Hawks tie school record with 9 qualifiers

NIKISKI — Sparked by a trio of champions and a strong second day, Houston High finished second overall Saturday at the Kachemak Conference Wrestling Championships, qualifying nine grapplers for next weekend’s state tournament.

The nine state qualifiers ties a school record, said head coach Brian Cook, and was a fitting result for what he calls the best team effort for the Hawks in his three years as coach.

“To go from not knowing if we were going to travel (to the championships) to placing second as a team and qualifying nine is great,” he said. “I’m really happy with that. The most our school has qualified is nine, so to tie that is pretty exciting. There are a couple more I would’ve like to have, but overall I think we wrestled really well above our ability or at it.”

The Hawks were in fourth place after Friday’s action, but leapfrogged Seward for second place with 205.5 points. Skyview (234.5) won the tournament, and Seward was third at 203.

Moving on to the state tournament as conference champions are Luke Wanger, the Hawks’ two-time 220-pound defending state champion; Aaron Drake at 120 pounds; and 152-pounder Ryan Radmer.

Returning to action from a shoulder injury, Wagner was as dominant as ever, pinning his way through the tournament. He pinned Jordan Reynolds of Homer in 1:40 in the finals.

“That’s pretty typical,” Cook said of Wagner. “He’s going to have a challenge at state, but he’s looking pretty good. He wants it.”

Drake, who entered the conference championships ranked No. 2 in the state at 120 pounds, took the title Saturday after Terrance Annogiuk of Seward had to forfeit due to illness.

If it weren’t for that forfeit, Cook said he believes Drake had a shot at being named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler.

“It was unfortunate he didn’t get to wrestle in the finals,” he said. “I think Aaron deserved the outstanding wrestler of the region, just for his approach to the sport on the mat, his conduct, his sportsmanship. He wrestled tough.”

At 152, Radmer was also dominant, recording a major decision over Nikiski’s Michael Stangel, 9-1. Radmer repeated as a region champ, and now is focused on becoming a state placer, the coach said.

“Ryan wrestled great,” Cook said. “he was a region champion last year and followed that up this year wrestling really tough. There was no one even close to him this weekend. He’s improved a ton. He came back (this season) pretty motivated.”

Also placing at the conference tourney and qualifying for state for the Hawks are:

• Kavin Weinberger, third at 98 pounds.

• Etienne Kinney, third at 113.

• Adam Hanchano, fourth at 145.

• Keith Paul, fourth at 160.

• Sean Lang, third at 182.

• Walker Stephens, fourth at 220.

One of the challenges for wrestling coaches is getting their teams to peak at the right time. It seems Houston is doing that, Cook said.

“From what I’ve seen, that’s the best we’ve wrestled as a team so far this season and the best we’ve wrestled in the three years I’ve been at Houston,” he said. “We hope there’s more. You’re starting over when you get to region and state — anyone can lose, anyone can win. The goal is to walk off the mat with your head held high, and I think they did that. I’m proud of my team and I was impressed with their conduct.”

Contact Greg Johnson at 352-2269 or greg.johnson@frontiersman.com.

Kachemak Conference Wrestling Championships

Saturday, Nikiski High School

Team scores

1. Skyview 234.5, 2. Houston 205.5, 3. Seward 203, 4. Homer 179, 5. Anchorage Christian 134, 6. Nikiski 133.5, 7. Cordova 77.5, 8. Grace Christian 72, 9. Voznesenka 20.

Championship matches

98 pounds — Jadzia Martin, Hom. Pinned Sully Hauze, Sew. 0:44; 106 — Austin Craig, Sky. Pinned Jared Brant 5:40; 113 — Seth Hutchison, Sky. pinned Calvin Johnson, Hom. 2:47; 120 — Aaron Drake, H won by forfeit over Terrance Annogiuk, Sew.; 126 — Wesley Gilroy, AC dec. Grant Valiquette, Sky. 7-3; 132 — Nathan Carstens, N pinned Gavril Kalugin, V 5:15; 138 — Tylor Handley, N pinned David Jack Woo, Hom. 4:28; 145 — Bailey Blumentritt, Sky. pinned Dakota Nickell, Sew. 1:37; 152 — Ryan Radmer, H maj. dec. Michael Stangel, N 9-1; 160 — Josh Hamberger, Cord. pinned Tannen Berry, Sew. 4:46; 170 — Nick Zweifet, Sew. Pinned Cajewl Musgrave, Sky. 4:38; 182 — Cody Howard, Cord. Dec. John McCormick, N 10-3; 195 — Luke Johnson, N pinned Sage Hill, Sky. 4;43; 220 — Luke Wagner, H pinned Jordan Reynolds, Hom. 1:40; 285 — Howie Hubbard, Sew. pinned Tyler Scott, AC 1:00.

Third-place matches

98 pounds — Kavan Weinberger, H dec. Martin Welly, Hom. 6-0; 106 — Matt Lacy, AC pinned Nic Woodard, Sew. 3:55; 113 — Etienne Kinney, H dec. Shannon LeMay, AC 5-4; 120 — Ryan Winter, Sky. dec. Jaime Rios, H 4-0; 126 — Nathan Juliussen, GC pinned Ravi Cavasos, Hom. 2:03; 132 — Timmy Woo, Hom. dec. Charles Gibbons, Sky. 7-6; 138 — Jed Sapp, Cord. Pinned Paxson Berry, Sew. 0:52; 145 — Sean Turvin, Sky. pinned Adam Hanohano, H 4:15; 152 — Pedro Ochoa, Hom. tech. fall 1.5 Dylan Brorssard, N 3:43; 160 — Zach Young, GC dec. Keith Paul, H 7-1; 170 — Brian Nicholson, AC dec. Ashton Mahan, Sky. 11-7; 182 — Sean Lang, H dec. Jordan Willis, AC 6-4; 195 — Iisha Offedal, Sky. sv-1 Gabriel Nohr, AC 6-4; 220 — Ben Miranda, Sew. pinned Walker Stephens, H 1:36; 285 — Taylor Macrae, Sky. pinned Justin Schutter, Sew. 3:21.

Fifth-place matches

98 pounds — Alhrik Schommer, GC with bye; 106 — Shyan Homer, H pinned John Russo, Sky. 2:30; 113 — Jon Kingstand, Sew. Pinned Phillip Lawton, Sky. 3;30; 120 — Jacob McAnulty, H pinned Enrique Zamudio Cord. 1:52; 126 — Benjamin Sobek, AC dec. Samuel Chapson, H 16-9; 132 — Ryan Merriner, GC dec. Garrett Bond, GC 5-4; 138 — Kris Hellick, Sew. pinned Joel Hofacker, AC 3:50; 145 — Riley Martin, GC pinned Ben Hadfield, Sky. 2:21; 152 — Austin Schrader, Sky. dec. Brian Peters, AC 5-2; 160 — Khelbie Miller, Sky. dec. Tristyn Dehart, H 6-4; 170 — Caleb Kopp, H maj. dec. Nick Olsen, N 12-1; 182 — Parker Hinton, Sew. Dec. James Gallagher, Sky. 12-7; 195 — Thomas Chikoyak, H pinned Logan Schoessler, Sky. 3:59; 220 — Lane Spradlin, Sew. pinned Sawyer Mahan, Sky. 0:52; 285 — Tony Pule, H with bye.