Saturday’s Western Maine Class A regional wrestling meet was as much about who didn’t win as it was about who did. For the first time since 1998, a team other than perennial power Noble High School won the competition.

Throughout the regular season, Massabesic’s wrestling team has proven that they are the top squad in the West A ranks and Saturday’s regional event emphasized that fact. The Mustangs used a top-to-bottom line-up filled with some dynamic wrestlers to score 191 points to finish well ahead of second-place Noble (138) at the 13-team event.

Westbrook’s Andrew Howe had a wonderful regional meet in the 145-pound weight class. He knocked off the No. 1 seed in the semifinals (Josh Scott from Biddeford) and then scored an 11-6 win over Sanford’s Paul Rivard in the championship final.

The Blue Blazes also had Preston Peabbles qualify for the state meet thanks to his third-place finish at 125. Peabbles scored a 4-3 decision over Shane Nicolas of Bonny Eagle in the consolation final.

Howe will take on the No. 4 seed from Eastren Maine (Adam Edgerton of Oxford Hills) in a Class A quarterfinal on Saturday. And Peabbles will match-up with the No. 2 seed from the East – Brian Parlin of Skowhegan.

Bonny Eagle did not have an individual champion at the regionals, but the Scots still had a very good showing with their third-place finish.

Three Bonny Eagle wrestlers reached the championship finals. Dalton Groeger (103), Bobby Dedovic (130), and Dan Avery (285) all settled for the runner-up spot in their weight classes.

The Scots also had third-place finishes from Max Dunzik (135), Jared Stiles (140), and Steve Martin (152) along with a fourth-place showing from Shane Nicolas at 125.

Massabesic will send 11 wrestlers to Saturday’s state championship meet in Augusta. The eight-time defending Class A state champions from Noble will send seven wrestlers to the state meet. Bonny Eagle and Kennebunk will each send seven, Biddeford and Marshwood both qualified six wrestlers, Sanford will send five, Westbrook, Scarborough and Deering all qualified two, and Nate Lavallee of Cape Elizabeth qualified as the fourth place finisher at 285.