Valley power

Frontiersman

ANCHORAGE — Kyle Wilson felt his shot at winning a second state title slipping away.

The Colony senior, who also won the state’s top prize as a sophomore in 2007, was on his back and down by five points late in the third period. But Wilson prevailed, using a reversal and a late takedown to edge Chugiak freshman Ben Sullivan 12-10 in the 119-pound final of the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Wrestling Championships at Chugiak High School on Saturday.

While Wilson needed a late comeback to earn his individual honor, Colony built an early lead in the team standings and powered its way to it’s third straight team title.

In a race that was expected to be close, the Knights found themselves far ahead of the pack, finishing with 263.5 total points, 100 better than second-place North Pole.

“It was a great team effort,” Colony head coach Fred McKenney said, noting the Knights had actually eclipsed their program record for points in a state tourney before the consolation finals even started.

Colony also placed 11 athletes in the top-four of their respective weight classes — a program first, McKenney said — and moved six grapplers into the final.

Wilson, one of two Knights to win a state title on Saturday, was trailing Chugiak freshman Ben Sullivan 10-5 in the closing minute of the third period.

Quickly running out of time, Wilson was able to put together a reversal with three nearfall points to tie the score at 10-10 with 15 seconds left. After the wrestlers reset, both fell out of bounds in a tangled mass with eight seconds left. Just before time expired, Wilson was able to throw his opponent to the mat, earn his two points and get the 12-10 victory.

“I don’t really remember how I got it,” Wilson said. “I just felt his weight shift.”

Wilson consistently tried the throw in the third period, even after one attempt put himself on his back.

“I knew I had to throw, down that much,” Wilson said.

Sullivan, a wrestler Wilson had beat by technical fall and major decision during the regular season, took the 10-5 lead midway through the third when Wilson’s throw backfired. Wilson tried to throw Sullivan near the edge, but fell to his back instead.

Junior Eric Fan also won a state championship for the Knights, winning the first state title of his career with a 6-5 win over West Anchorage’s Trevor McDonald in the 215-pound final.

Fan, a two-time Northern Lights Conference champion, used an early takedown to build a 2-1 lead after the first period and held a slim advantage throughout the match. Fan also scored an early takedown in the second to help him win his title.

Issac Wilson (112), Sam Loggins (130), Josh West (140) and Jacob Pfeiffer also advanced to the finals and placed second.

West wrestled in the lone all-Mat-Su Valley match of the Knight and suffered a close 7-6 loss to Palmer senior Nick Stahler, who was named the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler following the final round.

West had been Stahler’s nemesis throughout the season, and was the only wrestler to beat the Palmer standout during the year.

West, who entered the match a perfect 38-0, fell behind early and was hurt late by a stalling call and a Stahler escape.

After the match, Stahler said he hoped to see his rival in his final high school match of his career.

“I worked all week just for him,” Stahler said. “It’s a great relief.”

Stahler used the single leg to get an early takedown and 2-0 lead and went into the first intermission with a 5-3 lead after attacking West’s leg once again to get another takedown. Stahler said the big difference between his win on Saturday and previous losses to West was simply returning to a style of wrestling he’s had success with in the past.

“I used a lot of motion,” Stahler said.

With an escape and a takedown, West took a 6-5 lead in the second period, but Stahler took advantage of a pair of mistakes in the third.

West was called twice for stalling in the final period and Stahler was awarded a point to tie the score at 6-6. Late in the period after action was reset and Stahler chose the down position, West intentionally let up Stahler in the final seconds to give the Palmer senior the 7-6 lead. It’s a move that surprised Stahler.

“At first I didn’t know he let me up,” said Stahler, the lone Palmer grappler to advance to the final round.

Wasilla moved five wrestlers into the finals and three Warriors won state titles to help WHS finish fourth in the team standings with 138 total points.

Seniors Casey Katchinska, Chris Crane and Jed Johnson each capped their high school careers with wins in the state finals.

Katchinska manhandled Chugiak’s Zack Baldwin in 171-pound final, muscling his way to a 10-1 major decision.

The Wasilla senior took to the early 4-0 lead after scoring a takedown and nearfall points within the first minute of the match. Katchinska posted the escape immediately in the second period and used a takedown to stretch his lead to 7-1.

After a scoreless first period, Crane built a lead in the second and held on for a 9-6 win over North Pole’s Taylor Lewis in the 189-pound final.

Lewis recorded the first points of the match, getting an early takedown in the second. But almost immediately after, Crane was able to get the reversal and take Lewis to his back.

The period ended with Crane leading 6-4 and the Wasilla senior pushed his advantage to 9-4 early in the third period.

Johnson pinned North Pole senior Jackson Collins in the 285-pound final to win his first state title. Johnson, who has only been wrestling for three seasons, built a 4-0 lead through the first two periods and pinned his opponent in the third.

Abe Fox and Chris Gross also advanced to the finals for Wasilla and placed second.

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

2008 Alaska State Wresting Championships

Chugiak High School

Dec. 12-13, 2008

Team scores: 1. Colony; 2. North Pole; 3. Lathrop; 4. Wasilla; 5. Chugiak; 6. South; 7. East; 8. Kodiak; 9. Ketchikan; 10. Service; 11. Skyview; 12. West; 13. Soldotna; 14. Palmer; 15. Dimond; 16. Homer; 17. Kenai; 18. West Valley; 19. Houston; 20. Bartlett.

Championship Round: 103 pounds — D. Achman, Lat. d. A. Fox, Was. 15-5; 112—M. Malnoske, East d. I. Wilson, Col. 4-3; 119—N. Martin, Ket. d. S. Moore, East 5-3; 125—K. Wilson, Col. d. B. Sullivan, Chu. 12-10; 130—L. Shelley, South d. S. Loggins, Col. 3-2; 135—N. Hoffer, East d. C. Gross, Was. 14-8; 140—N. Stahler, Pal. d. J. West, Col. 7-6; 145—G. Sullivan, Chu. m.d. J. Pfeiffer, Col. 12-3; 152—E. Antesberger, NP m.d. B Pressler, West 15-5; 160—N. McBryde, Chu. d. L. Jutila, NP 11-4; 171—C. Katchinska, Was. m.d. Zack Baldwin, Chu. 10-1; 189—C. Crane, Was. d. T. Lewis, NP 9-6; 215—E. Fan, Col. d. T. McDonald, Wes. 6-5; 285—J. Johonson, Was. p. j. Collins, NP 4:17.

Other Valley placers: 103 pounds—G. Loggins, Col. 5th; 112—I. Wilson, Col. 2nd; 119—C. Coisman, Col. 3rd; 140—J. McKee, Col. 4th; 145—A. Smith, Col. 4th; 160—K. Boykin, Col. 4th; 171—S. Heindel, Pal. 5th; 189—A. Bellotte, Col. 3rd; 215—J. Crowley, Hou. 3rd and R. Wright, Col. 5th.