More than 60 Valley athletes to compete in state wrestling meet

WASILLA — There’s a 2-for-1 special for wrestling fans at Bartlett High School this weekend.

Bartlett will house tonight’s semifinal round and Saturday’s championship session for both the 123A and 4A state classes during the ASAA/First National Bank State Wrestling Championships. The change was made possible by the ASAA’s offseason alignment of its prep wrestling calendars. For more than a decade, Alaska’s two wrestling classes have used different seasons. Most recently the 123A season ended in December, and the 4A programs capped their season in early February.

But the alignment of the season brought a new format, and a championship weekend for Alaska wrestling that will include a pair of venues used to host different rounds of the tournament. Chugiak High School is also a host school for the tourney. The morning and afternoon sessions for the 4A class will be at Chugiak High. Those who advance to the semifinal round or the championship session will make the move to Bartlett.

More than 60 Valley wrestlers combined will compete in the two tournaments, and more than half of those athletes earned top-6 seeds in their respective weight classes.

Defending 4A state champion and three-time defending Northern Lights Conference champ Colony leads the Valley programs with 18 qualifiers. Ten of those athletes are seeded, and four earned the top seed in their respective weight class. Rush Fannon (98 pounds), Levi Hopkins (120), Caleb Hopkins (138) and Robert Haan (170) each received No. 1 seeds. Eric Christy (fourth at 132), Chace Booth (third at 145), Chace Fannon (fourth at 160), Jordan Nero (second at 170), Dawson Nash (second at 182) and Isaiah Christy (fifth at 220) are also seeded for the Knights.

Wasilla, which last won a state title in 2014, qualified 17 wrestlers for state, and 11 are seeded in the top-6. Defending state champion Micah Mathis is seeded second at 113. Berit Sturgeon (132) and Samuel Wolff (138) are also seeded second. Kayden Wall (fourth at 106), Isaiah Elvsaas (third at 126), Dillon Simpson (fourth at 126), Hayden Steiner (fifth at 132), Travis Newland (sixth at 138), Andrue Shepersky (fifth at 152), Cablin Wilson (fifth at 182) and Chase Minnick (third at 220) are also seeded for the Warriors.

Palmer also qualified 17 wrestlers, and eight are seeded. Palmer’s list of seeded wrestlers includes Odin Andersen (sixth at 98), Nathan Reeves (sixth at 132), Wyatt McGann (third at 138), Levi Farris (fourth at 145), Jeff Glynn (fourth at 152), Christian Kurka (fifth at 160), Austin Farris (third at 195) and Austin Kollander (fifth at 285).

The Houston Hawks have eight wrestlers competing in the 123A class, and four are seeded. Houston’s Ezra Lincecum is the top seed at 220. Etienne Kinney (third at 145), Terry Jackson (sixth at 152) and Michael House (third at 195) are also seeded.

The Valley’s newest wrestling program, Redington, has its first two state qualifiers in school history. Saige Paris (106) and Jordan Morganflash (120) each advanced to state with a top-4 finish at the Kachemak Conference Championships earlier this month.

Susitna Valley also has a qualifier and the No. 2 seed at 285 pounds, junior Marshall Pinard.

In addition to the boys tournaments, ASAA also hosts a girls tournament, which will feature seven Valley wrestlers. The list includes Colony’s Allison Garcia (120) and Danielle Stotler (145); Houston’s Jessie Merrick (106), Megan Wallace (120) and Teeana Nicholai (132); Redington’s Hannah Arnott (132) and Wasilla’s Heidi Warner (106).

Wrestling begins Friday at 10 a.m. at both Chugiak and Bartlett. The 4A preliminaries, championship quarterfinals and consolation quarterfinals are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Chugiak. The 123A preliminaries, championship quarterfinals and consolation quarterfinals; and first three rounds of the girls tournaments are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bartlett.

The championship semifinals for the 123A, 4A and girls classes are slated for Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Action continues Saturday at 9 a.m. at both schools. The 4A consolation second and third rounds, and consolation semifinals are from 9 a.m. to noon at Chugiak. The 123A consolation second and third rounds, and consolation, semifinals, and Saturday’s girls round are from 9 a.m. to noon at Chugiak.

The remainder of the rounds are at Bartlett. The consolation championships (which includes the third-place and fifth-place matches for the 123A, 4A and girls classes are from 2:30-4:45 p.m. at Bartlett. The championship introductions for all three classes is scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m. at Bartlett, and the finals are slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.