i HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING NOTEBOOK: Wrestlers put on a show
Morning Sentinel
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING NOTEBOOK: Wrestlers put on a show
BY TERRY DEVEREAUX
Correspondent Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel 02/11/2009

BY TERRY DEVEREAUX

Correspondent

More than 3,000 fans turned out to watch Maine's best high school wrestlers compete at the state championships Saturday at the Augusta Civic Center.

While championship matches in Class A, B, and C were contested simultaneously on three mats, one match in particular captured the attention of the crowd.

The most highly anticipated match at the state tournament turned out to be a classic. Joey Eon of Massabesic faced Noble's Mark Richardson in the 145-pound Class A finals. Eon was going after his fourth consecutive state title. Richardson, a defending state champion himself, handed Eon his only loss of the season against an in-state opponent a week early at the Western A regional championship.

Richardson moved up a weight class late in the season in a move designed to put his team in a better spot to win the team title. The atmosphere was electric as the large contingent of vocal fans for both teams cheered or booed every close call made by the official.

The athleticism of the two was apparent from the onset. The cat-quick Eon came close to scoring takedowns on several leg attacks, while Richardson used exceptional balance to fight off the attempts. One big throw attempt by Richardson landed just out of bounds. The pace was up-tempo throughout.

The regulation period ended with the wrestlers tied at 4. Eon struck quickly with a double leg early in the overtime period and scored the takedown to win 6-4 and establish his place in Maine wrestling history as one of the best ever.

Richardson, known for his intensity, accepted the defeat with grace. He shook hands with Eon and acknowledged the opposing coaches before returning to his own bench. His move up in weight may have been a personal sacrifice, but it was a major factor in Noble winning the Class A team title.

Ben Valencia, who moved into Richardson's 140-pound spot, reached the finals before falling to Massabesic's Peter Gilman. Richardson beat Gilman 7-4 late in the regular season. Velencia scored 17 points Saturday and Noble beat Massabesic 170.5-155, a total of 15.5 points.

• • •

The Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance will sponsor the MAWA All-Star Tournament, which will be held Feb. 21 at Cony High School. The top three finishers in each of the 14 weight classes from Classes A, B, and C are invited to compete, according to MAWA president, Chuck Alexander.

"We thought that this would be a great way to end the season," Alexander said. "A lot of coaches, wrestlers and fans have wanted this for some time."

Wrestling is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.

 

• • •

Adam Hathorne's exceptional season ended just shy of the top step on the awards platform at the Class B state tournament. The Oak Hill senior ended up as the 215-pound runner-up behind Belfast's Mark Smith. If spectators spotted a noticeable size difference between the two finalists, it is no surprise. Hathorne weighed in at just 180 pounds.

Oak Hill coach Shane Bouchard calls Hathorne a great success story.

"He just started wrestling last year," Bouchard said. "He had two kids above him coming into this year that even this summer pinned him in the first period every time on the mat. He even had a blip in preseason where he thought about quitting."

Instead, Hathorne was one of the mainstays on a team that finished third at the state meet. Hathorne was second at the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference championships and won the Western B regional.

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