by Greg Lincoln
The 2022 Wrestling State Champions for high school boys and girls teams is concluded and new state champions have been crowned. The State wrestling finals took place last Friday and Saturday at the Alaska Airlines Center featuring Division I and II boys and girls athletes from all over the state.
The Alaska School Activities Association hosted the state wrestling championships.
Athletes from Akiachak, Anchorage Christian Schools, Barrow, Bethel, Craig, Delta, Dillingham, Glennallen, Grace Christian, Eielson, Haines, Homer, Hutchison, Kenai, Koliganek, Kotlik, Kotzebue, Metlakatla, Mt. Edgecumbe, Nikiski, New Stuyahok, AK, Nome, Nunapitchuk, Petersburg, Quinhagak, Redington, Seward, Scammon Bay, Sitka High School, Wrangell Wolves, and Valdez competed at the event for a chance to stand on the podium and to win team awards.
Winning a gold medal and the state title was Tristan Goodell of Koliganek. He wrestled in the 125 lbs. division. He beat Jack Stockhausen of Glennallen. Placing 5th in the same bracket was Elston Dock representing Mt. Edgecumbe High School.
103 lbs. wrestler Jason Ekamrak of Akiachak battled for the top spot against Jaxson Young of Kenai. Ekamrak placed second overall. Brendon Brown of Quinhagak took 6th place in the same weight class.
Alvino Vasquez of the Bethel Warriors also took second place in the 112 lbs. weight class.
Also taking third place was Quinhagak’s Daylon Brown, wrestling in the 119 lbs. division.
In the 130 weight class Paul Dyment of the Bethel Warriors placed second. Myles Campbell of Redington won first place.
Bethel Warrior Patricio Vasquez placed 4th in the 140 lbs. weight bracket. Deshawn Nick of Nunapitchuk finished in the 6th position for the same division.
Also placing second for the Nunapitchuk Wolves was Garrett Nicholai. He wrestled in the 145 lbs. weight division. Thomas Swalling of Redington took first in the contest. Also wrestling in the same bracket was Torian Dull of Napakiak representing the Mt. Edgecumbe High Braves, he finished in 4th overall. Bethel Warrior Jonathan Oscar took 6th place.
Scammon Bay’s Adrien Kopanuk placed third in his weight class, 160 lbs.
2022 Boys State Qualifying Wrestlers
103
Brendon Brown, Quinhagak
Jason Ekamrak, Akiachak
112
Ernest Smith, Hooper Bay
Julian Sebastian, Bethel
Alvinio Vasquez, Bethel
Troy Morgan, Aniak
Drini Pellumbi, Bethel
Shiah Rivers, Mt. Edgecumbe
119
Sheldon Smith, Bethel
Daylon Brown, Quinhagak
Evan Andrew, Mt. Edgecumbe
125
Cutler Matthew, Quinhagak
Princeton Mike, Kotlik
Kenyon Southall, Brevig Mission
Elston Dock, Mt. Edgecumbe
130
Paul Dyment, Bethel
Ace Hill, Chevak
135
Aaron Mute, Bethel
Jerritt Nicholai, Quinhagak
140
Deshawn Nick, Nunapitchuk
Ian Chayalkun, Chevak
Cassius Sundown, Scammon Bay
Patricio Vasquez, Bethel
Shawn McIntyre, Bethel
145
Liam Pingayak-Green, Chevak
Jonathan Oscar, Bethel
Garrett Nicholai, Nunapitchuk
Torian Dull, Mt. Edgecumbe
152
Talan Charles, Akiachak
Ellis Johnson, Bethel
Avron Atchak, Chevak
Dalton Buffas, Mt. Edgecumbe
160
Aiden George, Mt. Village
Mason Fitka, Bethel
Adrien Kopanuk, Scammon Bay
171
Richard Didrickson, Mt. Edgecumbe
Greg Larson, Napaskiak
Cameron Tai, St. Mary’s
189
Landon Burke, Bethel
Jacob Carmichael, Napaskiak
215
Zahcory Jacobs-McDonald, Bethel
285
Ethan Alstrom, St. Mary’s
Edwin Solomon, Mt. Edgecumbe
State Wrestling Boys Tournament Results
Division II, Dec. 16-17, 2022
103
1st Jaxson Young, Kenai Central
2nd Jason Ekamrak, Akiachak
3rd Hayden Jimenez, Haines
4th Ryley Young, Dillingham
5th Young Erikson, Nome
6th Brendon Brown, Quinhagak
112
1st Aidan Schilling, Seward
2nd Alvino Vasquez, Bethel
3rd Dylan McCambly, Dillingham
4th Caleb Metcalf, Redington
5th Gusty Tunguing IV, Koliganek School
6th Marquay DeLaCruz, Kotzebue
119
1st Hunter Forshee-Kurtz, Seward
2nd Oran Brown, Delta
3rd Daylon Brown, Quinhagak
4th Tristian Tilden, Dillingham
5th Maximus Gust, New Stuyahok
6th Cache Henning, Unalaska
125
1st Tristan Goodell, Koliganek School
2nd Jake Stockhausen, Glennallen
3rd Kyler Matteson, Eielson
4th Payton Metcalf, Redington
5th Elston Dock, Mt. Edgecumbe
6th Sean Mokiyuk, Savoonga
130
1st Myles Campbell, Redington
2nd Paul Dyment, Bethel
3rd Daniel Steffensen, Kenai Central
4th Garrett Coen, Delta
5th Steven Barger, Kotzebue
6th Chase Huffman, Dillingham
135
1st Owen Whicker, Kenai Central
2nd Colton Merriner, Grace Christian School
3rd Nico Mesa, Eielson
4th Evander Elixman, Sitka
5th Aidan LaSelle, Redington
6th Oscar Mangrobang, Mt. Edgecumbe
140
1st Russell Nyvall, Homer Mariners
2nd Josh Paulson, Grace Christian School
3rd Reymond Perez, Kenai Central
4th Patricio Vasquez, Bethel
5th Jayden Stone, Glennallen
6th Deshawn Nick, Anna Tobeluk Memorial School
145
1st Thomas Swalling, Redington
2nd Garrett Nicholai, Anna Tobeluk Memorial School
3rd Frank St. Denis, Nikiski
4th Torian Dull, Mt. Edgecumbe
5th Kaden Duke, Petersburg
6th Jonathan Oscar, Bethel
152
1st Andrew Gaethle, Kenai Central
2nd Leo Wald, Haines
3rd Wyatt Litster, Petersburg
4th Dalen Beck, Valdez
5th Geremu Daggett, Grace Christian School
6th Duke McGuffey, Nome
160
1st Randy Churchill, Wrangell Wolves
2nd Jason Young, Sitka
3rd Adrien Kopanuk, Scammon Bay
4th Jonas Anderson, Petersburg
5th Sam Yerkes, Nikiski
6th Ethan Vollema, Glennallen
171
1st Ethan Blatchley, Wrangell Wolves
2nd Wyatt Milnes, Redington
3rd Donovan Koba, Delta
4th Mckennan Mayer, Valdez
5th Richard Didrickson, Mt. Edgecumbe
6th Silas Ferguson, Sitka
189
1st Steven Warren, Delta
2nd Stephen Scott, Anchorage Christian Schools
3rd Aiden Ojala, Sitka
4th Bryant Holloway, Craig
5th Devin Fields, Kotzebue
6th Gavin Stoddard, Grace Christian School
215
1st Kyle Biggers, Petersburg
2nd Benjamin Kaui, Barrow
3rd Lucas Marvin, Nome
4th Jonathan Patterson, Eielson
5th Francisco Sanchez, Seward
6th Justus Spaulding, Redington
285
1st Uatahouse Tuifua, Barrow
2nd Mayaac Schmit, Nikiski
3rd Timmy Gammett, Kotzebue
4th Cameron Gaube, Metlakatla
5th Richard Bernal, Redington
6th Graham Granger, Redington
Division II Boys Team Results
1 Redington, 172.5; 2 Kenai Central, 118.5; 3 Bethel High School, 100.0; 4 Petersburg, 90.0; 5 Delta, 86.0; 6 Dillingham, 83.0; 7 Eielson, 80.0; 8 Mt. Edgecumbe, 72.0; 9 Grace Christian, 71.0; 10 Sitka, 68.5; 11 Wrangell, 68.0; 12 Seward, 67.5; 13 Nikiski, 65.0; 14 Kotzebue, 63.5; 15 Nome, 56.5; 16 Haines, 56.0; 17 Barrow, 53.0; 18 Valdez, 48.5; 19 Glennallen, 42.0; 20 Koliganek, 41.0; 21 Homer, 37.0; 22 Nunapitchuk, 33.0; 22 Quinhagak, 33.0; 24 Anchorage Christian Schools, 24.0; 25 Scammon Bay, 23.5; 26 Akiachak, 22.0; 27 Craig, 18.0; 28 Metlakatla, 16.0.
