Falcons wrestlers win tri-meet

RUMFORD -- Prior to Josh Allen stepping on the wrestling mat, he had already determined what the outcome would be and the Mountain Valley senior certainly didn’t waste any time to execute things last Wednesday.

Allen, a senior, wasn’t in the mood for playful tactics and avenged his lone loss of the season by recording a major decision against Kyle Foyt-Bridges of Monmouth at 189 pounds.

A series of pins by Cody Magoon (130), Taylor Carey (171), Allen and Christian Durland (215) helped carry the Falcons to triumphs in a battle against the academies, Fryeburg (42-30) and Monmouth (64-6) in a Mid-State League triangular meet.

Mountain Valley (6-0) encountered several interesting matches.

“He (Foyt-Bridges) better be ready because I am,” said Allen, who had lost to the Mustang wrestler in the Atlantic Invitational. “I was ahead 7-2 and he caught me. It won’t happen again.”

Allen attacked from the opening whistle and on a takedown, secured an elbow and turned Foyt-Bridges for three, near-fall points. Allen maintained the pressure and recorded five-point moves in each of the latter two periods for an 18-6 win.

“Our upper weights are strong,” said Allen. “If it comes down to it, I believe (Carey), Durland, Ryan Glover (285) and myself can get the necessary points.”

Fryeburg had trailed 12-11 after wins by Peter Bacchiocchi and Stephan Emery over Zach Cross and Santos Rodriguez at 160. Carey, Allen and Durland each responded with first period pins. Burgess lost a 3-1 decision to Conner Sheehan, who bumped up from 107 pounds. The Raider executed a takedown and Burgess (116 pounds), who had beat Sheehan by one point in the Class B state championship last February, escaped in the second period. Sheehan escaped in the final minute and used hips to counter Burgess shoots.

Falcons' Joe Provencher (135) and Jake Thornton (112) each lost, but Magoon used a tight waist to record his first of two sticks.

“Cody made a big difference,” said Falcon coach Gary Dolloff. Magoon recently was cleared to resume wrestling.

“We needed his win or the score would have been closer against Fryeburg. Santos continues to show me some good things and it was nice to see Joe (near fall) wrestle right to the end,” he said.

Mountain Valley received pins by Burgess, Provencher, Anthony Boucher (140), Josh Thornton (145) and Cross against Monmouth.