ASAA aligns wrestling seasons

PALMER — Alaska’s two prep wrestling classes have worked with far different schedules. Athletes in the 123A programs hit the mat in mid-October and are done in mid-December. The 4A season has a November start and a state tournament in early February.

But things will be different in the future. Earlier this month, the Alaska Schools Activities Association voted to align the 123A and 4A wrestling seasons.

The response, particularly from the Valley programs, has been, for the most part, positive.

“I’m for the change, the Colony coaching staff is for the change,” Colony head coach Todd Hopkins said recently.

A drive for change, from the standpoint of the 4A programs, has been the need for a greater variety of competition. Wrestlers from more than 60 schools competed during the 123A state tournament earlier this month. But there are only 17 total programs in the 4A class.

“It gives us the opportunity to wrestle different kids every week,” Hopkins said. “Currently how it is, the last five weeks of the season we seem to wrestle the same teams over and over and over.”

This year, there were only two weeks in which the seasons overlapped.

Palmer High activities director and wrestling coach Dale Ewart said aligning the seasons create more competitive for 4A athletes, but more opportunity for 4A programs to hit different tournaments. In past years, Ewart’s programs has attended tournaments in rural communities such as Bethel.

“It’s a really cool experience. The kids get lots of great matches,” Ewart said.

Ewart said this also allows flexibility when scheduling, and teams can avoid seeing the same teams multiple times per year.

Hopkins also noted the advantage of having the state championship prior to the school district’s two-week winter holiday break.

“Not having to make weight over Christmas, I think is positive,” Hopkins said.

Ewart noted one catch that comes with the realignment. The 123A and 4A state championships (which will be held in different venues during the same weekend) is scheduled for the same weekend as the Reno Tournament of Champions. The Reno tournament, recognized as one of the premier wrestling events in the nation, has become a popular event for Alaska wrestlers to attend.

The Valley has three 4A programs (Colony, Palmer and Wasilla). Houston, Susitna Valley and Wasilla Lakes Christian are all in the 123A class.

The ASAA board of directors also voted in favor of football reclassification during the meetings, a move that impacts the Palmer and Houston high school programs. For more, see http://www.frontiersman.com/sports/big-changes-palmer-houston-football-programs-in-new-conferences/article_61e7e432-8e49-11e4-924b-47921f71d943.html.