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For four days during the Christmas break, the Massabesic wrestling team trained on its own, preparing for the Noble Invitational.

The dedication paid off for Massabesic, which finished second to powerhouse Noble on Dec. 28.

“We got a lot out of it. It’s a good mind-set for the kids,” said Massabesic Coach Rick DeRosier.

“It’s a time when you eat, and enjoy family a lot. You put wrestling on the back burner for a little bit. They had to run on their own, work out on their own. And try not to get too heavy.”

Noble won with 244 points, Massabesic followed with 211.5 and Belfast was third with 189.

Massabesic had two wrestlers win their division, a meet high for teams from Maine: Tyler Everett in the 103-pound class and Andrew Tripp in the 171-pound class.

Last week’s blizzard moved the tournament back a day, forcing Massabesic to wrestle three days in a row: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at home.

“That actually gave all of our kids a chance to wrestle,” said DeRosier. “Some of the kids who normally would not be our starters got a chance to show what they had.”

HOLIDAY TOURNAMENTS included the Atlantic Invitational at Wells High. Seventeen teams competed Dec. 30 with Mountain Valley winning the meet with 126.5 points.

Marshwood finished second with 104 points and Lisbon came in third with 101.

SANFORD WILL hold the storied Redskin Invitational on Saturday, bringing top teams together from around New England for its 35th year.

Nineteen teams from Maine and New England, including highly regarded Timberlane, N.H., Danbury, Conn., and Cumberland, R.I., are expected to compete.

“Every year teams know if they get to the Redskin they’ll see the best teams in New England,” said Sanford Coach Nate Smith.

“It’s kind of testing the waters of what they can do outside the state.”

The meet was started in 1975 by a former coach, Keith Kalman.

“Sanford was in its absolute heyday then,” said Michael Kane, the meet director. “It has turned into, for all intents and purposes, one of the best wrestling tournaments in New England. We’ve got a crew of teams this year that absolutely epitomizes that.”

Smith’s team is young this season but he said the experience will pay off.

“We have a few kids who will compete,” he said. “We’re just young. Very, very, young. For my kids it’s a chance to see the better competition and grow from it.”

The meet begins after school Friday and continues Saturday, with finals scheduled to begin around 5:30 or 6 p.m.

Maine teams competing include Massabesic, Camden Hills, Belfast, Mountain Valley, Lisbon, Marshwood, Portland, Sanford, York, Scarborough, Cheverus and Bonny Eagle.

NOBLE SENIOR Kayleigh Longley earned her 100th career victory while finishing fifth in the 103-pound weight class in last week’s 43-team Noble Invitational at North Berwick.

Another Noble senior, Tyler Beaudet, the reigning Class A champion at 130 pounds, could reach that milestone tonight when the Knights are home against Scarborough and Wells in a triangular meet.

– Staff Writer Paul Betit contributed to this report.

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at: jmenendez@pressherald.com