Houston ready to battle for title

HOUSTON — This weekend the Houston Hawks will shoot for a feat the Houston wrestling program has not accomplished in more than two decades.

And there’s no place the Hawks would rather do it, than their home mat.

Houston, the host of the 2014 Kachemak Conference Championships, is aiming for its first wrestling region title in more than 20 years.

“It’s super exciting when you think about hosting (the tournament) and having the opportunity to keep the title at home,” Houston head coach Brian Cook said Thursday afternoon.

Houston finished second in the 2013 Kachemak championships, but enter the 2014 tourney as the top returning program in the conference. The Skyview Panthers won the team title last year. But Skyview High closed its doors following the 2013-14 school year.

The Hawks return four wrestlers who placed in the top 4 of their respective weight classes during the 2013 conference championships. That group is led by senior Aaron Drake, a defending region and state champion. Drake won both titles at 120 pounds last year and is undefeated at 126 this season.

Kavin Weinberger, Etienne Kinney and Sean Lang each finished third in 2013. Cook said Drake, Weinberger, Kinney and Lang should all contend for spots in the championship finals of the 2014 tourney. Cook also said he is expecting good things from a group that includes Jacob McNaulty and Arrin Paul.

Cook said the Hawks lost a couple of athletes to injury, but will boast about 25 total wrestlers in the tournament. Last year nine Hawks placed in the top 4 and advanced to the state tournament. It’s the largest number of state qualifiers Houston has had in recent memory, Cook said. This year, the Hawks are certainly shooting for double-digits.

“I’d say 10 is a good goal,” Cook said of the number of state wrestlers he’d like to see qualify for state. “But I think we have the potential to take 16 if we wrestle really well.”

Wrestling begins today at 2 p.m. at Houston High. Cook said at least the first four rounds will be Friday. If time allows, Cook said they hope to start championship semifinals at 6 p.m. Friday. If they cannot start semis at 6 Friday, semifinals will be scheduled for Saturday at 9 a.m. Championship finals are slated for Saturday at 1 p.m. at HHS.