GARDINER – Erskine Academy heavyweight Sean Gary knew exactly what was at stake as he squared off against Matt Archer of Mt. Blue in the final match Saturday of the 36th annual Tiger Invitational wrestling tournament.

“I went out there thinking I’ve got to win this one for the team,” Gary said. “Everybody here told me ‘Sean if you lose, we all lose.’ “

Gary won, pinning the previously unbeaten Archer at 1:30 of the second period.

The victory gave the Eagles a five-point win over runner-up Westbrook and put Gary in jeopardy of a takedown by his excited teammates.

Archer had pinned Gary just last week and led in their match until Gary caught him with a pinning combination.

“I got him in a reverse half-nelson and I just squeezed until he hit the floor,” Gary said.

Erskine finished with 177 points to Westbrook’s 172. Mt. Blue placed third with 151.5 points, followed by Cony and Gardiner.

Will Lundquist of Cony was named the meet’s outstanding wrestler.

Westbrook and Erskine went head-to-head in championship matches at 152 and 160 pounds. Aaron Taylor of Erskine decisioned Graham Strondak of Westbrook 6-0 at 152, and Troy Fogg of Westbrook beat Cameron Campbell of Erskine 10-9 at 160.

Westbrook was missing four wrestlers because of weight issues, injury or illness.

“We had to have kids fill in and go to different weights,” Blue Blazes Coach Ryan Hutchins said. “We only brought 12 kids, and 11 of them placed in the top four.”

Westbrook, the defending Eastern Class A champion, won this tournament last year. Based on early-season results, Hutchins sees Eastern Maine as at least a five-team race that includes his team, along with Erskine, Mt. Blue, Cony and Mt. Ararat, which didn’t wrestle Saturday.

“It’s going to be a fun tournament this year,” Hutchins said, “because I think it’s anyone’s game.”

Cony won four individual titles — Jake Charest (103), Connor Dufour (130), Lundquist (140) and Thon Ithipalakorn (145). Lundquist pinned Craig DiBiase of Westbrook at 3:11 after trailing for much of his match.

“I wrestled (DiBiase) last week,” Lundquist said. “He put up a lot more of a fight this week. I got scared.”

Dufour was the most unlikely winner, beating a pair of wrestlers who had previously defeated him — Bryton York of Erskine and Brandon McDougal of Morse — both in triple overtime.

“He had the best day he ever had,” Cony Coach Shawn Totman said of Dufour.

“Connor is such a tough kid. He never stops grinding and I couldn’t be happier for him. It’s the first tournament he’s ever won.”

Khalil Newbill (112), Caleb Farrington (171) and Joey Metcalf (215) each won championships for Mt. Blue.

“I think we were very, very good in some weight classes and struggled in some of the ones I thought we’d do better in,” Mt. Blue Coach Bob O’Connor said. “I thought we had a legit chance of winning it.”

In addition to Gary and Taylor, Erskine got a victory in the final from Joe York at 119.

Westbrook got titles from Glenn Emery (125) and Fogg. Danny DelGallo of Gardiner (135) and Kyle Foyt-Bridges (189) of Monmouth also won titles.