Editor’s note: For the full championship story and photos, visit HERE.

HINESBURG — For the first time since 1988, there is a new Vermont high school wrestling state champion.

Spaulding dethroned Mount Anthony, ending the Patriots’ 36-year reign with an impressive team performance at the state championship at Champlain Valley Union High School on Feb, 28, 2026.

The Crimson Tide scored grapplers in 12 out of 14 weight classes and had seven of them competing in final matches.

Spaulding, which locked up the title before final matches commenced, finished with 236.5 points to MAU’s 195.

This is Spaulding’s first title since 1984. MAU’s unchallenged championship run was a national record for wrestling. It ranks sixth all-time for consecutive state titles among all high school sports in the country.

Check back later for an updated story and photo gallery at burlingtonfreepress.com.

Team scores (final)

1. Spaulding 236; 2. Mount Anthony 195; 3. Middlebury 134.5; 4. Vergennes 123; 5. Otter Valley 121; 6. Colchester 96; 7. Essex 86; 8. Mount Abraham 85.5; 9. Harwood 67; 10. Springfield 54; 11. Fair Haven 52; 12. Mount Mansfield 44; 13. Burr and Burton 43; 14. North Country 38.5; 15. Mill River 38; 16. St. Johnsbury 37.5; 17. Champlain Valley 36; 18. Lyndon 33; 19. South Burlington 29; 20. Randolph 28; 21. Rutland 26; 22. U-32 12; 23. Lamoille 11; 24. Lake Region 6; T25. BFA-Fairfax, Rice 3.

106-pound final: Wesley Churchill (Spa) def. Fernando Oyola (MAU) for 14-3 win (major decision)

Winner: Churchill caps the evening of finals with with a state title as the No. 3 seed, beating the top-ranked grappler in this division. Churchill was fifth a year ago at 106.

Other place finishers: 3. Tolkein Lawlor (MMU); 4. Brady Babcock (OV); 5. Mason Douglass (U-32); 6. Sam Dyer (Rut).

113-pound final: Sylas Race (MAU) def. Lucas Colby (Spa) for 8-7 win

Winner: In the first match of the finals, Race builds a 7-0 lead before Colby storms back in the final period. But Race holds on for the 8-7 victory. The match was stopped three times for what appeared to be a bloody nose.

Other place finishers: 3. Caleb Woodward (OV); 4. Addie Smith (Verg); 5. Colton Jones (MR); 6. Liem Moller (CVU).

120-pound final: Brayden Buchanan (Essex) def. Mason Sheltra (Col) for 16-1 win (tech fall)

Winner: The sophomore Buchanan polishes off his second straight title, securing a tech fall (margin of 15 or more points) in the final seconds of the match. Buchanan celebrates with a back flip. Sheltra was going for a third state title.

Other place finishers: 3. Miles Goetz (Midd); 4. Duncan Klinck (Har); 5. Vincent Deysenroth (MAU); 6. Darien Haselton (CVU).

126-pound final: Cahota LaFond (Col) def. Eion Comes (NC) for 17-0 win (tech fall)

Winner: LaFond completes a fourth straight state title with a tech fall in the final seconds of the first period. The senior, who surpassed 200 career wins last month, celebrates with a take down to the mat of his coach, Scott McPhearson.

Other place finishers: 3. Jackson Brown (MMU); 4. Adrien Provencher (Verg); 5. Grady Thurston (Spa); 6. Eric Whitten (Har).

132-pound final: Stephen Kittredge (Verg) def. Anthony Szabo (FH) for 7-4 overtime win

Winner: In the early moments of a 1-minute overtime period, Kittredge uncorks impressive takedown for the three points and state title, his first after finishing runner-up at 126 in 2025.

Other place finishers: 3. Dylan Jacobs (Col); 4. Landon Wilcox (OV); 5. Nate Sackett (Har); 6. Cole Brown (Lyn).

138-pound final: Asa Reis (MAU) def. Karter Morey (Lyn) for 17-4 win (major decision)

Winner: Reis seizes his second title in three years, taking early lead and cruising to the major decision. A year ago, Reis was runner-up in this weight class.

Other place finishers: 3. Colby Belden (FH); 4. Mo Hussein (SB); 5. Camden Ayer (CVU); 6. Gavin Winnie (Spa).

144-pound final: Duncan Harrington (MAU) def. Michael Grasso (Spa) for 10-3 win

Winner: Harrington gets his third straight state crown. Harrington scored a pair of takedowns in the first period to take control.

Other place finishers: 3. Jackson Scribner (Verg); 4. Anthony Abetti (BBA); 5. Carter Jones (Essex); 6. Wyatt Tarbell (MR).

150-pound final: Isayah Isham (MTA) pins Tyler Monick (MAU)

Winner: With 17 seconds left in the second period, Isham pins Monick for his state title. Isham, who took third a year ago, was up 10-1 prior to his pin.

Other place finishers: 3. James Marcellus (Spa); 4. Jackson Ladd (SJ); 5. Micah Perez (Rut); 6. Chase Tefts-Young (Col).

157-pound final: Nicky Service (Har) def. Mason Atkins (MTA) for 9-7 win

Winner: Service is the first Harwood wrestler to win a state title since Kyle Streeter in 2013.

Other place finishers: 3. Logan Slater (Spa); 4. Connor Decker (SJ); 5. Jason Sperry (Midd); 6. Jeremy Glodgett (NC).

165-pound final: Noah Dunster (Spa) def. Blake Allen (OV) for 4-3 win

Winner: Dunster scored all of his points (escape, takedown) in the first period, hanging on to beat the top seed for his first state title.

Other place finishers: 3. Dimitri Jasinski (Spring); 4. Lincoln Painter (MTA); 5. Quinn Veth-McGovern (BBA); 6. Henry Dodge (SB).

175-pound final: Payton Lavoie (Verg) pins Caleb Hoar (Spa)

Winner: Lavoie earns his second straight crown with a first-period pin with 22 seconds left. Last year, Lavoie won the 190-pound class.

Other place finishers: 3. Ethan Patch (MR); 4. Parker Carl (Midd); 5. Jonathan Lake (Spring); 6. Max Potter (OV).

190-pound final: Maxwell LaPerle (Spa) def. Wyatt Kennett (Midd) for 20-2 win (tech fall)

Winner: After a scoreless first period, LaPerle led 5-1 through two periods before piling up two near falls and two takedowns for the tech fall victory.