Valley wrestlers win state titles

Athletes from Palmer, Wasilla and Colony high schools took home state titles in the boys and girls divisions during the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Wrestling State Championships Dec. 20 and 21 at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

Palmer

Kaelan Vesel of Palmer defended his state title at 189 pounds in the Division I tournament this year by pinning opponent Titus Penwell of West Valley in 59 seconds.

“I got pins all the way into the finals and got a first period pin [in the championship] ” Vesel said. “Pretty excited.”

Vesel said he had some nerves going into this weekend’s competition but was confident he could defend his title. Vesel looks to go into the trades after high school. He said he will celebrate this weekend by eating 10 pounds.

“Great event,” Vesel said. “Love the sport and happy to retire.”

Lillie Vansiegman from Palmer won at 120 in the girls class by major decision 11-0 against Pagan Lester from Newhalen. Vansiegman avenged her previous loss to Lester and wanted to come into the championship with a positive attitude.

“I just needed a better headset,” Vansiegman said. “I always think I'm gonna lose. I had a good mindset that I made it to state so it’s the best I could do.”

Vansiegman referenced how much she played off of the crowd at the tournament. She said she will celebrate her victory by eating some Taco Bell.

Palmer’s boys team placed 11th in Division I at state with 67.5 points. The girls team placed 10th with 55 points. Kyle Wilson, head coach for Palmer, was happy with how his team worked to get to the championship.

“We showed up at the right tournament at the right time and day,” Wilson said. “They all wrestled lights out.”

Wilson said they had fewer competitors than in years previous, but ended up with more placers and two state champions.

Wilson reflected on Vesel’s dominating performance this season and protecting his state title. He also noted how Vansiegman avenged a previous loss to her opponent in the finals and winning the state title as a junior.

“Phenomenal job by both our finalists,” Wilson said.

Wilson noted that the team had a tough day of backside wrestling but made some podium appearances despite the competition.

Wilson said he is looking forward to bringing up the next generation of wrestlers and moving his backside wrestlers into higher placements next year.

“No matter what the results are, we're always just getting better,” Wilson said. “That's the name of the game here. We want to be better than the last match we were, better people, better wrestlers, better everything.”

Wasilla

Achilles Alexander from Wasilla won at 130 by major decision 10-1 against Jett Connolly from Student Wrestling Development Program (SWDP).

“One of the best seasons I’ve had,” Alexander said. “I’m just glad it came to fruition.”

Alexander said he came into the weekend with a good mindset and pushed past some fatigue. He knew what he needed to do.

“Wrestle like how I wrestle,” Alexander said. “Wrestle what I practice.”

Alexander will compete in bigger tournaments to help stand out to colleges. But for now, he said he would eat 15 cinnamon butter breads from Texas Roadhouse to celebrate.

Brynlee Lutz from Wasilla won at 138 in the girls class with a pin at 3:58 against Desiree Moore from North Pole Patriots. Lutz finished the season undefeated at 37-0.

“My season's been really good,” Lutz said. “I've worked so hard. I'm undefeated. I've just tried working on my headspace and that really helped.”

Lutz said she was working to improve her game by taking shots against her opponents this tournament.

“I don't take the greatest shots sometimes,” Lutz said. “But it was just taking good shots and then getting on top and looking for the pin.”

Lutz said she will be participating in big out of state tournaments to stand out to colleges.

Thailyn Reynolds of Wasilla won at 140 by major decision 11-1 over Levi Shivers from South Anchorage High School. Reynolds said his strategy was to come into the weekend with a good mindset.

“Just wrestle my match,” Reynolds said. ”Don’t let them control how I wrestle and just be confident. Confident and not cocky.”

Reynolds said he was happy with how his match went. He plans to continue wrestling in college.

The Wasilla boys team placed fourth in state with 135.5 points. The girls team placed fifth with 84.5 points. Wasilla head coach Ryan Moat said that the state championship was a cap to a successful season.

“Both our boys and girls teams were able to achieve numerous victories, as a team and as individuals,” Moat said.

Moat said his team dealt with some tough losses but also some incredible wins. Their strategy for the tournament was to give it everything they had and leave it all on the mat.

“I watched each of the warriors fight with all their heart, might, mind, and strength,” Moat said.

Moat gives his kids and his coaching staff credit for their hard work to make this a successful season.

“We now get to celebrate our accomplishments and enjoy some rest and recovery before we get back on the mat,” Moat said.

Colony

Noelle Buck from Colony won her title at 235 in the girls class by decision 7-2 against opponent Honey Rexford of SWDP.

“I feel really good,” Buck said. “I feel like I wrestled so clear-headed.

I feel like it was time, and I feel like I knew it. I feel like she knew it, and I feel like [it was] God's plan.”

Buck expected a good match with Rexford after beating her in the past. She said that Rexford was aggressive in their final matchup.

“We had to wrestle very well,” Buck said. “We had to wrestle competitively, and so she did. She brought it and I'm very grateful for that.”

Buck will celebrate both her state title and her birthday with family.

Grace Loutzenhiser from Colony won at 100 in the girls class with a pin against Hayden Kumfer from SWDP in 2:51. She recalled their previous matchup and what she wanted to do differently in the championship.

“My main goal was to get off the bottom because last time I didn't get off the bottom with her,” Loutzenhiser said. “That’s exactly what I did. I made my goal and I won.”

Loutzenhiser said she had a couple of losses that shook her nerves. She said that she worked hard this season to win and had good partners that pushed her.

“It just feels like a dream come true,” Loutzenhiser said. “I'm just proud of myself for overcoming all the things that were put in front of me.”

Amelia Fawcett of Colony won at 145 by major decision 12-0 against Saige Morris from South Anchorage High School.

“I’m proud, I had fun. I came here and did what I was supposed to,” Fawcett said.

Fawcett was happy to be part of the championship tournament after coming in halfway through the season. She has been competing in national tournaments across the country and plans to attend Women’s Nationals in Spokane, Washington.

The Colony men’s team placed fifth at state with 133 points. The girls team placed second with 136 points. Todd Hopkins, head coach for Colony, was happy with his team’s effort at the tournament.

“Today we wrestled really, really well I thought,” Hopkins said. “Overall really good effort. Super young team. The future's really exciting.”

Hopkins said that they had a lot of wrestlers come back to win tough matches earlier in the day. He reflected on the men’s and women’s teams winning regionals this year and all of the traveling the team got to do.

“I think the kids enjoyed the season and we had a lot of fun,” Hopkins said. “Kids developed a lot throughout the season. It was really neat to see.”

Hopkins looks forward to bringing his team back next year and building on what they have already created as a program, despite graduating some wrestlers.

“I'm just excited for the seniors that are graduating this year,” Hopkins said. They had a great career and I'm excited for the future with the kids that we have in the program now.”

Tristen Mayer also advanced to the finals for the Colony boys, and placed second at 152.

In the Division II boys tournament, Redington was eighth with 99 points and Houston placed 21st.

Mitchell Sizemore placed third at 112 to lead Redington. Eli Banks was fourth at 130 to lead Houston.