James Bixby’s pin in the final bout at 145 pounds Friday night lifted host Montrose over Blue Ridge, 42-33, giving the Meteors the title in a first year of a Division 3 in Lackawanna League wrestling.
Both teams entered Friday, the final day of competition in Division 3, with unbeaten divisional records and a chance to win the championship.
Blue Ridge needed to wrestle twice and also lost to second-place Scranton Prep. The teams were tied, 36-36, but Scranton Prep won on the tiebreaker for most forfeits received.
Even with that loss, Blue Ridge could have created a three-way tie for first place by beating Montrose.
The Meteors, getting an assist from four forfeits, built a 21-point lead and held off a comeback by the Raiders.
Blue Ridge took an early, 12-0 lead on back-to-back pins by Nathan Oropallo and Kaleb Shimer at 152 and 160 pounds.
Montrose then won six of the next seven bouts, including the four forfeits to take a 36-15 lead.
Jesse Rogers and Derrick DeMann had pins for the Meteors at 172 and 189.
Blue Ridge’s Brice Woodruff won a decision at 107.
The Raiders gave themselves a shot by winning three straight bouts late.
Memphis Collins and Jackson Maby sandwiched pins at 127 and 139 around Kameron Sheffer’s win by disqualification at 133.
Those victories pulled the Raiders to within 36-33 before Bixby came through with the title-clinching pin.
