Knights, Warriors expected to contend for wrestling team title

PALMER — The Colony Knights used four wins during the final nine matches of the championship round to leap rival Wasilla and claim the Northern Lights Conference team title last week.

It could come down to the final round again this weekend as Colony and Wasilla stand among teams projected to compete for a 4A championship.

Both Colony and Wasilla will be armed with 25 wrestlers in the 2015 ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Championships, that begin today at Chugiak High School

“I think it’s going to be a really tight team race,” Colony head coach Todd Hopkins said earlier this week. “The same three teams that have been winning tournaments all year, South, Colony and Wasilla.”

Colony and Wasilla are tied with the largest number of state qualifiers. Both teams have at least one wrestler in every weight class. Cook Inlet Conference champion South Anchorage has 22 qualifiers and Mid-Alaska Conference champ North Pole with have 20 wrestlers in the tournament. Teams with a hope of hosting the championship trophy following the two-day championships will have to get contributions from as many grapplers as possible.

“Every match matters,” Hopkins said. “We’re stressing the importance of coming into that first round ready to go.”

Fifteen of Colony’s 25 wrestlers are seeded in the top 6 of their respective weight classes. Colony has the top 2 seeds at 160, Kamber Lucas and Robert Haan.

The Warriors have seven grapplers seed in the top 2. Two (Micah Mathis at 98 pounds and D.J. Morrow at 17) earned No. 1 seeds.

Palmer placed 10 wrestlers in the state tournament, and are led by top-seeded Ben Button at 220 pounds. Button is a defending state champion.

Wrestling begins today at 10 a.m. at Chugiak. Championship semifinals are slated for today at 6 p.m. Wrestling continues Saturday with consolation rounds at 9 a.m., consolation finals at 2:30 p.m. and championship finals at 5:15 p.m.

ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Championships

Valley qualifiers

Colony (25 qualifiers)

98 pounds — Robert Zimmerman, Gabe Whisman; 106 — Sam Sisco; 113 — Daniel Colley, Matthew Lacy; 120 — Anthony Miley; 126 — Caleb Hopkins, Chace Booth; 132 — Frank Urbano, Brennan Easle, Jeffery Lautrup; 138 — Jordan Nero; 145 — Tyler Loutzeniser, Cody Gamble; 152 — Spencer Adams; 160 — Kamber Lucas, Robert Haan; 170 — Christopher Ray, Dawson Nash; 182 — Chayse Eby, Kody Nash; 195 — Isaiah Christy, Luke Johnson; 220 — Zach Doan; 285 — Mitchell Daigle.

Palmer (10)

98 — Daniel Richards; 106 — Wade McGann; 132 — Jason Watkins; 138 — Wyatt McGann; 160 — Bryan Dyer; 170 — Christian Kurka; 195 — Austin Farris; 220 — Ben Button, Lucas Santana; 285 — Garret Williams.

Wasilla (25)

98 — Micah Mathis; 106 — Cayden Wall, Dillon Simpson; 113 — Bruce Hill; 120 — Berit Sturgeon, Christion Alexander; 126 — Isaiah Elvsaas, Logan Albrecht; 132 — Hayden Steiner, Troy Newland; 138 — Samuel Wolff; 145 — Justin Gentz, Weston Wall; 152 — Cole George, Nicholas Gross; 160 — Andrew Shannon, Seth Cole; 170 — D.J. Morrow, Eli Leonard; 182 — Forrest Pearce; 195 — Chase Minnick, Kristian Palaniuk; 220 — Chandler Gagnon; 285 — Raden Anthony, Zech Rockstad.