Dirigo places second in Western C

JAY -- The Dirigo wrestling team nearly achieved its objective. However, 178 points was good enough for a solid second place finish behind Foxcroft Academy 181.5 points to win the Class C qualifier Saturday.

Lisbon (167) was third at the event, held in the spacious Tigerdome at Jay High School for the second straight year. Lisbon beat Dirigo 208-189.5 last year.

The top eight wrestlers in each weight class advance to the state meet this Saturday at the Augusta Civic Center.

Dirigo qualified 13 and Lisbon qualified 10 wrestlers.

Dirigo champions included Caleb Hall (119), Adam Gill (130), D J Webber (160) and Nelson Pepin (171).

Hall, a 2009 state champion, pinned longtime foe Pat McInnis of Monmonth. Gill won by injury default. Pepin stuck his opponent also.

Webber had the longest day, receiving two byes into the finals. The Cougar sophomore blew off steam with a 38-second pin in the finals. Brett Whittemore (125) lost by major decision to Joel Pomerleau of Lisbon in the finals.

The younger Webber brother reached the finals at 125.

“We did what we needed to do,” said Dirigo coach Doug Gilbert. “The kids wrestled, well.”

The tournament, which featured every Class C team and independents statewide, had drawn concerns by respective coaches regarding seeding. The Maine Principals Association had pre-seeded each wrestler, based on winning percentages. Because of the large coverage area, the meet was divided into “north” and “south” brackets.

Several Cougars placed third, including Dylan Sattler (103), Eric Holman (112), Jesse Hutchinson (135), Ryan Lemay (140), Thomas Barnett (152), Alex Snowman (189) and Jack Brown at 285.

Lisbon led the way with six individual champions Nick McNamara (103), Zach Stevens (112), Forrest Cornell (119), Pomerleau (125), Mike McNamara (135) and Matt Nicholson (140). Lisbon poured it on as Stevens, Cornell, both McNamaras and Nicholson each stuck opponents.