Peninsula wrestlers made their mark at the state wrestling championships in both the 4A and 1-2-3A divisions; a total of seven peninsula wrestlers earn state individual championships and the Homer Mariners win the team championship at the 1-2-3A tournament.
4A Large School Wrestling Championships: Results
Soldotna High School lead the charge in the 4A division for the peninsula with the Stars crowning two individual champions and finishing sixth overall in the team scoring; South Anchorage outscored Colony for the 4A title.
Seth Hutchison, SoHi senior, closed-out his high school wrestling career with a fourth state championship, winning the 126-pound division at the 4A level. Seth joins his brother Eli as a four-time champion and joins sister Michaela (first female state champion, nation-wide) as state champions from the Hutchison family. SoHi coach Neldon Gardner has been mat-side for every championship title for the Hutchison family as the head coach at both Skyview and Soldotna High School.
SoHi’s Dalton Best wrestled-away the 285-pound championship with a title match victory, Dalton went undefeated at the state tournament after finishing second at the Northern Lights Conference tournament. SoHi freshman Gideon Hutchison battled to a third-place in the 106-pound weight class and at 145 pounds Bechler Metcalf wrestles to a fifth-place finish.
Kenai’s Zach Koziczkowski finished third in the 285 lb. division. Keyshawn McEnerney also recorded a fifth-place finish in the 152-pound weight class.
1-2-3A Wrestling Championships: Results
The Homer Mariners, under coach Chris Perk, captured the 1-2-3A wrestling state championship on the strength of two individual champions and team depth to outpoint Bethel for the team title.
The Nikiski Bulldogs had two wrestlers reached the top of the awards podium with individual state titles.
Luke Johnson, Bulldog senior, won his third-straight state title. Johnson dominated the 285-pound division, finishing the season unbeaten. Johnson’s career ends with three state championships and a runner-up finish in his freshman year to his state champion brother Lincoln.
TJ Cox completed an unbeaten tournament run at 120 pounds for the weight class title.
The Mariners two state champions were Timmy Woo, 152 pounds and Levi Wing, 195 pounds.
Girls Wrestling Championships: Results
The Girls Grand Championship finals included three Homer Mariner girls. At 145 pounds, McKenzie Cook took the title; Homer’s Jadzia Martin (106) and Heather Harrington (220) finished as weight class runner-up. Kenai’s Natalie Chavez finished fourth in the 106-pound division.
Complete Finals Results (through sixth place) :
4A Classification
Team Scores: 1. South, 254; 2. Colony, 224.5; 3. Lathrop, 223.5; 4. Wasilla, 141.5; 5. North Pole, 102; 6 (tie). Ketchikan, Palmer 97.5; 8. Soldotna, 93; 9. Chugiak, 86; 10. East, 75.5; 11. Service, 68; 12. West Valley, 64; 13. Eagle River, 53; 14. Dimond, 46; 15. Kodiak, 45; 16. Kenai, 42; 17. Bartlett, 34.5; 18. Thunder Mountain, 30.5; 19. Juneau, 24; 20. West, 23.
Championship matches
98 — Ee, Lat, dec. Mcalpin, Sou, 9-2; 106 — Spencer, Lat, dec. Martin, Sou, 5-4; 113 — Mathis, Was, m.d. Jones, Lat, 14-3; 120 — Hopkins, Col, TB-1 Harris, Sou, 8-4; 126 — Hutchison, Sol, p. Bockert, Lat, 1:37; 132 — Shack, Sou, dec. Sturgeon, Was, 10-9; 138 — Wolff, Was, dec. Hopkins, Col, 4-2; 145 — Rogers, NP, dec. Ottum, Sou, 7-3; 152 — Amico, ER, m.d. Schumaker, NP, 16-8; 160 — Pellumbi, Sou, won by injury default over Budke, Chu; 170 — Haan, Col, dec. Lowe, Chu, 3-1; 182 — Nash, Col, p. Bonar, WV, 5:18; 195 — Fousel, Ket, dec. Weldon, Jun, 15-6; 220 — Miller, Lat, dec. Johnston, Chu, 11-6; 285 — Best, Sol, dec. Pili, Dim, 7-3.
Third-place matches
98 — Fannon, Col, p. Andersen, Pal, 2:03; 106 — G. Hutchison, Sol, dec. Linne, Ket, 10-6; 113 — Ott, Lat, dec. Lincoln, Sou, 8-5; 120 — Shack, Sou, dec. Todd, Eas, 4-1; 126 — Elvsaas, Was, dec. Walton, Kod, 5-1; 132 — Powell, Eas, dec. Steiner, Was, 5-1; 138 — Martin, Sou, won by forfeit over McGann, Pal; 145 — Booth, Col, m.d. Farris, Pal, 12-3; 152 — Boyer, TM, m.d. Todd, Eas, 16-2; 160 — Tolver, Lat, dec. Pace, Bar, 5-4; 170 — Nero, Col, TB-1 Antesberger, NP, 2-1; 182 — Dickinson, Lat, dec. Herrera, Ser, 3-2; 195 — Correa-Medina, Sou, SV-1 Gold, Eas, 3-1; 220 — Phelps, Ser, p. Christy, Col, 4:12; 285 — Koziczkowski, Ken, p. Foshee, WV, 1:55.
Fifth-place matches
98 — Stewart, Ket, dec. Norman, TM, 5-0; 106 — Gonzalez, Kod, dec. Briones, Wes, 3-1; 113 — Torres, Col, dec. Tenebro, Ket, 9-6; 120 — Tavares, Ket, m.d. Faulkner, Ser, 8-0; 126 — Divelbiss, Dim, dec. Simpson, Was, 7-3; 132 — Christy, Col, m.d. Music, NP, 10-1; 138 — Larionoff, Kod, m.d. Mueller, Lat, 8-0; 145 — Metcalf, Sol, dec. Story, Lat, 3-1; 152 — Mcenerny, Ken, won by injury default over Glynn, Pal; 160 — Ditzler, Chu, dec. Kurka, Pal, 6-4; 170 — Antesberger, NP, dec. Fricilone, WV, 6-2; 182 — King, Eas, won by forfeit over Wilson, Was; 195 — Farris, Pal, dec. Caldarera, Ser, 8-6; 220 — Wright, Sou, won by DQ over Minnick, Was; 285 — Jeong, Lat, m.d. Speziale, Bar, 16-3.
1-2-3A Classification
Team Scores: 1. Homer, 212; 2. Bethel, 168; 3. Kotzebue, 138.5; 4. Nikiski, 108.5; 5. Glennallen, 95; 6. Houston, 87; 7. Sitka, 80.5; 8. Nome, 70.5; 9. Grace, 66.5; 10. Wrangell, 64.5; 11. Barrow, 61; 12. Craig, 60; 13. Mt. Edgecumbe, 57; 14. Dillingham, 56; 15. Eielson, 55; 16. Metlakatla, 50; 17. New Stuyahok, 44.5; 18. Unalaska, 34; 19. Seward, Galena 29; 21. Aniak, 28; 22. Petersburg, 27; 23. ACS, Valdez, 24; 25. Hutchison, 21; 26. Haines, Holy Rosary, Su-Valley, 20; 29. Thorne Bay, 16; 30. Bristol Bay, 15; 31. Voznesenka, 14; 32. Hydaburg, 13; 32. Quinhagak, 13; 34. Hoonah, 12; 35. Shaktoolik, 10; 36. Cordova, Kuskokwim, Monroe Catholic, 7; 39. Redington Sr., 4; 40. Scammon Bay, 3.
Championship matches
98 — Dymet, Bet, dec. Newman, Hom, 10-9; 106 — Bartlett, Sit, dec. Blunka Jr., NS, 6-4; 113 — Evan, Bet, p. Gagner, Sit, 2:32; 120 — Cox, Nik, dec. Maslen, Kot, 6-5; 126 — Hoffman, Bet, dec. LeMay, ACS, 6-4; 132 — Olsen, Bet, SV-1 Brant, Hom, 4-2; 138 — Bockman, Gra, dec. Greene, Val, 5-2; 145 — Erikson, Nom, dec. Lucas, HR, 9-3; 152 — Woo, Hom, dec. Patten, Cra, 11-7; 160 — Horner, Nom, dec. Eakin, Kot, 4-1; 170 — Woods, Kot, dec. Carstens, Nik, 5-2; 182 — White, Gle, dec. Armstrong, Wra, 11-6; 195 — King, Hom, won by forfeit over Leisholmn, Met; 220 — Lincecum, Hou, dec. Rhodes, Gle, 10-9; 285 — Johnson, Nik, dec. Mila, Bar, 12-5.
Third-place matches
98 — Barratt, WR, p. Phelps, BB, 2:36; 106 — Gust, NS, p. Hoffman, Bet, 1:58; 113 — St. Andre, Eie, dec. Savo, Dill, 6-3; 120 — Fasulo, Hom, dec. Virgin, Gle, 6-2; 126 — Stone, Eie, dec. House, Hou, 6-1; 132 — Dunlap, Eie, dec. Sleh, Kot, 4-2; 138 — Miller-Hickerson, Kot, p. Roberts, ME, 1:31; 145 — Kinney, Hou, m.d. Sumauang, Sit, 12-1; 152 — Gerlach, Gle, dec. Durr, Hai, 7-0; 160 — Croft, Hom, p. Tripple, TB, 4:00; 170 — Cook, Hom, dec. Henning, Una, 7-0; 182 — Wells, Hom, dec. Pekar, Bet, 6-4; 195 — Goeden, Sit, p. Tui’fua, Bar, 4-2; 220 — Atos, Bar, p. Lliaban, ME, 4:51; 285 — Pinard, SuV, p. Blandov, Met, 2:47.
Fifth-place matches
98 — Kusnetsov, Voz, p. Evatt, NB, 3:00; 106 — Allain, Bet, t.f. Turner, Hutc, 5:00; 113 — DeBilt, Quin, p. Smith, Bet, 0:27; 120 — Stelmach, PE, dec. Paniptchuk, SK, 7-6; 126 — Bucaneg, Unak, s.v. Pearche, Huth, 5-3; 132 — Budke, HN, dec. Marker, CR, 7-1; 138 — Gardiner, Dill, dec. Martin, Gra, 10-7; 145 — Rios, Hom, dec. Eakin, Kot, 6-5; 152 — Ward, Aniak, dec. Dunaway, Dill, 3-1; 160 — Young, Gra, dec. Martin, Gra, 5-1; 170 — Peele, Hyd, won by injury default over Freitas, ME; 182 — Ritter, Hou, dec. Edenshaw, Kot, 4-2; 195 — Barrett, Hou, dec. Clark, Mon, 8-3; 220 — Wilson, Aniak, p. Mann, Hom, 1:00; 285 — Sam, Gal, p. Schutter, Sew, 2:18.
Girls Grand Champion Matches
106 — Fowlkes, NP, dec. Martin, Hom, 5-1; 113 — Christopher, NS, won by injury default over Fabricante, Kod; 120 — Sheldon, Kot, dec. Eakin, Kot, 15-8; 132 — O’Brien, Bet, dec. Nicholai, Hou, 8-2; 145 — Cook, Hom, dec. O’Brien, Bet, 7-2; 160 — Kimber, ME, m.d. Suemai, Nom, 12-1; 182 — Andrews, ME, m.d. Hingsbergen, Sel, 16-6; 220 — Magnuson, ME, p. Harrington, Hom, 3:45.
Grand Qualifying Matches
106 — Fowlkes, NP, p. Warner, Was, 1:46; 113 — Christopher, NS, p. Castillo, ME, 1:31; 120 — Eakin, Kot, p. Sampson, 1:49; 132 — Nicholai, Hou, won by injury default over Akerelrea, ME; 145 — Cook, Hom, p. Peacock, Kot, 5:39; 160 — Suemai, Nom, p. Rio, Hom, 0:41; 182 — Andrews, ME, dec. Wuya, Bet, 6-4; 220 — Harrington, Hom, p. Foxglove, Buck, 1:48.
Third-place Matches (to determine who makes top-three Grand wrestle-off)
106 — Warner, Was, dec. Chavez, Ken, 5-0; 113 — Castillo, ME, m.d. Moseley, Hom, 12-4; 120 — Sampson, WLK, p. Newtun, Yak, 2:06; 132 — Akerelrea, ME, dec. Knott, NP, 13-7; 145 — Cook, Hom, p. Hanshaw, Ser, 4:54; 160 — Rios, Hom, p. Ramoth, WLK, 2:15; 182 — Andrews, ME, p. Moore, SK, 3:17; 220 — Harrington, Hom, dec. Pleasant, Bet, 1-0.
