By MIKE WHALEY
NORTH BERWICK, Maine – Sophomore Austin Shorey and junior Otto Keisker will represent Noble High School at the New England wrestling championships this weekend in North Andover, Mass.
Shorey is in the midst of a great season having won the Maine Class A state title at 120 pounds, and then following that up with a first-place at 120 at the New England qualifier in Sanford last month. He was Noble’s first state champ since Ben Valencia in 2011.
Keisker, a junior, was third at the qualifier and second at states at 145.
“Austin could do very well,” said Noble coach Kip DeVoll. “He’s seen a lot of the kids down there. He’s only lost this year to (Bradley) Beaulieu (of Marshwood), who’s wrestling up at 126. But you never know. Every kid down there’s a stud. It’s not like a normal tournament where you might have an easy match or two. Everyone’s good. But he’s in a good spot in the bracket. He has the talent to do it.”
Noble has had only one New England champion in DeVoll’s 34 years with the program and that was Decota Cotten, who did it twice.
Both Shorey and Keisker have first-round byes when the competition starts this afternoon. DeVoll said they will each likely only wrestle once today, and then be ready for the big push on Saturday.
Shorey won the qualifier, going 3-0 and beating Mountain Valley’s Ethan Boucher in the final by major decision, 10-1.
Keisker won his consolation final over Marshwood’s Sam Hebert, 7-1.
“It will be a little tougher for Otto,” DeVoll said. “The thing is don’t get caught looking ahead. That’s the best way to get beat and beat bad. Just one match at a time.”
Noble finished the year as runner-up at both the Western Maine Class A tournament and Class A state tournament to Marshwood.