By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
A signature night for Mt. Edgecumbe High’s senior wrestlers on Thursday in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium was a precursor to the action that will be repeated tonight and Saturday across the bridge at Sitka High School.
After preliminary matches on side-by-side mats the MEHS men’s and women’s wrestling teams honored nine senior grapplers.
“This is always the happiest and the saddest day of the season,” Mt. Edgecumbe coach Mike Kimber said. “We celebrate the kids, and we say goodbye.”
Each senior was feted with balloons and words from coach Kimber.
Entering to their own musical choices they were next featured in a single-mat contest in front of two bleacher sections of fans.
Senior managers MacKenzie Smith (Anniak) and Lila Itta-Tomas (Barrow), walking in to “All I want for Christmas is you” (Mariah Carey), faced off at center mat first, shook hands, and waved to the crowd in a scoreless, and timeless, draw.
At 119 pounds Chuxilao Li (Kunming, China) entered to “Du Hast” by Rammestein.
Li would go down by pin to Petersburg’s Josh Coonrad at 1:29 of the second period.
At 135 pounds Ethan Sergie (Nunapitchuk) entered to “Jumpman” by Instrumental King.
Sergie defeated Sitka sophomore Hunter Johnson 8-0. Sergie started the match a point ahead after being awarded a penalty point due to a lacing issue on Johnson’s shoe. Sergie added a takedown in the first period and the two grapplers battled even in the second before Sergie earned a takedown and a near fall in the third.
At 145 pounds Nelson Jackson (Kwethluk) entered to “Bad Moon Rising” by Credence Clearwater Revival.
Jackson pinned junior teammate Lucas Arnold (Sitka) with 31 seconds left in the first period.
At 145 pounds Leon Evon (Bethel) entered to R.I.C.O., an instrumental version by InstaTrax.
Evon and Sitka senior JD Gagner previewed not only this weekend’s pending action, but also what the final state championships round could look like. Evon earned an early takedown in period one. Gagner started down in period two and escaped. Evon earned another takedown and Gagner another escape to enter the final period with Evon up 4-2. Starting on the bottom in the final stanza Evon escaped for a 5-2 lead but Gagner earned a takedown to pull within 5-4. Evon escaped for a 6-4 advantage and staved off multiple attacks as time ran out.
“I expected it to be a tough one,” Evon said. “I wrestled him the last two years. It’s been fun. He is always a fun person to wrestle. He is very technical. He has great conditioning. I just had to step up my game more than he did.”
At one point Gagner had a leg hold and the two grapplers drew a gasp from the crowd as they rolled into and out of multiple vantages with Evon earning the upper hand.
“I have been practicing that all year,” he said. “I don’t know what it’s called, maybe the Leon? It was exciting tonight but I was more focused on the match rather than the crowd.”
Sitka senior Jacob Gagner defends a takedown attempt by Mt. Edgecumbe
senior Leon Evon during their match on Thursday at B.J. McGillis
Gymnasium. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
At 145 pounds Jaclyn Kernak (Bethel) entered to “Back in Black” by ACDC.
Kernak led sophomore teammate Bernadette John (Newtok)10-1 in the second period before winning by pin.
At 145 pounds Brystel Charlie (Kwethluk) entered to “Gangster’s Paradise” by Coolio.
Charlie scored a quick takedown of Petersburg’s Jaden Perry and won by pin with 1:19 remaining in the first period.
At 152 pounds Josh DeAsis (Juneau) entered to “Still DRE,” an instrumental by Dr Dre.
DeAsis showcased another possible region and state finals showdown in a 7-4 win over Sitka junior Trenton Hammock. DeAsis led 2-0 after one period. Hammock started down in period two and reversed to tie the score. DeAsis escaped and scored another takedown for a 5-2 advantage starting the final stanza. The two swapped takedowns in the final two minutes. It was DeAsis’ first win over Hammock in two years.
“It was a long way back since we were wrestling,” he said. “The end of our freshman year I think. It closed on a loss. This year when I first wrestled him I lost. I was determined tonight and felt pretty confidant. It was definitely a match. It’s going to continue to be a challenge with him through regionals. It is going to be fun. I still need to work on finishing matches.”
At 160 pounds Alex Andrews (St. Michael) entered to “Thunderstruck” by ACDC.
Andrews seemed to be in control of Sitka senior Wayne Young with a 5-2 lead entering the second period and building that to a 9-3 advantage before Young escaped and then pinned Andrews with 30 seconds remaining in that stanza.
At 171 pounds Jay Dihn (Dutch Harbor) also entered to “Still DRE.”
Dihn scored a takedown and near fall on Sitka junior Kyle Remington in the first period and earned a pin at 1:43 of the second stanza.
“I told the kids that everybody did something well,” Coach Kimber said. “And they all did. Now we just have to continue it this weekend.”
The Sitka Wolves will host a tournament today, beginning at 5 p.m., and Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m., featuring Mt. Edgecumbe, Haines, Hydaburg, Juneau, Metlakatla, Petersburg, Thorne Bay, and Wrangell.
Thursday Preliminary Match Results:
160 pounds - Sitka junior Sid Flemming pinned Petersburg’s Kole Sperl at 1:08 of the second period.
160 - PHS’ Adam Ware pinned SHS junior Thomas Bailey, 1:08 second period.
171 - PHS’ Koren Sperl pinned MEHS freshman Mikey Casey (Sitka), 1:24 second period.
125 - PHS’ Ruby Massin pinned MEHS junior Maliyah Moultrie (Bethel), first period.
119 - MEHS sophomore Ethan Cooke (Bethel) defeated SHS freshman Chatham Clarke.
215 - SHS sophomore Hunter Littlefield pinned MEHS sophomore Jeffery Adams (Mentasta Lake), third period.
285 - MEHS sophomore Arthur Heckman (St. Marys) defeated SHS freshman Alex Johnson.
112 - MEHS sophomore Robert Deason (Anchorage) defeated SHS freshman Chandler Coonradt 6-1.
189 - MEHS sophomore Natasha Merlino (Koliganek) pinned MEHS junior Amaiah Kroto (Glennallen), 1:27 first period.
145 - MEHS sophomore Anya Pingayak (Chevak) pinned PHS’ Jaden Perry, 34.6 first period.
125 - PHS’ Ruby Massin pinned MEHS junior Heather Kozloff (St. Paul Island), 1:03 first period.
160 - PHS Kole Sperl vs. SHS senior Reilly Holden, score unavailable.
189 - MEHS sophomore Alexis Evon (Bethel) defeated MEHS freshman Hailee Wallace (Kodiak).
125 - MEHS sophomore Dahlia Berns (Old Harbor) defeated MEHS junior Crystal Moses (Nome).
235 - MEHS junior Maggie Miller (Nome) defeated MEHS sophomore Tryston Macar (Crooked Creek).
125 - PHS’ Reed Anderson defeated MEHS sophomore Trey Dock (Anchorage).
112 - SHS freshman Colton Ewers defeated MEHS sophomore Dayton Hoblet (False Pass), 6-4.
215 - SHS Junior John Welsh defeated SHS junior Max Johnson 12-6.
The Mt. Edgecumbe High School senior wrestlers pose prior to their celebratory matches at the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium on Thursday. FROM LEFT - Lila Itta-Tomas (Barrow), MacKenzie Smith (Anniak), Jay Dihn (Dutch Harbor), Alex Andrews (St. Michael), Josh DeAsis (Juneau), Brystel Charlie (Kwethluk), Jaclyn Kernak (Bethel), Leon Evon (Bethel), Nelson Jackson (Kwethluk), Ethan Sergie (Nunapitchuk), and Chuxiao Li (Kunming, China). The final matches of the season are today, beginning at 5 p.m. and Saturday, beginning at 10:30 a.m., at Sitka High School as the Wolves host Mt. Edgecumbe, Haines, Hydaburg, Juneau, Metlakatla, Petersburg, Thorne Bay and Wrangell. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
