PJMS grapplers repeat

PALMER — Last season, sporting a group laden with seventh graders, the Palmer Junior Middle School wrestling program edged North Pole by only five points in the standings to win the Tanana Invitational team title.

Another year of wrestling has made a big difference for that group. PJMS, which now boasts about 30 eighth graders, powered its way to its second straight team title at the Tanana Invitational, the unofficial state tournament for middle school wrestling in Alaska, earlier this month in Fairbanks.

PJMS finished with 305 total points in the team standings, about 50 ahead of runner-up Colony Middle School (254.5) and nearly 60 points ahead of third-place North Pole (243). Bethel and Teeland Middle School, of Wasilla, rounded out the top 5.

“The seventh graders that did so well last year, most of them were back (this year) in the finals, or they were back in there for third and forth,” PJMS head coach Don Malone said. “We ended up with about 30 eighth graders, which made us quite strong.”

PJMS crowned five champions in the tournament, four eight-graders and a seventh-grader. Three PJMS eighth-graders (Christian Kurka, Lucas Santana and Abe Foytik) capped undefeated seasons with titles.

Kurka posted a 15-3 major decision over Kaden Caldarera of Anchorage to win the 160-pound final. Santana pinned Houston Middle’s Reed Graham in 27 seconds to win the title at 210.

In a battle of unbeatens in the 275-pound class, Foytik edged North Pole’s Kyle Walker 4-3.

Another eighth-grader, Devin Gentz, also won a title. He edged Colony Middle’s Levi Hopkins 7-6 in the finals. Malone said it was the first time Gentz beat Hopkins all season.

Levi Farris was Palmer’s lone seventh-grader to win a title. Farris pinned Jacob Shack of Anchorage in the 105-pound final.

Malone said another eighth-grader, Brenan Powell, could have easily won his second straight state title as an individual, but had to settle for third. Kyle Kokrine of North Pole won by default over Powell in the semifinals. Malone said Powell was whistled for slamming Kokrine to the mat. Powell lost the match, but was allowed to continue in the tournament.

Runner-up Colony Middle finished with three champions. Austin Edwards finished first at 70 pounds, Sam Sisco won the 91-pound class and Eric Christy finished first at 110 pounds. Hopkins (98) Frank Urbano (114) and Caleb Hopkins (122) each finished second for CMS.

Teeland Middle’s Rush Fannon won his second straight state title, winning the 84-pound class. Isaak Bell won the 122-pound class for Wasilla Middle.

The PJMS team title extends the Valley’s championship streak. Valley teams have now won the Tanana title in 21 straight years, dating back to 1994.

Tanana Invitational

Fairbanks

Team scores:

1. Palmer Junior Middle 305; 2. Colony Middle 254.5; 3. North Pole Middle 243; 4. Bethel Middle 177.5; 5. Teeland Middle 166.5; 6. Tanana Middle 164; 7. Wasilla Middle 158.5; 8. Schoenbar Middle 140; 9. Popeye Wrestling Club 95.5; 10. Randy Smith Middle 77; 11. Houston Middle 74; 12. Glennallen Midlde 66; 13. Ft. Greely 59; 14. Nuvuk 55; 15. Kodiak Middle 53.

Championship finals:

70 pounds — A. Edwards, Col m.d. D. Vogus, Una 13-2; 77 — M. Rodriguez, Sch d. T. Dyment, Bet 6-3; 84 — R. Fannon, Tee p. B. Linne, Sch 2:04; 91 — Sm. Sisco, Col d. M. Mathis, Was 6-4 OT; 98 — D. Gentz, Pal d. L. Hopkins, Col 7-6; 105 — L. Farris, Pal p. J. Shack, Anc 1:34; 110 — E. Christy, Col d. E. Agnew, Ryan 6-3; 114 — J. Reynolds, Anc p. F. Urbano, Col 0:59; 118 — C. Gerlach, Glen d. T. Hickerson, Kotz 5-0; 122 — I. Bell, Was d. C. Hopkins, Col 8-6 OT; 126 — T. Croft, Pop won by fft K. Kokrine, NP; 132 — M. Lucas, Anc d. T. Tripple, TB 6-2; 138 — D. Knoblock, Anc m.d. T. Cook, Pop 11-3; 148 — B. Antesberger, NP d. Z. Tolver, Tan 7-2; 160 — C. Kurka, Pal m.d. K. Caldarera, Anc 15-3; 174 — C. Freitas, Bet d. W. Witt, Was 4-2; 210 — L. Santana, Pal p. R. Graham, Hou 0:27; 275 — A. Foytik, Pal d. K. Walker, NP 4-3.

Third-place matches:

70 — M. Riedlinger, Gil m.d. M. Hatch, Glen 18-5; 77 — J. Mays, Jun d. P. Stewart, Sch 12-1; 84 — H. Hayes, Was d. N. Evans, Bet 7-5; 91 — H. Lieb, Bet d. S. Martin, Anc 9-3; 98 — J. Spencer, Tan m.d. W. Todd, Anc 12-1; 105 — D. Dykes, NP p. K. Wall, Tee 2:29; 110 — G. Karsten, Anc d. C. Ott, Tan 11-8; 114 — E. Lincoln, Tan d. J. Opp, Tan 11-2; 118 — M. Collins, Sch p. K. Hodges, Sch 2:18; 122 — E. Bockman, Anc d. G. Plunk, NP 8-4; 126 — B. Powell, Pal p. J. Perkins, Anc 3:19; 132 — A. Shepersky, Tee p. C. Gamble, Col 0:59; 138 — J. Glynn, Pal p. W. Story, RS 2:59; 148 — L. Stockton, Nuv d. Z. Rogers, Pal 3-2; 160 — O. Powers, FtG d. C. Fontana, NP 7-4; 174 — H. Fanning, Anc p. B. Holmes, Col 1:15; 210 — W. Samuel, NP p. W. Villalon, Nuv 2:25; 275 — R. Kulash, Tan p. M. Rosendahl, NP 1:58.