Wrangell High School wrestler Sam Armstrong pins an opponent during the Petersburg High School Invitational on Saturday. Armstrong maneuvered three pins during the competition, with a total time of 2 minutes, 45 seconds. The Wolves ended 21 of their 42 match-ups in pins, more than any of the other teams participating that weekend.
Wrangell's wrestling Wolves did well at the 2014 Petersburg High School Invitational and Round Robin last Friday and Saturday.
"We took the region," said the team's coach, Jeff Rooney. He figured Saturday's tournament to have been among the biggest this season, featuring 15 teams from multiple regions and divisions.
"This one here was pretty big, with 170 kids," Rooney added. "We got to see a lot of great competition."
For the 1A-3A on Saturday, Wrangell's team of 11 wrestlers accumulated 133.5 points and finished 21 of its 42 match-ups in pins. The Wolves outpinned the other schools, including the larger teams of Ketchikan High School (16 pins) and Thorne Bay (14).
"I'm impressed, I'm happy," Rooney said.
For the 113-pound bracket, Ian Jenson placed second and scored 19.5 team points, winning two for three.
For 98, Orion Heller placed second and scored 18 team points, winning two for three. JD Barratt placed third, winning by fall over Ketchikan High School's Payton Stewart.
For 182, Jeffery Rooney Jr. placed third and scored 20 team points, winning four for five.
For 195, Justus Mikkelsen placed third after winning by decision over Kole Lliaban of Mt. Edgecumbe. Mikkelsen scored 14 team points, winning three of four bouts.
For 160, Chet Armstrong placed third and scored 18 team points, winning four of five bouts. In the third-place match, Armstrong won by fall over Sidney Warren-Edenshaw of Hydaburg in 47 seconds. Also 160, Dawson Miller won one bout for three.
For 220, Caleb Groshong placed third and scored 14 points, winning two for three bouts.
For 106, Alisa Heller placed fourth and scored 11 team points, winning two for four bouts.
For 132, Sam Armstrong won three for five bouts and scored 9 points.
For 145, Roger Miller won two for four and scored 10 team points.
Rooney said that there were a lot of sore muscles and a few injuries afterward, but nothing serious.
"Ultimately I think they're going to pull through," in time for this weekend's invitational in Juneau, he noted.
Though not in the same region, Kotzebue High School's team finished just ahead of Wrangell in the 1A-3A, with 170.5 points.
"They had a really tough tournament," said Jack Carney, Wrangell Public Schools' activities director. He explained that Kotzebue has a "powerhouse" of a team, and that the Wolves showed well against them. "I was really proud of them."
"We'll meet them at state finals," Rooney said.
Strapped for time to accommodate so many wrestlers, Friday's competition had consisted of smaller groupings for a three-wrestler round robin. Wrangell's team placed fifth overall with 22 points. The wolves placed better than other teams in its region.
For his weight class 98B bracket, Orion Heller placed first and scored 9 team points, winning both matches by fall over Henry Short of Petersburg in 1:20 and Stewart of Ketchikan in 1:01.
Mikkelsen also placed first in 195A, scoring 9 team points after winning both bouts by fall over Johnathon Schmitz of Juneau-Douglas in 1:38 and Brandon Ware of Petersburg in 37 seconds.
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