Prep wrestling: Knights show title potential

Jan. 26, 2007

By MATT TUNSETH/ Frontiersman

SOLDOTNA - If anyone is going to knock defending Northern Lights Conference wrestling champion Wasilla off its throne, it could very well be the team from just up the road.

With six tournament wins and an undefeated dual meet record to their credit, the Colony Knights have had perhaps the best regular season of any team in Alaska.

&#8220We've had a great season,” Colony head coach Fred McKenney said Tuesday.

But like many teams this time of year, the Knights will also be without a full contingent of their varsity squad at the NLC tourney, which gets underway today at Skyview High School in Soldotna.

McKenney said he's missing his top wrestlers at 130,152, 160 and 171 pounds due to a mix of injuries and ineligibility.

&#8220It's the end of the season, and people get banged up,” McKenney said.

Even without their top team fully healthy, the Knights are still loaded.

They'll be led by Hollan Gravely, a three-time state champion who will be a heavy favorite to win a fourth title this year at 135 pounds. They're also deep, with 10 wrestlers currently ranked in the state's top-5 by wrestling Web site akmat.org.

McKenney said his program is particularly tough at the lighter weights, with ranked wrestlers - Charles Coisman and Chase Montgomery at 103 pounds, Kyle Wilson and Aaron Boss at 112 pounds, Josh West at 119 and Zack Beauchamp at 125 - at each of the four lightest classes.

Justin Martel at 140 pounds is also a good bet to challenge for a Conference championship, as is James Savage at heavyweight.

Wrestling is a tricky sport to predict, however, and McKenney said his only real hope for this weekend's tournament is that his team wrestles hard.

&#8220We always like to do the best we can, and that's really all we can hope for,” he said.

Tournament success often is determined not by the top wrestlers, but by getting lesser-known athletes to perform well. With a number of jayvee wrestlers having to step in for injured teammates, that's definitely true for the Knights.

&#8220They'll have to fill in the gaps,” McKenney said.

Overall, McKenney said he's happy with where his team is at heading into the tournament, and feels like his squad has the right mindset to do well over the weekend.

&#8220We've been having good practices and the kids have been very intense,” he said. &#8220I couldn't ask for better attitudes.”

While Palmer still does not have the numbers to knock off a region power such as Wasilla, the Moose do have a handful of athletes who could be standing at the top of the podium once the final awards are given out.

Several Palmer wrestlers are ranked by akmat.org.

Jesse Romero (103) and Nick Stahler (140) are both second, and the top NLC grappler in their weight class.

Palmer has a pair of wrestlers ranked in the top three of the 130-pound class.

Marshall Carlyle is second, while Wes Mills stands at third in the latest poll. Tremain Benton is third at 171.

Tom Eller (135), Shannon Sawyer (189) and Drew Frohling (215) should also be seeded in the conference tourney.

Those who finish in the top six of the 14 weight classes at the NLC tourney this weekend will earn automatic spots in the large-schools state championships. Chugiak High School hosts the 4A state event on Feb. 2-3.

Contact Matt Tunseth at 352-2265 or matt.tunseth@frontiersman.com.