BERLIN- Stephen Decatur’s varsity wrestling team’s bid for a perfect season came to a close on Wednesday with a loss in the state Class 4A-3A East Region dual tournament to old rival South River, but the season continues with the Bayside championship looming.

The Seahawks fell to South River, 34-27, in a close match on Wednesday in the 4A-3A East Region dual meet for its first team loss of the season. Decatur entered the region dual meet as the number-two seed, while South River came in as the number-three seed. River Hill was the top-seed and faced fourth-seeded Bel Air. South River edged Decatur, 39-27, while River Hill beat Bel Air in another fairly close match by a score of 39-30. River Hill went on to defeat South River, 34-27, to advance to the state dual meet this weekend.

Decatur entered the regional dual meet with a perfect 13-0 record, while South River was near perfect at 13-1. Something had to give in the match between rivals who have become very familiar with each other in recent years. Decatur Coach Todd Martinek said before the meet despite the seeding and records of the two teams, South River was actually the favorite to advance and promised to shake things up in his regular lineup with everything on the line.

For the Seahawks, the loss in the regional duals is certainly a setback, but does not end the season with much more to accomplish. The Seahawks will face familiar foe Kent Island in the Bayside Conference championship meet next Friday with the hopes of repeating. Earlier this year, Decatur and Kent Island wrestled to a dead tie in a match decided by tiebreakers.