winners from Wells, the sentiment was the same.
Winning the Maine Principals’ Association’s Duals Tournament Team Championship is only the start of what the two York County wrestling powers expect to achieve in the coming month.
“This is just the beginning. We still have a lot left to do. So hopefully we can get it done,” Wells Coach Scott Lewia said after Saturday’s event.
Massabesic’s first-year coach, Joe Eon, said much the same as he held the Mustangs’ first state wrestling trophy since 2008 – back when he was a wrestler himself.
“We’re definitely not done. We have regionals next week. We have the Class A state championship,” Eon said. “We’re going to celebrate this tonight, but come Monday we’re getting back to the grindstone, getting ready for regionals.”
Wells finished its dual meet season 22-0 – the first undefeated dual season in program history. That includes beating Massabesic during the regular season. Now the Warriors will look to reclaim the Class B South and Class B state championships over the next two Saturdays. Wells won both titles for four straight years from 2017-20 before finishing second in both meets last season.
This year, Wells believes it is the best team in the state, regardless of class.
“Oh, a hundred percent,” said 138-pound senior Griffin Brickett, a two-time individual state champion. “I mean, if you don’t go into everything with that mentality, I don’t think you’ll ever be.”
Karter Crosby, a 126-pounder, said the Warriors’ success starts in the practice room. “We always go a hundred percent. We’ve got good drilling partners. We have really everything we need to be that No. 1 team in the state.”
Wells entered as the top seed from the South among the eight Class B teams. The Warriors advanced to the semifinals with a bye because North No. 4 Ellsworth could not get a bus to start in the sub-zero temperatures and was unable to attend. Wells beat Dexter, 72-9, then defeated South No. 2 York, 62-18.
York advanced with wins against North No. 3 Piscataquis and North No. 1 Mattanawcook Academy. York Coach Bryan Thompson said it was the first time York had finished as high as second at a state wrestling tournament.
“It’s a huge day for the program,” Thompson said.
In Class A, Massabesic was seeded second but was clearly the dominant team. The Mustangs rolled past North No. 3 Oxford Hills, 70-12, in the quarterfinal; North No. 1 Camden Hills, 57-22, in the semifinals; and South No. 3 Noble, 57-18, in the championship round.
Noble advanced to the finals by beating North No. 2 Mt. Blue, 54-21, and then South No. 1 Sanford, 39-31.
A key match in the championship round was the 285-pound heavyweight bout. Massabesic senior Vincenzo Vanelli, a first-year wrestler, pinned Thomas Mulligan, who had won two previous matchups against Vanelli.
“Winning that meant the world to me,” Vanelli said.
Vanelli helped fill a need for Massabesic. After some lean seasons in terms of depth, the Mustangs now have over 30 wrestlers.
“We’ve gone through teams with only eight, nine kids, and to have a big group like this come out my senior year is just really, really special,” said senior 170-pounder Ethan Masse. “And to win a first place is something I’ve been waiting for since my freshman year. We’ve still got work to do. We’re going to get to work Monday. We still have regionals and states and more stuff to go on the walls, for sure.”
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