KENNEBUNK — The Kennebunk wrestling team gave up five forfeits in Wednesday night’s match with visiting Sanford, but the Rams would win four of the five contested bouts on their way to a 42-36 win over the Spartans.

“When you’re giving up five forfeits, those kids wrestling the way they did today is key for us to win dual meets,” said Kennebunk coach Steve Young. “This is actually our first dual meet win this year, and that’s not to say the kids have been wrestling poorly because the kids have been wrestling very well and we’re very proud of what they’ve done so far this year.”

Sanford was also shorthanded for the match as the Spartans were forced to forfeit four matches to the Rams.

With both teams struggling to fill the weight classes, the match would come down to bouts at 120, 138, 182, 195 and finally 106 pounds.

Kennebunk’s Alden Shields opened up the match with a first-period pin of Sanford’s Ethan Trumble at 120 pounds.

Sanford would take a 12-6 lead going into the next contested bout after receiving back-to-back forfeits at 126 and 132.

At 138 pounds, Kennebunk’s Cole Dickinson picked up a hard-fought 10-4 win over Sanford’s Cooper VanGieson.

The victory would cut the Sanford advantage to 12-9, and the Rams would quickly regain the lead with forfeit wins at 145, 152 and 160 pounds.

Kennebunk held a 27-12 lead heading into 170 pounds, but Sanford standout Sam Anderson received a forfeit to make it 27-18, and teammate Isaac Plante recorded a fall over Brady Lamontagne at 182 pounds to make it 27-24.

Chase Lamontagne pushed the Kennebunk lead back to 33-24 with a win by fall over Sanford’s Tiffany Stevens at 195 before Sanford regained the edge with back-to-back forfeit wins at 220 and 285 which made it 36-33 with two matches left.

Kennebunk had a forfeit coming at 113 pounds, so a win at 106 pounds would secure the victory for the Rams.

In the best match of the night, Kennebunk’s Sean Radel and Sanford’s Adam Genereux went back-and-forth with both wrestlers getting their opponent on their backs at different times.

The difference would be the seven near-fall points Radel racked up during the match as he was able to take a 16-10 lead into the final period and held on for an 18-16 victory.

It was a big win for Radel who is back on the mat after taking several years off.

“Sean’s a sophomore, but he hasn’t wrestled for us since he was in youth. He took several years off unfortunately,” Young said. “We got him back this year, and we’re happy to get him back and happy to have a 106 (pound wrestler) again. He’s done a really good job of getting back into the groove of things.”

Radel’s win would tie the match at 36 and Kennebunk would secure the victory when Marek Pasieniuk accepted a forfeit at 113 pounds.

Young was thrilled to see his kids get a win over a tough Sanford squad.

“First win over Sanford in a while … it was a good win. The kids did very well and we’re very happy with how they’re doing,” said Young.

Massabesic 48, Westbrook 21

The visiting Mustangs would get five pins on their way to the victory on Wednesday.

Abi Fitzgerald (106), Ryan St. Laurent (126), Noah Hernandez (145), Kyle Smith (170) and Jacob Breton (285) would all win their bouts by fall for Massabesic.

Massabesic would also accept three forfeits.

Westbrook got pins from Ryan Shackly (132), Jared Grant (152) and Dante Edgerly (220).