Great Grappling

Wasilla hosts state's largest wrestling tournament

May 6, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/Frontiersman

WASILLA - If there was any doubt about the popularity of wrestling in the state of Alaska before this weekend, all questions were silenced with one glance inside the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex.

More than 600 grapplers from more than a dozen wrestling clubs from across the state poured into the Sports Complex in Wasilla for the Alaska State Greco Roman and freestyle wrestling championships.

The state wrestling tournaments were held at the Wasilla complex for the first time, a move that received rave reviews by those involved.

&#8220It's a great thing for the Valley,” said Fred McKinney, the head coach of the Colony High School wrestling program and one of the coaches of the Tri-Valley club program.

McKinney said this is just the start for wrestling in the Valley's largest sports facility. He said he would like to see the ASAA state tournaments find a permanent home at the facility.

&#8220Everybody could benefit,” McKinney said.

It was standing room only on Saturday, during the state freestyle championships. Fans stood shoulder to shoulder in the mezzanine. And on the floor - a level that normal houses the rink of the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Arena - 10 wrestling mats were spread across the surface, while hundreds of fans, coaches, athletes and volunteers scurried about.

McKinney said this could be the case for not just this event.

&#8220It's great for wrestling. We could fill up this place,” McKinney said, referring to the prospects of ASAA's large-shools event being staged at the complex.

Mike Hutchinson said the tournament simply out-grew it's prior home, Coach Mac's Place in Eagle River. Hutchinson said the Sullivan Arena has hosted the event in the past, but that was not exactly a marriage made in heaven. As the day winded down Saturday, Hutchinson said he was happy with what he'd seen so far at the Wasilla facility.

McKinney's Tri-Valley club captured the state Greco Roman team title on Friday. Ten different Tri-Valley wrestlers captured state titles.

Charles Coisman (105 pounds), Samuel Loggins (119), Kenny Boykin (160), Jacob Marshall (171) and Eric Fan (215) each won in the cadet division.

Tri-Valley's Josh West (130), Wes Mills (135), Nick Stahler (140), Hollan Gravley (145) and Jeff Pritchett (285) won in the junior division.

Renn Wright won in the schoolboy division at 205.

Tri-Valley is one of two Mat-Su wrestling clubs that competed in the event, joining the Mid-Valley Wrestling Club.

A pair of Mid-Valley wrestlers, Jentry Diederich (100) and Jedediah Diederich (85) won state titles.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.