Prep wrestling: Shooting for the top

MAT-SU — Fred McKenney was a bit nervous during the final days leading up to the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Wrestling Championships.

“You worry more when you’re favored,” the Colony head coach said earlier this week. “Everybody is shooting at you, just like we were shooting at people before.”

While there are a handful of programs that would like to knock the two-time defending state champion Colony Knights off the top of Alaska’s prep wrestling mountain, Colony will be shooting for the three-peat this weekend at the championships that start this morning at Chugiak High School in Eagle River.

“There will a few teams that will definitely be in the mix,” McKenney said. “North Pole is very tough, Lathrop is very tough, South is coming on strong and Wasilla is always the nemesis. We’ve got a good rivalry there.”

Not only is Colony looking to win its third straight, but the Knights could keep the championship trophy in the Valley for the sixth consecutive year. Wasilla posted the three-peat before Colony claimed back-to-back titles.

But regardless of who actually hoists the final prize, getting to that point is not expected to be an easy task.

“I don’t think anyone’s going to run away with it,” Wasilla head coach Shawn Hayes said.

Colony will be armed with a tournament-high 23 athletes in the state meet. Each qualified for the state championships by placing in the top-six of their respective weight class during the Northern Lights Conference championship last week in Soldotna.

McKenney said he thought the Knights would be able to move about 23 kids into the state meet. That number is down from the 25 Colony qualifiers last year. But eight Colony grapplers won region titles last week, as opposed to six in 2007.

Although most would call Colony the deepest team in the state, McKenney credits another key to his team’s success.

“It’s more balance than depth,” McKenney said.

This weekend, Colony will have at least one wrestler in all 14 weight classes.

Leading the cast of talent are three undefeated wrestlers who should vie for state crowns — Kyle Wilson (125 pounds), Josh West (140) and Eric Fan (215).

That trio sits among the eight Colony NLC champions. Issac Wilson (112), Charles Coisman (119), Sam Loggins (130), Jacob Pfeiffer (145) and Bridger Van Ness (160) also won conference titles last week.

Wasilla will have 18 wrestlers in the tournament, tied with North Pole for the second-most in the tourney.

Abe Fox (103), Chris Gross (135), Casey Katchinska (171), Chris Crane (189) and Jed Johnson (285) all won region titles for the Warriors.

Gross and Johnson each upset the top seeds of their weight class in the final round to win their title.

The Warriors could provide the theme for the upper weights during the final round. Katchinska and Crane are both the top-ranked wrestlers in their weight class, according to the latest poll tabulated by the Web site akmat.org, and Johnson is listed second.

“They’ve done very well,” Hayes said.

Also standing out for Wasilla is the success of its freshman class. Of the 18 in the state tourney, seven are freshman.

Fox, Cole Miller (103), Tyler Adams (112), Jentry Diederich (119), Caleb Hearn (119), Caleb Pempek (145) and Randy Pomrenke (215) each qualified for the state tourney as a ninth-grader.

“We have a pile of freshman,” Hayes said. “They’re kids that love to wrestle.”

Hayes said about half of the team awards — the athletes recognized for achievements such as most takedowns during the season — have been won by freshmen.

The Palmer Moose will have five wrestlers in the tourney, a group led by senior Nick Stahler, who placed second at 140 in the NLC tourney.

Houston will be represented by three Hawks, including senior Justin Crowley, the 215-pound champion during the Mid-Alaska Conference Championships.

Wrestling is scheduled to start with the preliminary round at 9 a.m. at Chugiak High. The annual parade of athletes is slated for 5:30 p.m. today, and the championship semifinals will follow at 6 p.m.

On Saturday, consolation action starts at 9 a.m. The consolation finals are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and the championship round is set for 7 p.m.

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

ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Wrestling Championships

Mat-Su Valley qualifiers

Colony (23)

103 — Gabe Loggins (3rd), Warren Mielke (5th); 112 — Issac Wilson (1st); 119 — Charles Coisman (1st); 125 — Kyle Wilson (1st), Luke Faulkner (4th); 130 — Sam Loggins (1st), Chase Montgomery (2nd); 135 — Kyle Boss (4th); 140 — Josh West (1st), Jess McKee (6th); 145 — Jacob Pfeiffer (1st), Anthony Smith (5th); 152 — Ryan Knutson (2nd), Mike Trask (6th); 160 — Bridger Van Ness (1st), Kenny Boykin (3rd); 171 — Tim Edwards (5th); 189 — Angelo Bellotte (2nd); 215 — Eric Fan (1st), Renn Wright (5th); 285 — Dylan Buck (4th), Thad Muetz (5th).

Wasilla (18)

103 — Abe Fox (1st), Cole Miller (3rd) ; 112 — Tyler Adams (4th), Michael Spano (5th); 119 — Jentry Diederich (5th), Caleb Hearn (6th); 125 — Josh Brown (2nd), Jake George (6th); 130 — Nick Perkins (6th); 135 — Chris Gross (1st); 140 — Pat Chafin (5th); 145 — Caleb Pempek (2nd); 171 — Casey Katchinska (1st); Collin Higgins (4th); 189 — Chris Crane (1st); 215 — Ryan Pomrenke (4th); 285 — Jed Johnson (1st); Jacob Johnson (6th).

Palmer (5)

125 – Jared Kemp (5th); 140 — Nick Stahler (2nd); Isaac Minturn (5th); 171 — Sam Heindel (3rd); 189 — Ransome Kelley (5th);

Houston (3)

130 — Aaron Richardson (3rd); 152 — Arron Reese (3rd); 215 — Justin Crowley (1st).