Valley grapplers earn NLC titles; Knights boys, girls second in team standings

It may have been Soldotna’s day, but Mat-Su Division I wrestlers were also well-represented on the podium during the Northern Lights Conference Championships Saturday at Wasilla High School.

Soldotna swept the team titles and crowned 14 total individual champions during the single-day meet at WHS. The Stars amassed 454 total points on the boys side and 231 for the girls. Soldotna grapplers won nine of the 14 boys weight classes and five of the 12 girls classes.

Colony was the runner-up in both team standings. The Knights finished with 395 points for the boys and 225 for the girls.

The Colony girls held a slight lead over SoHi late, but the Stars were able to jump ahead.

Tristen Mayer, a 2024 state runner-up, led four Knights who earned individual titles in the boys finals. Mayer pinned Palmer’s William Lindsey in the 145-pound class. Thor Nelson won by major decision at 189, beating Soldotna’s Anthony Payne 22-9. There were a pair of finals matches that featured two Colony wrestlers. Sebastian Echiak beat teammate Kaden Ortiz at 160, and Jackson Weller pinned Maverick Remaklus at 285. David Walz (103), Jackson Gerstner (152) and Byron Reynolds (171) also advanced to the finals and placed second.

The top five NLC boys wrestlers in each class advance to state. Axton Gill (112), Rowyn Mayer (125), Addyxus Echiak (130), Isaiah Schultz (135), Jake Olson (140) and Dimitri Prosser (171) placed third; Hudson Vanderpool (119) was fourth; and Joseph Richmind (112), Gabriel Crockett (119), Ethan Smalling (135), John Bennis (145), Haakan Erickson (160), Donovan Crockett (189), Lucas Ounell (215) and Cooper Williams (285) finished fifth.

A pair of Knights earned individual titles in the girls tournament. Tiffany Churchill pinned Palmer’s Juliann Giauque in the 107-pound final. At 120, Braelyn Troxell scored an 11-0 major decision over Soldotna’s Valerie McAnelly. Grace Loutzenhiser (100), Hayden Vanderpool (114) and Arien Sanderson (145) battled back after losses in the finals, won their second-place matches and secured spots in the for the Knights.

The Wasilla Warriors finished third in both the girls and boys team standings.

The Wasilla girls also had four champions. Taryn Wright defeated Soldotna’s Rowan Peck 10-6 at 126 pounds. Brynlee Lutz stayed undefeated with a 15-0 win by technical fall over Palmer’s Lillie VanSiegman at 138. Lydia Taysom pinned Colony’s Arien Sanderson in the 145-pound final. At 152, McKinley Hafen edged top-seeded Katara Lepule 4-3.

Max Moat led the Wasilla boys with a runner-up finish at 215.

Wasilla’s Rogelio Alvarez (119), Marcus Martinez (152) and Jackson Nagl (285) placed third; Andy Bair (103), Cameron Toston (130), Truxton Williams (140), Corbin Lutz (145) and Alex Barksdale (215) finished fourth; and Max Perkins (140) was fifth.

Palmer was fourth in both the girls and boys team standings.

Abigail Paddock led the Moose with the girls’ 132-pound title after scoring a 19-6 win by major decision over Soldotna’s Madeline Riles. Juliann Giauque (107), Lillie VanSiegman (138), Autumn Wright (152) and Linsey Flores (185) placed second for the Moose.

Cayson Mastberg (140), William Lindsey (145) and Wyatt Wilson (130) advanced to the boys finals for Palmer and placed second. Cooper Paulson (189) and Jake Garner (215) were third, Frank McCormick, Johnny Martinez and Sosefo Alone (189) placed fourth; and Henry Clark (125) and Jason Reese (171) were fifth.

The ASAA state tournament is Friday and Saturday at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

Contact the Frontiersman at sports@frontiersman.com.