Wasilla holds lead after first day of Lancer Smith Memorial

PALMER — Palmer High School set out to host the largest, toughest prep wrestling tournament in state. Judging by the number of wrestlers who hit the PHS gymnasium Friday morning, event organizers may have even exceeded their own expectations.

More than 420 athletes from 38 different schools hit the mats during the first day of the Lancer Smith Memorial at PHS.

Wasilla stood on top of the team standings following the first day of action, with 85.5 total points in the team standings. The Warriors were more than 14 points ahead of South Anchorage, the 4A defending state champions, in the team standings.

Rivals Colony and Palmer were locked in a third-place tie with 64 points after the first day. Less than 20 points separated teams three through 15 in the team standings.

Nearly 30 Valley wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals. Wasilla will have a Valley-high 11 grapplers wrestling for a spot in the semis. Colony, Palmer and Houston have seven, six and four wrestlers in the quarterfinals, respectively.

Wrestling continues Saturday with the championship quarterfinals scheduled for 9 a.m. The semifinals will follow at 11 a.m. The championship finals are expected to start at 5:30 p.m.

The Lancer Smith Memorial is not only the largest wrestling event of the year (with more than twice as many wrestlers as the 4A state tournament) it was also the only game in town Friday. Friday afternoon, the Mat-Su School District announced the cancellation of all extra-curricular activities due to the winter storm that hit Southcentral Alaska Friday morning. School was in session Friday, despite the weather, and wrestling began in the tournament Friday morning. Palmer activities director Dale Ewart said the school district officials permitted Palmer to continue with the tournament. Most of the squads in the 38-team field had reached the Valley before the storm hit.

Lancer Smith Memorial

Friday, Palmer High School

Team scores (top 25):

1. Wasilla 85.5; 2. South 71; 3. Colony 64; 3. (tie) Palmer 64; 5. Kotzebue 61; 6. Bethel 58; 7. Service 57.5; 8. West 56; 9. North Pole 53.5; 10. East 49.5; 10. (tie) Valdez 49.5; 12. Chugiak 49; 13. Nome 46; 14. Koidak 45; 15. Skyview 44.5; 16. Eagle River 43; 17. Kenai 39; 18. Hosuton 36.5; 19. Grace 36; 20. Nikiski 31; 20. (tie) West Valley 31; 22. Eielson 28.5; 23. Dimond 27.5; 23. (tie) Homer 27.5; 25. Cordova 26; 25. (tie) Lathrop 26

Championship Bracket- 2nd round:

98 pounds — G. Maslen, Glen p. B. Gonzales, Kod 1:17; D. Simpson, Was p. K. Zoda, Ken 1:21; M. Sheldon, Kotz p. O. Andersen, Pal 2:45; K. Weinberger, Hou d. M. Welty, Hom 6-0; J. Virgin, Glen p. S. Hauze, Sew 4:52; S. Harris, Dim p. B. Hill, Was 1:19; G. Kouchulten t.f. K. Blackwell, Ser 17-1; T. Evan, Bet p. A. Schommer, Grace.

106 — G. Schack, Sou p. N. Woodward, Sew 1:33; S. Commerford, P. S. Homer, Hou 3:03; A. Craig, Sky p. J. Divelbiss, Dim 5:57; B. Adams, Col m.d. C. Vinton, NP; B. Abbott, Was p. V. Treder, West 0:17; T. Hensley, m.d. Q. Lema, Ser 13-2; M. DeBilt, Qui p. J. Tammend, WV 3:32; A. Gray, Nome t.f. J. St. Andre, Eie 15-0.

113 pounds — S. Hutchison, Sky t.f. J. Valdez, Kod 17-1; C. Booth, Col p. S. Hoffman, Ser 4:44; E. Kinney, Hou p. P. Tandy, West 2:54; C. Johnson, Hom p. B. Sturgeon, Was 1:52; M. Glover, Sou p. J. Kingsland, Sew 3:54; J. Toth, ER d. A. Skiba, Sol 7-4; R. Marquez, Una p. T. Delaquinto, Glen 3:20; G. Hoffman, Bet p. E. Enyart, Ser 1:34.

120 pound — B. Reich, Kot m.d. R. Stewman, Sou 10-0; C. Caballero, Ken d. J. Stone, Eie 14-13; B. Girard, East d. T. Annoguik, Sew 9-3; A. Chiklak, Bet p. E. Tunt, Dim 1:03; A. Drake, Hou t.f. Q. Simpson, Gra 17-2; I. Lynch, Was p. P. Music, NP 0:31; R. Winter, Sky d. W. Martin, Sou 12-5; A. Caballa, Kod won by inj fft.

126 pounds — G. Alvardo, Sou p. A. Kennedy, East 2:58; C. Greene, Val p. M. Nayockpuk, WV 1:59; J. Small, Kod d. S. Wolf, Was 7-3; A. Molesky, Pal d. J. Nero, Col 8-3; C. McIntyre, Bet d. J. Gentz, Was 9-6; P. Steffenson, Ken p. T. Kishimoto, Kod 3:38; B. McKimson, Was d. S. Charlie, Bet 7-5; L. Erikson, Nome m.d. R. Stewman, Sou 11-3.

132 — M. Cochran, Pal p. G. Bond, Gra 2:49; J. Malnoske, East t.f. T. Nunez, Bar 15-0; Z. Ritchie, Sou p. J. Todd, East 2:42; R. Pellumbi, Sou t.f. A. Rohr, Kod 18-3; R. Steiner, Was p. Z. Hamberger, Cor 2:26; A. Kennedy, t.f. Nicholson, NP 19-1; N. Carstens, Nik d. T. Woo, Hom 15-8; J. Mendenhall, Bet p. J. Coats, Val 0:59.

138 pounds — E. Booshu, Nome m.d. Chase Fannon, Col 15-4; W. Owen, WV d. A. Troxell-Tom, 10-5; G. Arnold, d. C. Eager, Lat 10-5; T. Handley, Nik p. T. Thomas, Was 3:14; A. Coplin, d. R. Haan, Col 6-2; N. Pempek, p. A. Rogers, NP 3:47; H. Myers, Bar d. D. Woo, Hom 9-5; K. Hammond, Sou t.f. W. Wali, Was 19-2.

145 pounds — A. Sierra, East t.f. H. Riebe, ER 20-4; E. Shoemaker, NP d. Z. Lester, WV 7-1; C. Weidner, West p. A. Rochon, Chu 3:38; S. Adams, Col p. R. Agard, Eie 3:31; A. Shannon, Was p. J. Arnold, NP 1:35; G. Eakin, Kot p. Q. Leadbetter, Gra 1:38; R. Blumentritt, d. W. McGann, Pal 1-0; N. Ottum, Sou m.d. D. Jutila, NP 14-4.

152 pounds — K. Lucas, Col m.d. P. Inglet, Was 16-6; B. Oulton, Bet d. M. Martinez, NP 3-0; A. Downing, Val d. B. Phillips, Val 7-3; P. Ochoa, Hom t.f. J. Noe, Sou 17-2; W. Booth, Col m.d. H. Foster, Pal 16-2; M. Herrera, Ser p. C. Main, Gra 0:56; C. Elliot, West p. K. Johnson, Kot 1:35; M. Stangel, Nik d. C. Hansen, Val 10-8.

160 pounds — I. Deaton, Val p. T. Betts, NP 3:13; H. Molesky, Pal p. G. McSharry, Sou 3:19; J. Erikson, Nom p. J. Hamberger, Cor 5:37; T. Thammavongsa, Ser m.d. R. Huffer, Chu 13-2; D. Best, NP d. Z. Young, Gra 2-0; J. Dickson, Lat m.d. D. Morrow, Was 14-6; K. McIntosh, p. K. Miller, Sky 1:08; N. McKimson, Was p. K. Paul, Hou 1:00.

170 pounds — A. Rake, Val p. N. Olsen, Nik 1:36; B. Michael, WV p. C. Tolver, 3:15; X. Horton, ER p. G. Nelson, Kot 3:10; L. Conway, Col p. K. Don, Pal 0:38; Z. Haviland, Kot won by inj def; C. Boatman, Was m.d. J. Dickinson, Lat 12-2; R. Nash, Col p. D. Shreve, Nome 0:27; E. McLeod, Ser d. S. Innes, NP 8-4.

182 pounds — J. Roetman, Kot p. D. Rios, Hom 1:27; A. Falegoatai, West p. T. Olson, Was 4:45; S. Lang, Hou d. C. Howard, Cor 16-10; J. White, Glen p. E. Cannon-Powers, Pal 2:47; J. Wharton, Lat d. A. Gold, East 8-2; D. Magnusen, Una p. G. Auston, Nome 3:31; J. McCormick, p. J. Durbin, Eie 2:46; L. Elliot, West t.f. K. Hunter, Ken 19-3.

195 pounds — K. Powers, Kod t.f. G. Nohr, ACS 15-0; J. Walker, Dim t.f. D. Fish, WV 15-0; D. Nanouk, Kot p. J. Reed, West 2:42; K. Quenja, East p. B. Silves, Sky 1:30; B. Schultz, Was m.d. J. Russell, Ani 14-5; L. Owens, Kod d. S. Hill, Sky 6-5; A. Bruadis, Bar p. K. Gilliam, Bet 2:44; C. Deemer, Pal p. A. Edson, Eie 3:22.

220 pounds — Q. Wright, Was p. C. Goodson, Eie 1:20; E. Wright, Sou p. L. Hollie, Hou 0:11; L. Fa’amasino, West won by inj def; Z. Koziczkowski, Ken p. J. Rhodes, Gle 1:06; Z. Rocksted, Was p. G. Cole, WV 3:14; S. Hyatt, Kot p. B. Miranda, Sew 1:18; J. Jeong, p. W. Stephens, Hou 2:54; R. Burroughs, Chu p. B. Villeda, Ser 5:00.

285 pounds — B. Button, Pal d N. Stevens, Ser 4-3; W. Bruso, Bar p. D. Best, Sol 1:33; J. Booth, Col m.d. D. Walker, NP 8-0; K. King, East p. T. Fehoko, West 1:38; M Daigle, Col p. A. Sjong, Ani 1:38; B. Davis, NP p. T. Scott, ACS 1:29; J. Smith, East p. G. Williams, Pal 1:59; L. Sega, Kod p. C. Wadsworth, Dim 1:05.