PCHS’ Wilson wins first wrestling title in school history
WELLS — Junior Zac Wilson of Piscataquis Community High School has been on a mission all year long, to win a state wrestling championship. This journey started immediately after his season ended too early at last year’s regional tournament where Wilson reached the 160-pound consolation semifinal round.
He started going to the weight room and working on his wrestling skills. Right after school ended for the summer Wilson went to Missouri to attend the Purler Wrestling Camp. After returning from camp he attended summer wrestling practices with his teammates and high school coaches to continue to work on the skills learned at the camp. Once the wrestling season started Wilson could tell that the hard work had made a difference.
“I weight trained all offseason and made sure I would be strong enough to make the move to 170 (pounds),” Wilson said. “Coming into the season my goal was to win a state championship, I also wanted to go undefeated but that didn’t work out.”
He won the Penobscot Valley Conference title at 170 pounds and a week later finished as the 170-pound runner-up at the Class B North championship in Thorndike. Foxcroft Academy’s Elijah Ames earned a pinfall victory at the 5:40-mark in the 170-pound championship final.
Wilson and Ames would have a rematch during the Class B championship on Feb. 17 at Wells High School. Here Wilson won by a score of 12-7 to become the first state champion in the history of his school’s current decade-plus-old wrestling program (there was a team at the school that ended in the late 1960s).
For his accomplishments Wilson was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler of the 2018 Class B state tournament.
“I felt a big moment of emotion that overwhelmed me it was a culmination of all the hard work I had put in,” Wilson said. :I also felt relief that I had finally reached those goals and was no longer nervous.
“It’s very special being the first state champion wrestler in this decade. I feel very proud and feel like I’m putting the program on the map and hopefully setting a new trend that can elevate PCHS wrestling.”
Next up for Wilson is the New England qualifying competition set for Saturday, Feb. 24 at Nokomis Regional High School. Wilson and other wrestlers in both Class B and A will take to the mat to see who will earn the right to represent Maine at the New England championship the first weekend of March in Providence, R.I.
Wilson said he began wrestling as a youth in grade 3. “I got into it because my best friend Ethan Moulton was doing it and got me to join,” Wilson said.
Contributed photo
MAKING SCHOOL HISTORY — Piscataquis Community High School junior Zac Wilson became the first wrestler in school history to win a state championship as Wilson earned the 170-pound crown at the Class B championship on Feb. 17 in Wells. Wilson was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Class B state tournament as meet official Al Surrette presented him with the honor.
Contributed photo
170-POUND CHAMPION — PCHS’ Zac Wilson, left, grabs a hold of Elijah Ames of Foxcroft Academy in the 170-pound final at the 2018 Class B North championship on Saturday in Wells. Wilson won the first wrestling championship in school history with a 12-7 victory.