Wrangell’s high school wrestlers took eighth overall out of 52 teams competing in the ASAA/First National Bank 123A State Championships in Anchorage over the weekend.
Among 2A division schools, the Wolves placed third with 64 team points.
Caleb Groshong brought home a medal for the 220 weight bracket, winning his first round by forfeiture and the next over Houston’s Malaki Barrett by pin in 3:34. Relegated to the secondary by Barrow sophomore Benjamin Heather by 5-2 decision, Groshong went on to win the semifinal round over Bethel’s Drew Pekar by 4-0 decision. He rematched Barrett in the final and won by fall in 2:12, securing third place. He finished his junior-year season with a 20-7 record.
In the 98 weight class, freshman Jonah Comstock took sixth overall. Napaskiak freshman Stephen Maxie bested him by 13-3 majority decision in the opening round. In the consolation bracket, Comstock went on to pin Nikiski freshman Joey Yourkoski in 1:42, followed by a pin on Homer’s Cameron Blaine in 1:26. Anchorage Christian School’s Matthew Bohlman won the semifinal round by fall in 4:34, and Comstock faced and was narrowly beaten by Maxie in a rematch for fifth place spot. Comstock finished the season with a 10-6 record.
For the 132 bracket, junior Ian Jenson won his first match over Houston’s Damien Jessup by technical foul. Senior JohnRick Nobleza from Barrow relegated him to the secondary after a 4-2 decision in the next round. Jenson went on to best Dillingham sophomore Chris Williams in a 7-2 decision, before finishing out his run against Cooper Stec from Susitna Valley in a 4-7 ruling. Jenson finished the year with a strong 22-5 record.
For the 145, senior Sig Decker finished fourth in the bracket. He pinned Voznesenka freshman Anthony Kalugin in the opener, then won by technical foul over Petersburg senior Ethan File. Kotzebue’s Ezekiel Easkin won the semifinal round by fall in 2:42, and Decker took the next round in the consolation bracket against Glennallen senior Tony Delaquito, with a pin 4:06. In the finals, Bethel junior Mian Alexie-Leonard won by 5-2 decision for third place. Decker finished his last high school season with a 25-11 record.
Senior Sam Armstrong and freshman
Hunter Wiederspohn both competed in the 152 weight bracket. Armstrong was knocked out early by Barrow freshman Kagan Stockton, and after a 0:49 pin over Emmonak’s Joel Mike was bested by eventual fifth-placer Nathaniel Lenhard from Petersburg. Wiederspohn was pinned by Grace Christian junior Evan Bockman in 3:01 during the opening round, and after winning by fall over Dillingham’s Triston Chaney in 4:04 the next round, was beaten by 11-2 majority decision by GCHS’ Gabe Martin. Armstrong finished with a 23-11 record and Wiederspohn with a 22-13.
Dawson Miller finished sixth in the 160 weight bracket, headed to the secondary early on after a loss by fall to Barrow’s Isiah Passi in 5:23. Miller went on to win his next two rounds, against Mt. Edgecumbe senior Shawn Williams by 5-4 decision, and by 15-6 majority decision over Cordova senior Zachary Hamberger. After a close 7-5 decision in favor of Homer senior Jaime Rios, Miller went up against Bethel’s Sven Williams for the fifth place spot; Williams won by 2-1 decision. A senior, Miller finished his final season with the Wolves with a 21-9 record.
“It went well,” commented coach Jeffery Rooney. “Of course we always want more but I’m happy with how the boys did, we did quite well.”
With the end of the season, the team will celebrate with one final dinner. At its home tournament earlier in the month, Wrangell High School noted the accomplishments of the program’s outgoing three seniors. Rooney said he appreciated the effort his students put into this season, and was optimistic about the program ahead.
“It’s a great group of kids. I enjoy working with them and I look forward to next year,” he said.
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