WINTHROP — At one time the Lisbon Lions were regulars at the State Duals tournament.

Heck, they were fixtures in the finals from 1987-91, placing third in 1992. This year’s Lions provided a blast from the past.

Ninth-ranked Lisbon caught fire halfway through the meet to win seven straight matches and toppled No. 4 East Buchanan, 42-31, in a Class 1A regional dual last night at East Buchanan High School. The Lions will compete in the State Duals tournament Feb. 27 at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, earning their eighth trip and first since 2003.

Lisbon seniors had reached the regional duals all four years and this is their first championship,

“Words can’t describe the feeling,” Lisbon senior 215-pounder Mitchell Montgomery said. “All this hard work, all the two-a-days, it feels like it finally paid off. Now as a team, we’re going to be in the history books forever. It feels good because Lisbon has a good history period.”

Watch as Montgomery talks about Lisbon’s tradition and helping the Lions reach the State Duals tournament for the first time since 1993.

Things didn’t look favorable for the Lions with East Buchanan (23-3) building a 28-4 lead thanks to pins from second-ranked Justin Hoffman at 145 and No. 6 Will Bird at 171. No. 9 Max Cherry added a major decision at 140 for the Bucs (23-3).

The Lions (20-4) then seized momentum thanks to a little lineup juggling. After surrendering forfeits at 152 and 160, Lisbon moved up Dacoda Ward from 171 to 189. Ward kicked off the win streak with a technical fall at 189.

Faster than you can blink the Lions rattled off five straight first-period falls, including Montgomery’s 20-second fall of Harrison Burrage at 215.

“When I take the mat I always think I have to pin,” Montgomery said. “The faster I get off the mat the more momentum we have for the team.”

Heavyweight Tyler Smith, Hunter Hutchinson (103), Donovan Hoadley (112) and Kolbi Kohl (119) followed with pins.

“The pins were the biggest key tonight,” Lisbon assistant coach Greg Butteris said. “It brought the momentum this way.”

Hoadley, a junior in his first season wrestling, all but sealed the victory for the Lions. It helped set up Kohl’s pin and Zach West’s 4-2 decision over Colton Stoddard that clinched the win and started the celebration for the Lions and their fans.

Watch West score the decisive takedown in the third period of his match and the celebration that followed.

“112 was a great pivotal point for the whole meet,” Butteris said. “He’s got a lot of heart and he listens to everything you say.”

Butteris said the Lions are young and that this feat is hopefully a sign of good things to come in the future.

“I’m really proud of these guys,” Butteris said. “These guys have worked really, really hard.”

Both teams survived tough challenges in the semifinal round. East Buchanan outlasted West Branch, 42-28, in a dual that had four lead changes and three ties. The Bucs won each of the last three matches, including first-period pins from James Hackert and Stoddard at 112 and 125.

The Lions topped Alburnett, 39-34, benefiting from four pins. Hutchinson (103), Nate Jubeck (145), Jesse Jamison (152) and Smith at heavyweight scored falls for the Lions, who beat Alburnett for the second time this season. Hutchinson’s pin sealed the win with three matches remaining.

Alburnett ended the dual season 12-12, while West Branch finished 10-7.

Lisbon 42, East Buchanan 31

135 pounds – Tait Simpson (L) major dec. Travis Johnson, 11-2; 140 – Max Cherry (EB) major dec. Trevor Moore, 18-7; 145 – Justin Hoffman (EB) pinned Jesse Jamison, 5:07; 152 – Tim Moroney (EB) won by forfeit; 160 – Taylor Connolly (EB) won by forfeit; 171 – Will Bird (EB) pinned Dakota Van Dyke, 1:57; 189 – Dacoda Ward (L) technical fall Jordon Gerbracht, 17-1; 215 – Mitchell Montgomery (L) pinned Harrison Burrage, :20; Hwt. – Tyler Smith (L) pinned Luke Bird, 1:06; 103 – Hunter Hutchinson (L) pinned Cody Peyton, :44; 112 – Donovan Hoadley (L) pinned James Hackert, 1:27; 119 – Kolbi Kohl (L) Brixdon Mulford, :53; 125 – Zach West (L) dec. Colton Stoddard, 4-2; 130 – Mitch McGraw (EB) dec. Seth Hall, 11-4.

East Buchanan 42, West Branch 28

130 – McGraw (EB) won by forfeit; 135 – Matt Smith (WB) dec. Johnson, 6-4; 140 – Jake Slocum (WB) dec. Cherry, 7-0; 145 – Rilen Carew (WB) pinned Hoffman, 152 – Moroney (EB) pinned Jake Rozinek, 2:38; 160 – Jayson Madsen (WB) pinned Connolly, 4:09; 171 – W. Bird (EB) won by forfeit; 189 – Gerbracht (EB) dec. Cade Jones, 9-7; 215 – Burrage (EB) dec. Derrick Miller, 4-3; Hwt. – Mitch Slocum (WB) major dec. L. Bird, 10-1; 103 – Will Seydel (WB) pinned Peyton, :26; 112 – Hackert (EB) pinned Tyler Oswald, :13; 119 – Mulford (EB) won by forfeit; 125 – Stoddard (EB) pinned Drake Martens, :30.

Lisbon 39, Alburnett 34

130 – Grant Henderson (A) major dec. Hall, 15-2; 135 – Simpson (L) dec. Alex German, 7-0; 140 – Zach Hoyle (A) pinned Moore, 3:53; 145 – Nate Jubeck (L) pinned Drew Renberg; 152 – Jamison (L) pinned Paul Boies, 4:28; 160 – Kal Alger (A) pinned Van Dyke, 3:07; 171 – Ward (L) won by forfeit; 189 – Sam Bowers (A) dec. Preston Russell, 7-2; 215 – Montgomery (L) won by forfeit; Hwt. – Smith (L) pinned Zach Olinger, :29; 103 – Hutchinson (L) pinned Zach Lawrence, 3:23; 112 – Tyler Shulista (A) won by forfeit; 119 – Christopher Halblom (A) won by forfeit; 125 – Colton Martin (A) dec. West, 8-1.