Bonny Eagle will send seven wrestlers to Saturday’s state meet

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.

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.

Saturday’s quarterfinal match-ups for the Scots look like this:

103 – Groeger vs. East No. 3 Kelly Golek (Mt. Ararat)

125 – Nicolas vs. East No. 1 Sam Webber (Mt. Blue)

130 – Dedovic vs. East No. 3 Kris Arnold (Mt. Blue)

135 – Dunzik vs. East No. 2 Mitchell James (Cony)

140 – Stiles vs. East No. 2 Theo Marshall (Mt. Ararat)

152 – Martin vs. East No. 2 Ben Stoodley (Oxford Hills)

285 – Avery vs. East No. 3 Sam Helm (Erskine Academy)

Lake Region finished seventh at last Saturday’s Western Maine Class B regional wrestling meet at Mountain Valley. York won the regional with 202 points followed by the host Falcons (186.5) and Wells (130). The Lakers finished with 28 points.

The Lakers’ Josh Rutland won the 130-pound championship with an 8-6 decision over Mike Gilbert of Mountain Valley. And Ryan Cutting placed third at 189 giving the Lakers two representatives at Saturday’s Class B state championship meet at the Augusta Civic Center.

Saturday’s quarterfinal match-ups for the Lakers look like this:

130 – Rutland vs. East No. 4 Steve Genther (Mount View)

189 – Cutting vs. East No. 2 Ollie Bradeen (Camden Hills)