ROCKPORT — Marshwood High reclaimed its Class A wrestling title in impressive fashion Saturday, just as four-time state champion Bradley Beaulieu predicted.
“I think back at the Spartan tournament (in early January), I said I thought we would win and we would not only win, we would blow it out of the water,” Beaulieu said.
Marshwood and Beaulieu were both emphatic in victory at Camden Hills Regional High School.
The Hawks scored 184 points, with runner-up Noble a distant second with 80.5. It’s Marshwood’s fifth title in six years. Defending champion Skowhegan placed third with 73.5 points.
Beaulieu pinned his way to the 138-pound title, after winning titles at 113, 126 and 132 the previous three seasons. He dropped North regional champion Noah Lang of Camden Hills at 3:02 of the final.
“I came in here and I wanted to prove to everyone that I’m the best wrestler in Maine, and to prove it I have to go out there and dominate everybody, and I think I did that,” Beaulieu said.
The brother tandem of Matt Thompson (120), a freshman, and James Thompson (195), junior, also won individual titles for Marshwood. Liam Cooney (113), David Spinney (126) and Matt Caverly (152) finished second, and 11 of the 12 Marshwood wrestlers who qualified for the meet placed in the top four.
Beaulieu was joined as a four-time champ by Skowhegan’s Cody Craig (106 pounds). Craig continued his streak of having never lost either in Maine or to a wrestler from Maine.
With Danny Buteau of Oak Hill winning a fourth title at the Class B meet, there are now 23 four-time state champions in Maine wrestling history.
Craig, the New England runner-up as a junior, had to scramble in his championship match, beating Noble freshman Sam Martel, 16-6.
“I don’t like getting scored on, especially getting put to my back. I’m not happy about that,” Craig said. “I’m feeling like I’ve kind of got to work a little harder for that New England title right now. I’ve never really been one to put much emphasis on the titles and the awards and the accolades as much as I am on my own improvement. But I like having the title, nonetheless.”
Robert Hetherman of Mt. Ararat/Brunswick claimed his 200th career victory. Hetherman pinned all three of his opponents, needing just 26 seconds in the 170-pound final against Isaac Plante of Sanford. It’s Hetherman’s second state title.
“Junior year, when I got my first one I was so ecstatic, and I never would have thought I’d get my 200th win at the state (meet),” Hetherman said. “When my coach told me the 200th win would be in the state final, I just felt I had to do it because it’s my senior year, and (I wanted) to go out with a bang.”
Other state champions were Leo Amabile of Massabesic at 113 pounds, Chris Solo of Deering at 126, Samson Sirois of Skowhegan (132), Austin Shorey of Noble (145), Quinton Richards of Nokomis (152), Sam Anderson of Sanford (160), Nic Mills of Cony (182), Matthew Carroll of Massabesic (220) and Zebulon Leavitt of Cheverus (285). It’s Shorey’s second state title.
Marshwood Coach Matt Rix said regaining the team title was far from a sure thing at the start of the season.
“Not at all,” Rix said. “We were kind of scrambling for what we were going to do with our upper weights. We had four guys who were all in the 170s.”
Those four sorted themselves out and earned a state title (Thompson), a second (Caverly) and two thirds (Dylan Strong at 170 and Austin Locke at 182).
The top four finishers in each weight class from both the Class A and Class B championships are eligible to compete next week in the New England qualifier at Marshwood High. The top three finishers there will represent Maine in the New England championships March 3-4 in Providence, Rhode Island.
Steve Craig can be reached at 791-6413 or:
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