Hawks win Valdez wrestling tournament

HOUSTON — Heading into the Throwdown in Snow Town prep wrestling tournament, Houston head coach Brian Cook had a hunch his Hawks would be competitive.

The Hawks may have exceeded the expectations of their head coach. The Hawks brought the team title back to Houston High.

With nine grapplers in the top 3 and 164 total points in the standings, the Hawks won the annual tournament hosted by Valdez High School.

“It’s really exciting,” Cook said Monday evening. “I thought we’d do well. I was concerned about Bethel. I knew we were bringing in one of the biggest teams, but Bethel is perpetually strong.”

Houston finished ahead of Bethel, the defending 123A state champion, and 14 other teams in the field. Bethel was the runner-up with 154.5 points, and Grace Christian was third at 116.

“I was hoping we’d win it, and we ended up wrestling tough, and we pulled it out,” Cook said.

Cook said Houston and Bethel were neck-and-neck in the team standings until about midway through the final round of matches. The championship finals took place at the same time as the third-place matches. Cook said once everyone reached the 160-pound class, he felt like the title was Houston’s.

“Bethel’s last guy was going at 170. We were still ahead and had four to wrestle,” Cook said.

Cook said this is Houston’s first tournament win in his three years as the head coach of the program.

“It’s really exciting, definitely a proud moment for me as a coach,” Cook said.

Aaron Drake and Walker Stephens both won their weight classes for the Hawks. Drake, a defending state champion, finished first at 120. Stephens won the 220-pound class. Kavin Weinberger (106) and Kendal Beasley (220) also reached the finals and placed second. Cook said a key to the team victory was the five Houston grapplers who placed third.

“The backside of the tournament kids who battled bck and took third really pulled out the win for us,” Cook said. Jacob McAnulty (120), Etienne Kinney (132), Tristyn DeHart (160), Kyle Quincy (220) and Ezra Lincecum (285) all finished third for the Hawks.

“It was cool to see those kids step up,” Cook said. “Houston is starting to earn some respect as a program.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Throwdown in Snow Town

Friday- Saturday, Valdez

Team scores:

1. Houston 164; 2. Bethel 154.5; 3. Grace Christian 116; 4. Dillingham 84; 5. Valdez 77; 6. Seward 63; 7. Glennallen 61.5; 8. Hutchison 47; 9. Nikiski 43; 10. Cordova 40; 11. Delta 23; 12. Monroe 20; 13. Holy Rosary 19.5; 14. Quinhageak 15; 15. Eielson 10.5; 16. Unalakleet 7.0.

Final results:

106 pounds — J. Virgin, Glen m.d. K. Weinberger, Hou 11-2; 113 — T. Evan, Bet t.f. K. Pearce, Mon 19-4; 120 — G. Hoffman, Bet p. D. Miller, Dill 2:54; 126 — A. Drake, Hou p. E. Bockman, Gra 2:59; 132 — C. Greene, Val d. M. Lucas, HR 3-1; 138 — C. Smith, Val p. R. Merriner, Gra 5:15; 145 — G. Sorenson, Gra p. J. Sapp, Cor 1:28; 152 — T. Handley, Nik p. C. Hansen, Val 3:35; 160 — Z. Young, Gra m.d. D. Napoli, Dill 8-0; 170 — P. Francisco, Bet p. M. Fegan, Hut 1:01; 195 — J. White, Glen d. C. Howard, Cor 4-3; 220 — W. Stephens, Hou p. K. Beasley, Hou 3:07; 285 — J. Roehl, Hut p. M. Bialy, Bet 1:41.

Third-place:

106 — T. Dyment, Bet p. J. Allain, Bet 3:00; 113 — M. DeBilt, Qui m.d. T. Chaney, Dill 10-2; 120 — J. McAnulty, Hou p. C. Estes, Sew 0:40; 126 — B. Evans, Bet d. T. Cox, Nik 3-2; 132 — E. Kinney, Hou p. A. Olsen, Bet 2:17; 138 — N. Juliussen, Gra p. M. Blankenship, Delta 0:40; 145 — B. Dunaway, Dill d. S. Williams, Bet 5-2; 152 — C. Webb, Gra d. S. Finau, Glen 9-3; 160 — T. DeHart, Hou p. M. Morris, Sew 058; 170 — C. Freitas, Bet p. S. Poupard, Del 1:16; 195 — C. Nay, Dill d. S. Lang, Hou 8-3; 220 — K. Quincy, Hou p. M. Beckwith, Hut 0:23; 285 — E. Lincecum, Hou p. J. Schutter, Sew 3:28.