Wrestling state championships this year come with a new event

The Maine high school wrestling postseason will feature an additional event this winter with the addition of team duals state championships for both Class A and Class B.

For these meets, scheduled for Feb. 22, 2020, at sites yet to be determined, the four top schools in the North and South regions of Classes A and B will square off in single-elimination, dual-meet competition to determine their respective state champions.

Schools will be selected by the MPA wrestling committee to compete in the state duals based on their performances throughout the winter. Teams will be able to fill as many of the 14 weight classes as possible for the competition.

In both Class A and Class B, top seeds in each region will face the No. 4 seeds while second seeds will face third seeds, both from the opposite region, to complete the quarterfinals.

The winners will meet in the semifinals, with the survivors advancing to the state championship matches later in the day.

The team duals format differs from the traditional state championship meet for Maine high school wrestling. In those meets, teams amass points only from wrestlers who qualified as individuals in their weight classes. Those state meets are scheduled for Feb. 15, 2020.

This marks the second new wrestling state championship event sanctioned by the MPA in as many years.

The inaugural girls individual wrestling state meet was held last winter at Penobscot Valley High School in Howland and the second year of that event is scheduled for Feb. 19, 2020, at Windham High School.