Cody Hughes closes in on Maine's all-time wins record, and the Hawks claim another regional title.
BY STEVE CRAIG STAFF WRITER
SOUTH BERWICK — Cody Hughes became just the second high school wrestler in Maine to reach 200 career wins while helping Marshwood repeat as Western Class A champion Saturday.
Hughes, a senior, reached the milestone in his semifinal match. He went on to win the 170-pound final with a third-period pin.
“It’s definitely a great accomplishment but I’ve got my eyes set on some bigger things, so I’ve got to keep working for those,” Hughes said.
Hughes and teammate Jackson Howarth will enter the state championships next Saturday at Mt. Ararat High with the opportunity to become the 17th and 18th four-time state champions, a list that includes current UFC fighter Tim Boetsch and former Marshwood standouts Jon Hussey (2005-08) and Tyler Davidson (2010-13).
Marshwood will also be seeking its fourth straight team title. The Hawks will have wrestlers in 13 of the 14 weight classes.
And Hughes can become the all-time wins leader in Maine. With a record of 201-9, Hughes needs three wins to break the mark established by Noble’s Peter Bronder from 2006-09.
Bronder is now a first-year assistant with Noble.
“He’s definitely earned it,” Bronder said. “He’s got all the skill to do it. Hey, six years with the record, that was a nice run. I knew it was going to be him.”
Marshwood Coach Matt Rix said Hughes’ victory total includes the New England Championships as well as the senior high school nationals held in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
“Yeah, I guess I’ll hold that record until Brad gets around,” Hughes said, referring to his sophomore teammate, Bradley Beaulieu. Beaulieu won the 126-pound division. Beaulieu, Hughes and Howarth are undefeated this season.
“It’s all about the team,” Howarth said. “You want what’s best for your team. You do your job and go for a team championship.”
Marshwood finished with 242 points. The Hawks had eight finalists and five regional champions: Kyle Glidden (106), Beaulieu, Howarth, Hughes, and two-time state champ Brett Gerry (182).
Noble finished second with 218 points. Three of the Knights’ seven finalists won titles: Austin Shorey (120), Bailey Coull (132) and Joshua Grenier (138).
Shorey, a sophomore, earned his 100th career win when he pinned Bonny Eagle’s Dustin Chandler one minute into the championship match.
“It was a good day,” Shorey said. “Next week is the one I want. We haven’t had a state champion in awhile, since 2011. Hopefully I can get it.”
Noble will send 11 wrestlers to the state meet.
Massabesic put six of its 10 wrestlers into the finals. The third-place Mustangs (157.5 points) got individual titles from Jeffrey Bryan (113), Zac Richard (145), Trevor Walton (195) and defending state champ Mike Risti (220).
The 145-pound final was the 11th career meeting between Richard and Noble junior Otto Keisker. Each had won five previous matches.
Richard, coming off a Most Outstanding Wrestler award at a tournament in Essex Junction, Vermont, controlled the match and finished with a late takedown for a 6-1 decision. Richard lost in the state final as a junior and is looking for his first state title.
“I’m hoping. I know I’ve been working a lot harder than any other year,” Richard said.
The only champions from outside the Marshwood-Noble-Massabesic triumvirate were Biddeford’s Dominick Day at 152 pounds and Deering’s Michael Darling at 285 pounds.
Day is a defending champion, having won the Class A and all-state titles at 138 pounds as a junior. He impressively controlled Massabesic’s Logan Martin in a 10-0 win in the final.