Knights sweep NLC wrestling titles

It was a great day for the Colony Knights wrestling program.

Colony crowned eight total individual champions, qualified 30 total wrestlers for the upcoming state tournament and swept the tram titles during the Northern Lights Conference Championships Saturday at Palmer High School.

The Knights finished with 369.5 total points in the boys team standings, more than 100 better than runner-up Soldotna, to repeat as region champs. The Colony girls used 269 total points to de-throne defending region and state champion Soldotna.

On the boys side, Gabriel Crockett (112 pounds), Laramie Gibson (145), Luke Roderick (171) and Jackson Weller (215) won their weight class. Grace Loutzenhiser (100), Amelia Fawcett (145), Audri Fischer (185) and Noelle Buck (235) each finished first for the girls.

David Walz (103) and Tristen Mayer (152) also advanced to the finals and finished as the runner-up for the Colony boys. Sophie Ellibee (107), Hayden Vanderpool (114), Calico McIntyre (132) and Cailynn Belgarde (138) each placed second for the Colony girls.

Wasilla placed second in the girls team standings with 216 points. Taryn Wright (132) and Brynlee Lutz (138) earned an individual title, and Danielle Steiner (120) and McKinley Hafen (165) placed second.

The Warriors were third in the boys standings with 344 points. Thailyn Reynolds (140) and Kamryn Woodfork (285) won a region championship. Rogelio Alvarez (112), Achilles Alexander (130), Corbin Lutz (145) and James Lackey (285) also wrestled in the finals and placed second.

Palmer was fourth in the boys standings with 206 points. Defending state champ Kaelan Vesel led the Moose with a region title at 189. Carson Mastberg (140) and Jacob Lehman (215) were second.

Palmer was also fourth in the girls standings with 140 points. A trio of Moose are region champs. Lillie Vansiegman (120), Sarah Callender (126) and Macayla Alone (152) won their weight class. Brianna Isackson (185) was second.

The Colony boys qualified 22 for the ASAA state tournament, which starts Dec. 20 at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage. Kade Harmon (119), Jake Olson (125), Arius Atwood (135), Byron Reynolds (140), Mac Roderick (145), Emilliano King (171), Thor Nelson (189) and Maverick Remakes (215) placed third; Kyler Wheat (112), Isaiah Schultz (130), Joshua Quisenberry (140) and Isaac Alvarado (285) were fourth; and Wyatt Fawcett (135), John Bennis (145), Tegan cOlson (160) and Tristan Humphrey (215) placed fifth.

The Warriors qualified 16 for the boys state tournament. Brigg Pettijohn (103), Alexander Probasco (112), Peyton Wright (130) and Kaleb Boothby (160) placed third; Cameron Toston (125), Max Perkins (135), John Anderson (160), Noah Benoit (189) and Teto Hartley (215) were fourth; and Marshall Moat (140) and Jason Pickering (171) placed fifth.

Palmer moved nine into the boys tournament. Ruger Mothershead (285) was third; Wyatt Wilson (119) and Avri Ginn (145) placed fourth; and Frank McCormick (125), William Lindsey (152) and Sean Hughes-Duffy finished fifth.

The top five boys and top two girls from each bracket qualify for state.

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