Morse’s Ihsan Myers tangles with Oxford Hills’ Cole Dunham at the KVAC Championships at Cony High School. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
BRUNSWICK — All of the hard work on the wrestling mats throughout the winter for area wrestling teams has come down to the final weekend in both Class A and B as their state meets are being held at Cony High School and Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln, respectively.
Mt. Ararat/Brunswick and Morse will both look to build off successful meets at last weekend’s regional tournament.
The Eagles will once again face off with nemesis Camden Hills, which beat the squad from Mt. Ararat and Brunswick High Schools, who finished second at both the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference and Class A regional meets.
“We are wrestling at Cony High School where we have been four times this year,” Eagles coach Erick Jensen said. “I keep telling them they have seen every team and in most cases, every wrestler in their class.”
The top four wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the final meet. The Mt. Ararat/Brunswick team is sending eight wrestlers to Augusta on Saturday.
“Most of them have been here before, so they will be ready and all have big goals for the tournament,” Jensen said.
Freshmen Brycen Kowalsky and Spencer LeClair may only be first-year wrestlers at the high school level, but the two bring plenty of success and experience. Kowalsky brings his season record of 41-2 into the meet, after pinning Nokomis’ Nathan Peck at the regionals in the 113-pound weight class.
After losing to Dawson Allen of Camden Hills at the KVAC meet, LeClair (44-2 record this season) bounced back with a major decision over the Windjammer wrestler in the 132.
The big stage doesn’t seem to bother the two freshmen.
“It shouldn’t, these kids have been wrestling for years in and out of state at big tournaments,” Jensen said. “We schedule our wrestling at Noble and in Vermont to get them ready for this type of event.”
Junior Ben Laurence (38-5) rebounded from his KVAC loss to Oxford Hills’ Dillon Worcester to beat him for the first time at 152.
Mt. Ararat’s Cody Holman holds down Morse’s Isaasc Sinclair at the KVAC Championships at Cony High School. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
Brady Mitchell-Damms (35 wins this year) also won at the regionals, taking a decision over Travis May of Oxford Hills at 195.
Caden Kowalsky, junior Cody Holman and Mason Hultman each made it to the regional finals before falling to the champs in their respective weight class.
Caden Kowalsky (43-4) fell in the 138, but the junior brings tournament experience to the mat and hopes for success at states.
Holman and Hultman also made it to the finals at the regional meet at Camden Hills before falling to their opponents. Holman had a season record of 34-6, while senior Hultman brings his 32 wins to the meet.
Kyle Graffam (27-9) qualified for the states by making it to the final four in the 145 before falling to Mt. Blue’s Hayden Nile, 9-7.
“If we wrestle well, we will be in the conversation,” Jensen said. “Our kids have worked hard and are peaking at the right time. I am looking forward to seeing how they can do.”
Morse
After wrestling without a couple of key grapplers at the conference meet, Morse bounced back at the regionals with a sixth-place finish, scoring 86 points. In doing so, the Shipbuilders qualified five wrestlers for the state championships.
“It was good to have a couple of them back, they met our expectations,” Morse coach Mike Bennett said. “With another week of practice under their belt, they should be prepared to do better.”
Ihsan Myers, who hasn’t lost a match since Dec. 28, looks to continue his stellar senior campaign at 182. The senior won both the KVAC and regional title in the class, the first two times he as placed.
“Every tournament I’ve had I’ve either finished third or fourth, this is the first time I’ve ever made it to the finals and won,” Myers said after his KVAC victory and before adding another win at the regionals.
Mason Savary (35-5 in matches this season) also wrestled in the finals at the regionals, falling to KVAC champion Noah Lang of Camden Hills at 145.
Conner McNish (33 wins), Donavin Rector (24-4) and Ben Brewer (30-11) all qualified for the state tournament as well. McNish took third in the 126, while Rector and Brewer will wrestle in the 132 and 138 classes, respectively.
Mt. Ararat/Brunswick’s Brycen Kowalsky battles Nokomis’ Calvin Peck during Saturday’s Class A North Regional at Camden Hills. (Michael Seamans / Kennebec Journal)
“The North is just as tough as the South,” Bennett said. “There are going to be a lot of good wrestlers at the meet, it should be a great day of wrestling.”
Class B
After solid showings at the Mid-State League Championships and Class B South Regionals, the team consisting of wrestlers from Lisbon and Oak Hill High Schools have high hopes heading into the State Class B meet.
“Our kids did really well at regionals as we qualified seven out of nine kids for the states,” Lisbon/Oak Hill coach Ted Albasini said. “All of our kids are working hard and are preparing well for the state tournament.”
Two-time regional champ Jack Tibbetts anchors the squad and wrestles at 126. The senior was 31-3 this year, compiling 89 wins over his career.
Zoe Buteau earned her 100th career win at the regionals before falling to Josh Burgess of Wells, while Daniel Bolton (170) and Cam Bourget (182) also made it to the finals in each of their weight classes.
Josiah Kenney (145), Christain St. Hilaire (160) and Isaac Potvin (195) all qualified for Saturday’s meet, making it to the final four in their weight class.
“We should perform well this week at states,” Albasini said. “Everyone is finally healthy and practices are very tough. Jack, Zoe, Daniel and Cam all have legitimate title chances and everyone else can place.”
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