High school wrestling’s postseason begins Saturday with conference championship meets around the state.
Those competitions include the Penobscot Valley Conference championships at Ellsworth and the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference meet at Cony High School in Augusta.
The PVCs — which were cancelled last year because of inclement weather — should feature a battle between defending Class B state champion Ellsworth and perennial power Foxcroft Academy, the 1-2 finishers at the 2014 conference meet.
Foxcroft has been the dominant Class B team in the region thus far this winter, with quality depth throughout its lineup but particularly in the upper weight classes where brothers Billy (182 pounds) and Brandon (195) Brock, Michael Pendriss (220) and Connor Holmes (285) all have had strong seasons.
Senior Zach Caron, a two-time defending state champion who transferred from Dexter to Foxcroft this year, is undefeated at 145 pounds this season, and along with classmate Antonio Ayala at 126 scored his 150th career victory this year.
Ellsworth has had to deal with some injury issues this winter, particularly with defending 145-pound Class B state champion Dagan Berenyi sidelined since late in the soccer season.
The Eagles do boast considerable strength in the middleweight divisions with a contingent that includes defending state champions Trent Goodman (160), Connor Petros (152) and Peyton Cole (138) along with Logan Lord (126), Josh Wright (145) and Austin Smith (170).
Dexter, Caribou and Bucksport also should contend for top-five finishes at the conference meet, which precedes the Class B North regional to be held Feb. 6 at Winslow High School.
The only northern Maine team that has experienced more success than Foxcroft Academy this winter is Skowhegan, which is favored to win the KVAC championship.
The three-time defending Eastern Maine Class A champions, who have yet to lose a meet this season during a run that includes winning the Noble Invitational championship, are led by four undefeated competitors in Cody Craig (113 pounds), Julian Sirois (152), Kameron Doucette (160) and Logan Stevens (182).
Nokomis of Newport should be in the hunt for runner-up honors. The Warriors feature Christopher Wilson at 195 pounds and Hunter Glidden at 285.
