Retiring teacher, coach urges Colony grads to ‘find their 68’
By Jeremiah Bartz Frontiersman.com A football coach using a hockey reference as the centerpiece for his keynote address may
1 min read
Jan. 7, 2007
By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman
PALMER - Colony has already established itself as one of the top wrestling programs in Alaska this year.
Turns out, if the Knights were suddenly found themselves calling Oregon home, they'd be one of the top teams there too.
Last week, Colony stormed to a first-place finish in the Northwest Dream Duals, a tournament in Portland, Ore., 40-team loaded with many of the top teams in Oregon and Washington.
“It was an elite tournament,” Colony head coach Fred McKenney said after returning to Alaska. “The competition was very, very good.”
The Knights defeated
Snohomish (Wash.) 47-20 to claim the team title.
In the semifinals Colony crushed Newberg, Ore., the third-ranked team in Oregon's 6A class, 50-5.
Colony, 8-0 in the tourney, topped three teams ranked in the top 10 of Oregon's 6A class during the event. The Knights also beat fourth-ranked Scappoose and 10th-ranked Cleveland.
During the Dream Duals, McKenney said he was told the Oregon 6A schools have an average enrollment of 2,500 students. That is more than twice that of
Colony.
“These are really good schools; really big schools,” he said.
Seven different Colony wrestlers - Charles Coismen, Josh West, Hollan Gravley, Eric Fan, Josh Martel, James Savage and Levi Krueger - finished the tourney undefeated. With that success, McKenney could not point out specific individuals who stood out.
“It was a pretty solid effort all the way through,” McKenney said.
After hosting an informal event against East Anchorage on Saturday, the Knights are now preparing for the Glen Vandergaw Invitational, slated to start Friday at Dimond High School.
In two weeks, the Knights travel to Soldotna to compete in the Northern Lights Conference championships at Skyview High School. The Knights are expected to battle the three-time defending state champion Wasilla Warriors for the region crown.
Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.
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