Looking back at 2004

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Sports Editor

Editor's note -- This is part one in a two-part look back at the news from the Mat-Su sporting world that topped the headlines in 2004. The second part will appear in the Sunday edition and cover the months of April through December

As one year ends and the next begins, it is often time to recollect events of the past 12 months. Many things will be associated with the year 2004. In the Mat-Su sports community, 2004 will be remembered for the championships, the end of a few eras and a few remarkable accomplishments.

The following are some of the stories from 2004 to be remembered.

January

The first month of the year gave the Valley a few firsts.

For the first time, the state of Alaska hosted a World Snowmachine Association event. The national organization, which is known to create some of the finest snowmachine racing, sponsored a weekend of events in Big Lake.

Wasilla High School assistant football coach Joe Gardner had a first of his own. Gardner was named the head coach of the Warrior football squad, marking his first opportunity to lead a prep football program.

"He showed he was really committed even before the position was open," Wasilla assistant principal Dan Michael said.

In prep basketball action, Wasilla senior Chandice Cronk enjoyed arguably the top individual performance in her sport in the 2003-04 season, scoring 48 points in a key Region III win over Colony.

In hockey, Houston High School -- winners of multiple 3A state titles -- applied to move to the 4A level. The decision was tabled and Houston has, to this point, decided to stay at the 3A level, at least temporarily.

February

February was the month of historic accomplishments on the wrestling mat, but it was a decision in the board room that generated the most buzz.

The Mat-Su School District proposed budget cuts which would greatly harm the future of extra-curricular activities within local schools. The elimination of jobs, money to cover transportation and elementary and middle school sports was discussed. Thankfully alternatives were discussed and the original proposition was avoided.

Jed Wade and the Wasilla Warriors made history on the wrestling mat. Wade, a WHS senior, became just the third wrestler in the state of Alaska to win four prep wrestling titles in a high school career.

"I really couldn't ask for more," Wade said after the match. "I am very happy with it all. It all worked out."

Wade's younger brother Jake, a WHS sophomore, won his first state title and the Wade brothers helped lead the Warriors to the 4A team title. The championship was not only the first for the Wasilla wrestling team, but the first for any boys' team at WHS.

Colony freshman Hollan Gravely also won his first state wrestling title.

Titles not only came for a Valley squad on the mat, but also on the ice.

The Houston Hawks won the 3A state title with a 9-5 win over the Delta Huskies. Junior Wade Williams, later named the 3A player of the year, scored seven goals in the win.

"I am still amazed by it," Williams said following the game. "I was shooting for a hat trick and as the game went on I kept shooting the puck. It kept finding its way in."

Off the ice, but on the snow, Wasilla resident Todd Palin and his partner Scott Davis finished second in the Tesoro Iron Dog race.

March

Prep basketball and the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ruled the headlines in March.

Seward musher Mitch Seavey won his first Iditarod crown in early March. Seavey finished the Last Great Race in just over 9 days and 12 hours.

On the basketball court, the Palmer boys and Wasilla girls each won Region III titles.

Palmer won the crown after finishing a perfect 10-0 in the conference regular season. Wasilla won its third consecutive region crown.

In addition to the team awards, the four major Region III hoops awards stayed in the Valley. Cronk was named the girls' player of the year, Wasilla head coach Jeannie Heber-Truax was named the girls' coach of the year, Palmer mentor Brandon Blake was named the boys' coach of the year and Palmer senior Stanley Ratcliff was named the boys 'player of the year.

Also in March, the Mat-Su Miners made a pair of off-season hires. The local amateur baseball squad named Mike Buchmiller its head coach and Jimmy Smith an assistant coach.

In other news, the new Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex opened the doors of its ice rink, the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena for the first time to host the Iditarod Days Hockey Classic.