Colony wrestlers best small schools heavyweights

WASILLA — Colony’s wrestling team has a strange way of showing its hospitality.

The host Knights posted big dual meet wins over Bush powers Bethel and Kotzebue on Thursday at the Colony Duals, an event Knights coach Todd Hopkins said was designed to give his athletes a taste of the best of the rest of Alaska.

“We like to wrestle good wrestlers,” Hopkins said following the event, which also featured wrestlers from Service High.

Kotzebue won the Class 123A state title last season and Bethel was runner-up, while the Knights were the Class 4A champs. On Thursday, it was the Knights taking the bragging rights, earning a 65-15 dual win over Bethel and downing Kotzebue 59-22. However, those scores are a bit deceiving — especially the Kotzebue result.

The Huskies gave Colony all it could handle, winning five of the 11 contested matches. The Knights pulled away with superior depth, picking up four match wins by forfeit. Hopkins said he was impressed with the skill he saw on display from both Kotzebue and Bethel, and said the programs’ strength is exactly why Colony invited them.

“Because they’re good,” he said.

In addition to giving Colony’s wrestlers a chance to see opponents they might not otherwise face, Hopkins said the event presented his athletes with unique challenges that will serve them well later in the year.

“They have different styles so just getting different feels for the kids is good,” he said. “It allows us to do different things.”

The event was staged during school hours, allowing Colony students to help pack the bleachers. Knights senior Jordan Nero said the format made for a fun afternoon.

“It’s always fun to wrestle in front of your school,” said Nero, who bounced back from getting pinned in his first match against Kotzebue’s Spencer Woods with a technical fall over Bethel’s Jayvin Williams.

Bethel and Kotzebue each came away with team wins Thursday, with Bethel downing Service 52-27 and Kotzebue taking out the Cougars 54-22.

The duals were the first of three straight days of wrestling action at Colony, which will host the Colony Invitational on Friday and Saturday. In addition to the host Knights, Hopkins said the tournament will feature teams from Southeast and Southcentral Alaska. The tournament begins at 4 p.m. Friday with duals and continues with a bracket-style tourney starting at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Colony Duals

Thursday, Colony High

Colony 65, Bethel 15

138: Caleb Hopkins (COL) over Aaron Olsen (BETH) (TF 17-2 5:51) 145: Chace Booth (COL) over Mian Alexie-Leonard (BETH) (MD 13-0) 152: Brennan Easley (COL) over (BETH) (For.) 160: Chase Fannon (COL) over Alex Larson (BETH) (Fall 3:35) 170: Jordan Nero (COL) over Jayvin Williams (BETH) (TF 16-0 3:27) 182: Robert Haan (COL) over Mark Kolbus (BETH) (Fall 0:32) 195: Dawson Nash (COL) over Drew Pekar (BETH) (TF 19-0 5:18) 220: Isaiah Christy (COL) over Ryan Smith (BETH) (Fall 3:37) 285: Klancey Doyle (COL) over Bryan Malvich (BETH) (Fall 4:21) 98: Rush Fannon (COL) over Thomas Dyment (BETH) (Fall 2:38) 106: Trace Severson (COL) over Mathew Hunter (BETH) (MD 12-4) 113: Tristen Evan (BETH) over Kolby Torres (COL) (TF 16-0 4:57) 120: Levi Hopkins (COL) over Seth Smith (BETH) (Inj. [time]) 126: Gage Hoffman (BETH) over Jacob Jakiemiec (COL) (Fall 3:42) 132: Carl Charlie (BETH) over Anthony Miley (COL) (MD 13-4)

Colony 59, Kotzebue 22

145: Chace Booth (COL) p. Ethan Roetman (K), 1:27; 152: Brennan Easley (COL) p. Erik Mills-Bain (K), 5:19; 160: Gary Eakin, (K), def. Chase Fannon (COL), 8-1; 170: Spencer Woods (K) p. Jordan Nero (COL), 1:50; 182: Robert Haan (COL) p. Louis Edenshaw (K), 0:36; 195: Dawson Nash (COL) won by forfeit; 220: Isaiah Christy (COL) p. Asaqpan Hensley (K), 3:16; 285: Klancey Doyle (COL) won by forfeit; 98: Rush Fannon (COL) p. Kaarlo Haviland (K), 1:01; 106: Trace Severson (COL) won by forfeit; 113: Kolby Torres (COL) won by forfeit; 120: Gavin Maslen (K), def. Levi Hopkins (COL), 6-0; 126: Xavier Jones (K) p. Jacob Jakiemiec (COL), 1:06; 132: Colton Sieh (K) maj. Dec. Anthony Miley (COL), 9-0; 138: Caleb Hopkins (COL) tech. fall Trevor Miller-Hickerson, (K) 15-0 (5:54)