SANFORD — Noble High sophomore Kaden Dustin said in the middle of the wrestling season that the Knights were behind some of their in-state competition.
“We keep building. We keep rising while other teams just sit at that one level,” Dustin said. “We kept pushing the pace in practice. The practices got harder.”
Saturday at Sanford High, both Dustin and his teammates rose to the top of Class A. Dustin was one of three individual champions for the Knights, who won their second Class A title in the last three seasons, not counting the canceled 2021 season. Previously, Noble won 11 championships in 13 years from 1999-2011.
Dustin clinched his team’s victory with a 6-4 decision in the 138-pound final against Trevor Perkins of Bonny Eagle.
With the score tied 4-4 and about 30 seconds remaining, there was a brief stoppage. The large Noble fan section stood and roared. Dustin worked a reversal and then rode out the final seconds.
“You hear the crowd behind you rumbling, then they erupt and they raise your hand. It’s a great feeling,” Dustin said, adding that he knew a victory would secure the title.
Noble finished with 110 points, while Massabesic was second with 89. Sanford (72), Camden Hills (71) and Windham/Gray-New Gloucester/Westbrook (60.5) rounded out the top five.
The competition was close because of an exceptional effort from Massabesic, which brought seven wrestlers and had six place in the top four, thus qualifying for the New England Qualifier on Friday. Dominick Bubar won the 160-pound title, and Nicholas Chenard (120), Jack Harriman (145), and Jared Breton all finished second. Both Chenard and Harriman lost to returning state champs – Ayden Cofone of Windham/Gray-New Gloucester and Aidan Clark of Skowhegan, respectively. Breton was stopped in the 220-pound final by Bonny Eagle’s Kaden Cyr, 12-4.
Entering the consolation semifinals, Noble trailed Massabesic, 70-68.
The Knights had three wrestlers advance to the consolation final. Kaleb Dustin, Kaden’s twin, won a 6-0 decision to finish third at 120, and Cody Marchand placed third at 126 after a 17-2 technical fall.
Marchand, the South champion, also picked up a pin in the consolation semifinal.
“Our 120 winning was big. He was 0-2 against that kid,” Marchand said. “My plan was to get to the finals, but after I didn’t, there was no reason I shouldn’t have come back.”
Noble’s other individual champions were Derek Cote at 152 and Brady Ouellette at 106.
Cote, a senior, won his third state crown, stopping Mt. Ararat/Brunswick sophomore Dash Farrell by technical fall, 17-2.
“I accomplished exactly what I wanted to accomplish today, which was to win states every opportunity I get and to walk out as team state champs,” said Cote.
While Cote is at the tail end of his impressive high school career, Noble freshman Brady Ouellette is just getting started.
Ouellette won the 106-pound final with a pin in 1:49 against Brody Simons of Hampden Academy.
“It’s pretty darn cool. I always wanted to be a state champion with my team,” Ouellette said. “I came in expecting to win as an individual and I was really looking forward to a team win.”
Cofone, a sophomore at Windham, dominated the 120-pound division, beating South champ Chenard 11-0 in the final. It was the second state title for Cofone, who placed fifth in the New England championships at 113 pounds as a freshman.
Cofone is a forceful point-scoring wrestler. But he said he was doubting himself a bit this season. But with a large family contingent that included his grandmother, Monnie Petty, who flew up from Lakeland, Florida, Cofone was ready.
“I was pacing back and forth before the match, just telling myself I’ve got it,” Cofone said.
Julian Henderson a senior at Camden Hills, won his second state title, taking the 126-pound final in a wild match. Henderson appeared to be safely in control, leading Gardiner’s Elijiah Farias 9-2, but had to escape two near-pin situations in the final minute to hang on for an 11-7 win.
Then he anxiously watched as his sophomore training partner, Landon Pease, took the 132-pound title with a 6-4 win.
“The improvement (Pease) has made, I’m so proud of him,” Henderson said.
Pease gave Henderson some credit for his win. “All week, I’ve just been training with him, just drilling, drilling, drilling,” Pease said.
James Blood of Sanford joined the two-time state champion club with a win at 113 pounds. Shea Farrell, a senior at Mt. Ararat, won his first state title after placing second as a freshman and third as a junior.
Other state champions were Luke Byrne of Scarborough/Gorham, who pinned South champ Angel Zea of Sanford in the third round of the 182-pound final; and Christopher Levesque of Oxford Hills (195) and Johhny Lettre of Cony (285)
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