Before Mark Watts took the mat for his semifinal consolation match at this year’s Division I wrestling championship, Brandon Viet told his senior captain one thing: find a way to take the referee out of it.

And that’s what Watts did.

Wrestling in the 145-pound weight class, Watts made sure he didn’t make the same mistakes he’s made in the past, earning him his best finish at a state championship in four years.

After placing sixth in his weight class the last two seasons, Watts took home third with a 4-3 win over his Timberlane opponent on Saturday, Feb. 17.

“Coach meant that you have to execute your moves perfectly so the referee can’t be the deciding factor in a win or a loss,” said Watts.

“Don’t give the official a chance to make anything but a sure-thing call. I also had more motivation because it was a Timberlane kid, and you always want to beat the best.”

The Bedford native’s finish advanced him to wrestling’s Meet of Champions on Saturday, Feb. 24, where the top six finishers in each weight class of Division I and top four of Division II compete.

Joining Watts at the tournament were Bedford’s David Lamarche, who wrestled in the 171-pound weight class, and 103-pounder Caleb Earnshaw, who exceeded Viet’s expectations.

“He went further than we thought,” said Viet of Earnshaw.

“We had three of four guys in it, but because of the way the season’s been, some guys have had a tough time getting to the finals matches.”

Jared Crain, who finished fifth in the 130-pound weight class, will also wrestle at the M of C, which Viet described as “the place where bragging rights are earned.”

Moving up from 135 pounds last year, Watts said the 10-pound addition placed him closer to his natural weight, allowing for better results.

Despite the team-best finish, Watts was still upset over the one-point win, saying the referee called “stalling” against him three different times, good for two points in favor of Watts’ opponent.

“I was just mad because he kept calling stalls on me,” said Watts. “I don’t know about two points’ worth, maybe one. I should’ve won by more than just the one point.”

A devilish little smile crossed Watts face.

“Was I stalling? Kinda, yeah … Well, OK, fine. I was.”