The Eagles win five straight matches in the finals to knock off three-time champ Camden Hills.
BY STEVE CRAIG STAFF WRITER
FRYEBURG — Ellsworth High felt it was ready to win the Class B state title last season, but a combination of late-season sickness and upsets kept the Eagles waiting.
There was no stopping them Saturday at Fryeburg Academy.
Ellsworth rolled up 147.5 points to beat Camden Hills (105) and Foxcroft Academy (96.5). The Eagles asserted their superiority with five straight wins in the finals – from the 132-pound weight class through 160.
Dagan Berenyi, a junior, won at 145 pounds. Berenyi was the 2014 champion at 132 pounds as a sophomore.
“We all knew it was about when we peak, being at 100 percent when it mattered, and that’s what we did here today,” Berenyi said.
Just before Berenyi won his title, senior Jack Weeks – the sixth seed – edged Western Maine champ Dakota Jacques of Mountain Valley 4-3 to win at 138 pounds. Weeks was unable to wrestle last season because of mononucleosis.
Two seasons ago, when the state meet was last held at Fryeburg, both Berenyi and Weeks lost in the finals.
“It was right there on that same mat,” Berenyi said. “Now, two years later, it’s him winning and then me winning.”
Four other wrestlers repeated as champions.
Wells senior Michael Curtis won the 220-pound title after winning at 170 and 195 the previous two seasons. Curtis pinned all three of his opponents, including Nathaniel Beckwith of Winslow in the final in 1:02.
Curtis has not lost since finishing third at last year’s New England championships. He said he’s looking forward to next Saturday, when he and the other top four finishers from Class B will take on the top four from Class A and Class C at the New England qualifier in Sanford.
The top three in each weight class at that meet will advance to the New England championships.
“My goal is to win (the New England title). That’s probably everyone’s goal, and there are definitely some good kids there. At the qualifier, I still have a lot of people I have to get by like (Massabesic’s) Mike Risti,” Curtis said.
Repeating in the same weight class were Danny Buteau of Oak Hill (106) and Ethan Boucher of Mountain Valley (120).
As expected, Gardiner junior Peter Del Gallo won his third straight state crown, prevailing at 126 pounds, and was named the meet’s outstanding wrestler. Del Gallo is unbeaten in his career in Maine and won the New England title at 106 pounds as a freshman. His season was in doubt because of a left elbow injury prior to the season.
Del Gallo said he was originally told he would need surgery, but it was later determined it was better to let the injury heal on its own. He returned to the mat in mid-January.
Del Gallo figures to have his first significant challenges of the season at the New England qualifier.
“I’m not at my peak yet, but with another week before (the qualifier) I’ll be back and conditioned great and ready to be in the zone and keep it going,” Del Gallo said.
Freshmen also stood out, as Devin Vigue (113) and Ryan Fredette (170), both of Winslow, and Ellsworth’s Peyton Cole (132) won state titles.
Vigue took advantage of a wide-open, 113-pound bracket after favorite Caleb Austin of Mountain Valley failed to make weight at last week’s Western regional. He beat Zac Annis of Camden Hills 8-3 in the final.
Cole started Ellsworth’s streak of five straight individual titles when he pinned Steven Thompson of Medomak Valley in 2:17 to remain undefeated at 132 pounds.
Also claiming titles for Ellsworth were Conor Petros (152) and Trent Goodman (160).
Three-time defending champion Camden Hills had one champion, Kalo Littlejohn at 195 pounds. Littlejohn’s win, combined with Jared Gilbert victory over Foxcroft’s Michael Pendriss in the 220-pound consolation final, pushed Camden Hills into second place.