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The dice came up with a pair of nines for the Timberlane wrestling team at the Division 1 state meet yesterday, and they were big winners.

The Owls, thanks to a shocking 9-for-9 performance in the semifinals earlier in the day, cruised to their ninth straight Division 1 crown in resounding fashion.

In what has become a family tradition, Pinkerton freshman David Owens is, at least for the moment, the last one standing.

And he may be the best of the bunch.

Owens began wrestling when he was 5-years-old at the suggestion of his father, Steven, who coached at the Derry Boys and Girls Club. His father grew up wrestling as a high school student in Mexico, Maine, and a much older brother, Michael, had been a wrestler at Pinkerton.

Having James Herlihy, one of the top wrestlers in the state, out with an injury was what ultimately beat Pinkerton last night.

Concord tore through the heavier weight classes and opened the meet with a huge lead, and the hole was too deep for the Astros to climb out of. In a matchup between arguably the second- and third-best teams in New Hampshire, Pinkerton ultimately fell to Concord, 41-30. Despite the loss, Astros coach Ken Najem was encouraged.

Pinkerton, starting at 112 pounds with a 23-second pin by surging freshman David Owens, built up a 40-0 lead over Exeter and held on for a 40-24 victory. Cam Jaworski (119), Will Cordeau (130) and Colin Crowell (135) also had first-period pins for the Astros (10-3).

On a night in which both teams were at less than full strength, Timberlane showed why it still has the top wrestling program in New Hampshire.

Pinkerton was missing three starters last night, including standout sophomore Ian Beck (sore shoulder), and Timberlane also didn't start three regulars, whether because of sickness (standout freshman Matt Morris) or because head coach Barry Chooljian wanted them rested for the rugged Eastern States Classic, which begins today.

Heavyweight Brian Nicoll put an exclamation point on an impressive statement made by the Timberlane wrestling team yesterday at the 54-team Lowell Holiday Tournament.

The Owls, who finished second last year by a point and a half, came back with a vengence to claim their third team crown in four years with 241 points, comfortably ahead of runners-up Concord, N.H., and Winchester, who tied with 210. Pinkerton (120) was sixth, Central Catholic (111) came in eighth and Salem, N.H. (102<1/2>) tied for 10th.

Central Catholic, trailing 26-3, roared back to nip Pinkerton 33-32 as part of a quad-meet sweep that included Dracut (51-21) and Lincoln-Sudbury (45-31). Dave Kando was 3-0 at and had a key pin in the comeback, avenging a loss to J.P. Zarba in the Salem Tournament. The Raiders (4-0) only won six weight classes, but five were by pin. Mike Leavitt and Haverhill's Curtis Davis | both nearly in top shape following football | were both 3-0 on the day.

SALEM | Pinkerton sophomore Ian Beck has probably never felt less upset after a loss then he did last night.

A New England qualifier at 140 pounds last year, Beck fell to Salem senior Corbin Decker at 160 pounds for the second time in two weeks, this time by a 4-1 decision. Disappointing, yes, but Beck couldn't help but look at how the rest of the team fared, and that was outstanding.

2006-07 record: 11-6

*Returning starters (7): *James Herlihy???, Jr., 130; Kenny Smith???, Jr., 125; Ian Beck, Soph., 160; Will Cordeau???, Soph., 135; Colin Crowell???, Soph., 140; Charlie Jones, Sr., 189; Steven Lord???, 152, Soph.

The names change, but the script remains the same at the Blue Devil Classic, the traditional season-opening local wrestling tournament.

Once again, Concord, N.H., rolled to the team title yesterday, its sixth straight, while local teams Pinkerton, Central Catholic and Salem showed some superb individual talent and projected promise of better days ahead.