Champion

DARRELL L. BREESE/ Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - Houston senior Clinton Banzhaf hates to lose.

A loss during the 189-pound state championship match last year, and a surprise defeat to his toughest competitor this season were tough for Banzhaf to swallow.

The Houston senior used those setbacks as inspiration to aid him toward victory at Saturday's Class 1-2-3A state wrestling championships at the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex. His victory over Anchorage Christian Schools Sam Beecher erased those defeats from his mind.

&#8220They're gone,” Banzhaf said. &#8220I wanted to remember those losses until tonight. But now they are gone.”

He dislocated his elbow during last years state championship match against Max Shellabarger from Mount Edgecumbe, costing him a victory.

&#8220I hurt my arm and rolled the wrong way,” Banzhaf said. &#8220I would have won that match if I hadn't gotten hurt.”

Earlier this season he lost to Beecher at the Throw Down in Snow Town wrestling tournament, in Valdez.

&#8220Shellabarger broke team rules and got kicked off the team, so he wasn't here for me too wrestle,” Banzhaf said. &#8220I treated Sam like Max. He was my toughest competition and I didn't want to lose to him again.”

Banzhaf scored an early reversal to start the second period in the championship bout against Beecher. He then applied an arm bar and turned him too his back. Beecher struggled under the pressure applied by Banzhaf's 215-pound frame, eventually surrendering a pin with 26 seconds left in the period.

Following his victory Banzhaf indicated he wasn't taking anything for granted, despite having beaten Beecher in seven of their eight matches this season.

&#8220He beat me once,” Banzhaf said. &#8220In the past I would have let that consume me, but I've learned to make it a motivator. I didn't want it to happen again, so I focused on what went wrong and it made me a better wrestler.”

Following his victory Banzhaf scored his final takedown of the season, hoisting his father Dick, high above his head and then down to the floor of the Sports Complex.

&#8220He's been supportive of me since I started wrestling when I was three,” he said of the post match celebration with his father. &#8220I wanted to share the moment with

him.”

While Banzhaf was celebrating his victory Bradd Erickson, Houston's other wrestler to reach the finals was agonizing over what might have been.

&#8220I had that match,” Erickson said of his 6-5 overtime loss in the 189-pound championship match to Zack Klein of Mount Edgecumbe. &#8220I made two mental mistakes that cost me the title.”

Erickson referred to allowing a takedown in the final six seconds of the opening round, and being whistled for a technical violation - locking his hands - in the second sudden death overtime round.

Erickson reached the finals by defeating Cody Beck of Seward who he lost too a week earlier at the Kachemak Conference championships.

&#8220I don't know what happened with Cody,” Erickson said. &#8220He wasn't the same wrestler who I lost to twice this season. But I wasn't the same wrestler either.”

Houston wrestling coach Chris Roggie praised the performance of the two finalists.

&#8220They both deserved to win the title,” Roggie said. &#8220I feel for Bradd losing the way he did. And Clinton has been on a mission all season to win the title, ever since he lost to Shellabarger last year.”

In addition to the pair of wrestlers in the finals, the Hawks had three others place in the top-five of their weight class.

Freshman Thang Veng defeated Charles Smeaten of Dillingham 14-12 for fifth place at 103 pounds. Matt Gardner finished fourth in the 145-pound division after losing to James Gillen of Hutchison. And Chris Hansen dominated Claude Young of Mount Edgecumbe in the third place match at 171-pounds.

For the third straight season, the Anchorage Christian School wrestlers and the Dillingham Wolverines battled for the team title. ACS won the last two, but Saturday Dillingham cruised to a 42-point victory - thanks to five finalists and three state champions.

The Wolverines collected 189 points, to 147 for ACS.

Houston placed seventh overall with 99.5 points.

It was the second straight year the Hawks placed in the top-seven, having finished fifth last year.

Jeremy Luce of Nome was named the tournaments outstanding wrestler after defeating Gilber McIntyre of Bethel in double overtime for the 135-pound title. McINtyre was the outstanding wrestler at last season's state tournament.

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@

frontiersman.com.