Seven Blazes competed at Noble in the Class A Wrestling State Finals on Saturday, Feb. 13, and three – Noah Featherson at 160, Brandon Lajoie at 170 and Chris Kennie at 285 – finished in fourth place.

“The team really stepped up and wrestled well all day,” said Blazes coach John Nicholas. “Noah pinned the Camden kid who had beaten him a week earlier, and Lajoie and Kennie came through with huge wins that put them into the medal round.”

Featherson faced Joe Kenney of Bonny Eagle in the first round, but lost 6-1 and slid into the consolation bracket. There, he trumped Jared Dyer of Kennebunk, a hard-fought pin at 4:59. He then had an easier time with Eli Smith of Camden Hills, pinning at just 40 seconds to earn another shot at Kenney, who’d also since been bumped to the consolation bracket. Kenney emerged victorious 6-0, however.

Kennie succumbed to Chris Lantagne of Biddeford in the first round, then triumphed 5-3 over Mitch Macfarland of Cony in his first consolation bout. He doubled that score against Skowhegan’s Caleb Vautier, winning 10-3 to again face Lantagne, who’d been dislodged from the championship bracket in his second round. Lantagne won in a Major Decision, 16-5.

Lajoie trumped Austin Locke of Marshwood 6-3 in his first match, and advanced to the second round of the championship bracket. There he met Noble’s Otto Keisker, who won the battle via pin, at 3:51. Lajoie slid into a consolation bout with John Stolz of Scarborough, picking up a pin of his own at 1:42.

“My match with Stolz was my most important match,” said Lajoie. “After my disappointing loss to Otto, I knew John was going to come out hard – so I knew I had to go in harder. I went out and did things my way and took control of the match until I heard the ref slap the mat.”

That slap of the mat earned Lajoie a tango with Portand’s Clautel Buba, who won the dance in a technical fall, 19-4.

“My match with Buba was definitely my hardest match of the day,” Lajoie said. “He is a very strong opponent and is a tough match for anyone he goes up against. I knew when I went in that I would have to up my intensity in the match.”

“No matter what happened, I would not let myself get pinned,” Lajoie said, adding, “I accomplished that goal.”

Skowhegan won the team title, amassing 144 points; Marshwood took second at 123 and Noble third at 112. The Blazes accrued 25 points for an 11th-place finish overall.

Ryan Shackley (106), Austin Fecteau (120), Jared Grant (132) and Kyle Hanson (145) also took to the mat for the Blazes on Saturday.

“We’re excited to send three guys to the New England Qualifier,” said Nicholas. “It’s a new week and anything can happen at that tournament.”

Kyle Hanson gets set in an early match on Saturday.The Blazes’ Jared Grant wraps up with a Marshwood opponent early on Saturday.Westbrooker Noah Featherson gets leverage on Joe Kenney of Bonny Eagle. The pair faced off twice on Saturday, with Kenney emerging victorious both times.Westbrook’s Brandon Lajoie lines up in his early match against Austin Locke of Marshwood.