Ponies grapple at Noble Invitational

NORTH BERWICK — The Foxcroft Academy wrestling team had a busy Christmas break. The Ponies traveled down south to North Berwick on Dec. 29 to compete at the Noble Invitational Tournament, a two-day tourney with 28 teams from Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont taking part. Foxcroft finished ninth as a team in this very tough tournament.

The Ponies came out strong early on and by the end of the first day the team was tied for third place. Heading to the second day Foxcroft still had all the squad’s wrestlers competing. “I thought we came out with the right mindset,” head coach Luis Ayala said. “The intensity of this tournament can be overwhelming at times, but the guys came prepared. To have everyone make it to the second day was impressive.”

Contributed photo
PONIES WRESTLE AT NOBLE INVITATIONAL — Foxcroft Academy wrestled with some of the top teams from Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont at the Noble Invitational in North Berwick during the last weekend of 2018. The Ponies finished ninth among 28 schools.

Ten Foxcroft wrestlers competed and five placed. Senior Sawyer McCarty was one example of how the team is progressing. “Sawyer had a monster of a tournament. In only his second year wrestling to come here and place fourth at this type of tournament says a lot of how hard he has been working and improving,” Ayala said.

Placing for the Ponies were, in fourth place, Sawyer McCarty and Rico Ayala, and, in sixth place, Grady Reardon, Khrystofor Downing, and Dustin Simmons.

Contributed photo
PROUD COACH, FATHER — Foxcroft head coach Luis Ayala and his son Rico celebrate his fourth-place finish at the Noble Invitational.

“I am very proud of how the team is coming around,” Ayala said. “This tournament prepares us for the end of the year. We are still not at full strength but after the holidays I expect everyone back.”