Houston opens season

with wrestling invite

By TIM BRODT

Frontiersman sports editor

Houston High School brought the grapplers out of their summer hibernation over the weekend by hosting a small school invitational tournament Friday and Saturday.

The tournament included 15 schools from all points around the state to compete in 14 weight classes.

"It was a good meet," said Houston athletic director Jamie Smith. "We ran matches from two mats to keep the pace going through the tournament."

The team from Barrow High School won the tournament with 87 points, with Kotzebue High School finishing second with 81 points.

Barrow had three wrestlers win individual weight classes with several other wrestlers finishing in the top three.

Kotzebue had four wrestlers win individual weight classes, with several other wrestlers placing in the top three.

Glennallen's Peter Bengtson took the outstanding wrestler award for the tournament.

Bengtson also won the 215-pound weight class for the tournament.

Houston wrestler Travis Smith took third in the 119-pound weight class and Jesse Belgarde took second in the 130-pound class.

Brett Erikson of Houston finished third in the 171-pound weight class.