Prep wrestling: Numbers starting to rise for Houston squad

Nov. 3, 2006

By jeremiah bartz/ Frontiersman

HOUSTON - There were slim pickings for the Houston High School wrestling squad when the Hawks hosted the annual Houston Invitational at the beginning of the season.

For a variety of reasons the Hawks could only enter five wrestlers in the Houston Invite, the first meet of the season. Houston graduated a solid nucleus of wrestlers from last year's team, including Clinton Banzhaf, the small-school state champion at 215 pounds. A handful of the Hawks' younger wrestlers transferred out of the school district. And the Houston Invite was held on the same day as the first-round of the small-school football playoffs. A good percentage of the athletes on the wrestling squad also played football.

But despite the slow start, things are coming around.

&#8220We're still trying to get where we're supposed to be,” Houston head coach Chris Roggie said on Wednesday. &#8220But we did better this week. We improved.”

Roggie said there are about 20 wrestlers on the squad, and two of those placed in the top six of the Anchorage Christian School Invitational, a tournament often seen as sort of a preview for the small-school state championships.

Senior Blake Elder, the lone Hawk to fly to the finals, finished second in the 152-pound class, and senior Matt Gardner finished fourth at 160.

Roggie said he expects Elder and Gardner to be the top athletes on his squad.

&#8220Blake and Matt will definitely be our leaders,” he said. &#8220We're trusting them for leadership, and they're capable of that.”

Elder is returning to the team after opting not to wrestle during his junior campaign. With a year off the mat, Roggie said it is hard to say where Elder may be at the end of the season, but he has the potential to be somewhere near the top.

&#8220He's looked really solid,” Roggie said. &#8220(His) weight class is probably one of the toughest in the state, and I think he should be right up there.”

Roggie said Gardner also has the potential to be at or near the top of his weight class once the season comes to an end.

&#8220He's capable of it, we'll just have to see how the season progresses,” Roggie said. &#8220Matt's a lot different wrestler at the end of the season than he is during the season.”

Roggie also noted Justin Bowman, Cass Melin and Justin Crowley as wrestlers who could make an impact this season. Bowman is Houston's heavyweight, Melin could wrestle at 140 or 145 and Crowley should be at 160.

In addition to the wrestlers Houston lost to graduation, three others also left Houston High. Each of the three were part of a talented freshman class on last year's squad. The group includes Theng Vang, a standout at 103 last season.

Roggie said the Hawks should be able to fill most spots in the lineup. The only glaring hole he sees right now is 215 - the spot left by Banzhaf. Roggie said Houston has a few in the 119-pound range, a lot at around 135 and some more who hover around the 160 class.

&#8220Hopefully we'll be able to spread out enough to get done what we need to do,” Roggie said.

This weekend the Hawks are competing in the Palmer Invitational at Palmer High School. The event features 10 teams, a field that includes each of the four Valley programs. Also competing are East Anchorage, West Anchorage, South Anchorage, Chugiak and Dimond.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.