Hawks pin rival Cougar wrestlers

DIXFIELD -- When Mountain Valley has their team on the same page, the results can be positive and that was certainly evident on the wrestling mat.

The operative word was pins as the Hawks started fast and a snowball effort followed enroute to a 64-10 win against Dirigo in a Pine Tree Wrestling League dual meet. The Hawks showed the Cougars the gymnasium lights nine times (each pin is worth six-team points) at the T.W. Kelly Middle School.

MV had taken a 12-0 lead following pins by Caleb Austin (75 pounds) and Ethan Boucher (82 pounds). It was a prelude of things to come, however, Bryce Whittemore prolonged the action with a 12-0 win over M. Provencher at 89. The major decision is four-team points.

"We did not wrestle well" said Dirigo coach Dana Whittemore. “I was missing 82 to injury (Griffyn Smith) and my 117 missed school. Mtn. Valley is primed to win it all this year. I have three eighth graders and two of them haven't wrestled before. One seventh grader, so we are building as a team.”

The Hawks responded with six pins in the seven matches contested on the mat. Kevin Farrar planted Hunter White and J.T. Green stuck Ethan Bryant. The Cougars were unable to maintain the momentum.

Following a major decision by Dakota Jacques over Megan Bradbury, the Hawks executed four straight pins. Nate Boucher used a grapevine on Spencer Vaughn, Brandon Gill (131) pinned Nick Milligan, Ian Austin stuck Randy Taylor and Tucker Rowland pinned Dalton Berry at 145.

“We can be dominate,” said MV coach Anthony Mazza. “We lack depth, but kids in the same weight classes force some to wrestle in higher weight classes, forcing some to not even get a varsity spot. Wrestlers that would probably stand on a podium if given the chance won’t even see a varsity match.”

Coyote Freeman of MV stuck Matt Irish at 210. Lucas McDonald (190) of Dirigo and Jacob Parise (240) of MV each won by forfeit.

Mazza noted several wrestlers have prepared for the PTWL season by wrestling out of state and performing extremely well. A core group, along with a few other local wrestlers, went to Mt. Anthony, Vermont and won their dual meet tournament (Mt. Anthony has not lost in 28 years). A group went to North Andover, MA and dominated the field there as well.