Darren Shilts goes at it against Brandon Ware of Petersburg Saturday evening. Shilts finished the match with a win by fall in 4:26.
In the 145-pound bracket, Sam Armstrong waits for the referee to call his pin against Jonas Heppe of Klawock. Armstrong went on to take second in the bracket for Friday's round-robin in Petersburg.
The high school's wrestling team was off to a good start to the season this week, with several of its athletes taking top spots for their weight classes at Petersburg's Invitational.
"The kids did awesome for the first tournament," said Wolves assistant coach Jack Carney.
Three Wrangell wrestlers finished in first place for their brackets. Junior Ian Jenson topped the 138 bracket with three wins on Friday, two by decision and one by fall. In the round-robin next day, he added two more victories with pins made in 2:31 and 2:38.
Weighing in at 152 pounds, senior Sig Decker began the season with three wins. He pinned Ketchikan's Nate Eisenhower in 3:37, and finished the other two with pins in 1:55 and 2:08. Decker ended the next day's round-robin in an even split. He pinned Eisenhower again in a quick 1:19 in the first round, before being bested by Klawock's James Heppe in a 10-4 decision.
In the 152 class, freshman Hunter Wiederspohn also finished with three wins, ending by fall. Against Izayah Liu of Metlakatla and Liam Scales of Thunder Mountain, he pinned both in 46 seconds. Wiederspohn collected two more wins the next day, with a 2:02 pin and a round ended by tie-breaker.
On Friday, senior Dawson Miller placed second for the 170 bracket, losing to Titus Tripple of Thunder Mountain in an 8-4 decision but besting Klawock's Mason Hoppe in a 6-5 call.
Senior Darren Shilts came in second for the 182 bracket, on Friday pinning two competitors and being pinned himself by Peterburg junior Brandon Ware. Shilts won two more matches next day, ending a round against Petersburg wrestler Brandon Ware by fall in 4:26, and another against Ketchikan's Gerik Sherrill in 2:20.
In the 220 bracket, Caleb Groshong came in second place with a win by majority decision and a loss by fall. He finished the invitational with two more wins the next day.
Elizabeth Johnson started off her season with a second-place finish, splitting matches on Friday. She finished off the tournament with a one-one split the next day, besting Klawock's Yajaira Ponce by an 11-2 major decision and pinned by Metlakatla wrestler Andrea Prince in 3:15.
Senior Sam Armstrong started the season with two wins and a pin in the 145 group. Armstrong would go on to win both rounds Saturday, with pins in 3:00 and 4:21. In the girls 145 category, freshman Hannah Brown finished with three pins against her over the weekend.
In the 113 weight class, junior JD Barratt began the tournament with two losses by majority decision. In his second set of matches on Saturday, Barratt won against competitors John Yalung from Thunder Mountain and Mathew Colbert of Craig.
Sophomore Dillon Rooney took third for his class, beating Hydaburg wrestler Robert Tolson in a 5-2 decision and losing the following two matches by decision. The next day, Rooney won against Dawson Entwit of Ketchikan by 4-3 decision, and was pinned by Metlakatla's Shawn Williams in 4:02.
"Our kids definitely showed up and were working hard," commented Carney.
After a successful halibut fundraiser dinner the previous weekend, he said the team was ready to make some tough matches ahead.
"We're looking forward to Juneau this next weekend. I'm looking for some top finishers," he said. After that, the team heads to Ketchikan for its invitational, followed by a trip to Anchorage at the month's end for the big ACS Invitational.
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