Wasilla Middle pins state wrestling title; extends Valley streak to 23 years

WASILLA — For more than two decades, the question has not been, which program will win the Tanana Invitational, the unofficial state championship for Alaska middle school wrestling. The question has been which Valley team will win the title.

Wasilla Middle, Palmer Junior Middle, Colony Middle and Teeland Middle have combined to win every Tanana title since 1994. Wasilla Middle kept the streak in tact Feb. 27, by winning its second straight crown. WMS also extended the Valley’s streak to 23 straight Tanana team titles.

“I think it’s pretty incredible,” Wasilla Middle head coach Randy Talvi said of the Valley’s dominance in the team standings of the tournament hosted every year at Tanana Middle School in Fairbanks. “We’ve become kind of a hotbed for wrestling in the state. Look at the number of the state championships won by the high school teams.”

Wasilla High, Colony High and Palmer High have combined to win a dozen 4A state titles since 1994. Talvi also cited the mass success of the local youth freestyle programs, which have also combined to win numerous state championships.

“(The Valley has) a number of freestyle clubs that run really quality kids programs. They feed the middle schools. That’s a big factor,” Talvi said.

Wasilla pinned victory in a 2016 tournament that featured a Valley-heavy top to the team standings. Colony Middle was the runner-up and Teeland Middle placed third.

“That’s been kind of the status quo. Palmer’s been in the thick of things too,” Talvi said.

Wasilla Middle had 28 wrestlers in the tournament, and 17 placed in the top eight of their respective weight class.

“It exceeded what I thought would happen,” Talvi said of the 17 placers. “The kids wrestled really well.”

Teeland led the Valley with 19 placers. Colony landed 15 in the top 8. Palmer finished with nine placers. First-year program Redington had a pair of grapplers place in the top 8 of their classes. The group of schools combined to place 62 in state. Valley teams also had 11 wrestlers place in the girls’ class.

Talvi said Wasilla Middle also placed 17 wrestlers last year en route to the 2015 Tanana title.

“Last year we didn’t have as many front-runners,” Talvi said.

This year, Wasilla Middle moved six wrestlers into the finals, and three scored titles. Hunter Hayes won at 110 pounds, Jake D’Agustino finished first at 122 and Max Stokes was the champion at 210. Sterling Uhlenhake (114), Colton Lindquist (118) and Chris Roehl (148) also advanced to the finals for Wasilla Middle, and placed second.

A pair of Colony Middle wrestlers earned Tanana titles. Jared Hopkins finished first at 77 pounds. Jacob Johnson was first at 91 pounds. Vincent Cramer (98) and Coa Gamble (160) wrestled in the finals and placed second.

Teeland Middle had two in the finals. Jeff Palmer was first at 174 and Kayden Payne finished second.

Isaiah Allik finished second at 132 for Redington.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Tanana Invitational

Valley placers:

Wasilla Middle School:

77 pounds — Landon Hayes, 5th; Ren Helton, 7th; 84 — Fred Elvaas, 3rd; 98 — Alex Logsdon, 3rd; 105 — Cody Elliott, 8th; 110 — Hunter Hayes, 1st; 114 — Sterling Uhlenhake, 2nd; 118 — Colton Lindquist, 2nd; 122 — Jake D’Agustino, 1st; 126 — Andy Bell, 6th; Josh Elvaas, 7th; 140 — Dean Vroman, 8th; 148 — Chris Roehl, 2nd; 160 — Read Sunn, 4th; 174 — Bryce Thompson, 5th; Elias Minnick, 5th; 210 — Max Stokes, 1st.

Colony Middle School:

70 — Aidin Macknicki, 5th; 77 — Jared Hopkins, 1st; 84 — TJ Clapp, 3rd; 91 — Jacob Johnson, 1st; Carter Silva, 8th; 98 — Vincent Cramer, 2nd; 114 — Lucas Humbard, 3rd; 132 — Ryan Murphy, 3rd; 140 — Keaton Oldham, 3rd; 148 — Anthony Schwartz, 4th; 160 — Coa Gamble, 2nd; 174 — Zachary Cieslo, 3rd; 210 — Tuker Eby, 8th; 113 girls — Nevaeh Maxon, 8th; 145 girls — Charlize Cieslo, 2nd.

Palmer Junior Midlde School:

98 — Payton Portney, 6th; 105 — Jacob Dyer, 3rd; 110 — Austen Dill, 3rd; Orion Fidel, 6th; 132 — Rodney Godwin, 6th; 160 — Kennedy Fono, 5th; 81 girls — Trinity Pendergrass, 1st; 97 girls — Kenzy Larson, 4th; 175 girls — Tatiana Sega, 1st.

Redington Middle School:

132 — Isaiah Allik, 2nd; 275 — Kedrick White, 4th.

Teeland Middle School:

70 — Jerzy Ritz, 4th; 77 — Elias Cordell, 6th; 84 — Kayden Payne, 2nd; Charles Jones, 7th; 91 — Gabe Lund, 5th; 110 — Trey Reem, 5th; 114 — Mason Engdahl, 7th; 118 — Ethan Kraus, 8th; 126 — Esperidon Floresta, 3rd; 132 — Slayte Wohlers, 5th; 132 — Kyle Rudolph, 8th; 132 — Landis Erwin, 3rd; 140 — Tyler Fronek, 5th; 160 — Carter Ahumada, 3rd; Sam Rosenbalm, 8th; 174 — Sawyer Drumm, 8th; 174 — Jeff Palmer, 1st; 210 — Santiago Salazar, 6th; Amos Bartlett, 7th; 81 girls — Cristal Nunez, 3rd; Serenity Everson, 5th; 89 girls — Brianna McKeel, 5th; 97 girls — Becky Sutton, 4th; Elley Lane, 6th; 104.5 girls — Ashley Marsden, 6th; 113 girls — Jaidyn Cordell, 6th; 120 — Joslynn Sena, 2nd; Chailyn Roberts, 6th.