By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Mt. Edgecumbe High School Braves men’s and women’s wrestling teams will celebrate their senior wrestlers at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium.
Mt. Edgecumbe will have weigh-ins at 4 p.m. followed by some preliminary matches. After the 6 p.m. senior honors presentation, the senior wrestlers will be featured in matches.
The Sitka Sentinel caught up to the MEHS senior grapplers at a recent practice and they shared some of their favorite things.
Senior members of the Mt. Edgecumbe High School men’s and women’s wrestling teams form a grappling circle at a recent practice. From top center are Nelson Jackson, Brystel Charlie, Leon Evon, Josh DeAsis, Jay Dinh, Ethan Sergie, Alex Andrews and Chuxio Li. The team will honor the senior grapplers during a match on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the B.J. McGillis Gymnasium. (Sentinel Photos by Klas Stolpe)
MacKenzie Smith. Head manager. Hometown - Anniak. Favorite food - Mango. Favorite book - “The Storyteller” (Jodi Picoult). Favorite movie - “Twilight.” Hobbies - I read a lot. I am always in the gym. I hang out with my best friend Leah Kanoff a lot. Nickname - Coach Kimber gave me the nickname Shelby because one of my cousins came here before me and apparently I look a lot like her, when I really don’t, and that’s what he calls me. Wrestling memory - When we went to Regions last year we all spent three days together on the ferry and it was pretty cool. We got to bond a lot. Coach’s comment - MacKenzie is the boss. She runs the day-to-day things that need to happen for practice and preparation for travel. Every coach should get the chance to have a great lead manager like her once.
AT RIGHT, Mt. Edgecumbe wrestling head manager Mackenzie Smith prepares tape for practice. Coach Mike Kimber said Smith has been an invaluable part of the team’s preparations for practices and matches. (Sentinel Photos by Klas Stolpe)
Laila Itta-Tomas. Assistant manager. Hometown - Barrow. Favorite food - Pancit. Favorite book - “Paper Towns” (John Green). Favorite movie - “Coco.” Hobbies - Driving around and spending time with my family. Nickname - n/a. Wrestling memory - Watching Jaclyn (senior Jaclyn Kernak) run with cups full of water during the bucket game, spilling all over the place and slipping. Coach’s comment - She is a new manager this year. She has been a great addition to the team. She has a great smile that can light up a room.
Alex Andrews. Hometown - St. Michael. Weight class - 152. Favorite food - Maybe some reindeer or bird soup. Favorite book - “Fifty Miles From Tomorrow” (Willie Hensley). Favorite movie - “Avengers: Infinity War.” Hobbies - I like to wrestle, go hunting, boating. Hunting for subsistence foods like reindeer, birds, seals, quails when they come around. Nickname - Al. Wrestling memory - Going to a tournament, my brother Anthony James and I both placed first. Coach’s comment - Seriously one of the most respectful individuals that I have ever met and had the privilege of working with. He is the first to volunteer and the last to leave. His character will carry him far.
Brystel Charlie. Hometown - Kwethluk. Weight class - 135. Favorite food - Shrimp fried rice. Favorite book - “The Fault In Our Stars” (John Green). Favorite movie - “The Greatest Showman.” Hobbies - I like playing basketball, and I like being outdoors. Nickname - They call me “Brys Brys.” Wrestling memory - Being in the state finals, yeah, the state finals. Coach’s comment - An intense competitor on the mat, the gym floor, and the classroom. A ton of integrity and makes her teammates better people.
Joshua Deasis. Hometown - Juneau. Weight class - 152. Favorite food - I have a lot of favorite food. Here in Sitka I really like mongolian beef. Meat and rice is my favorite. Favorite book - “The Things They Carried” (Tim O’Brien). Favorite movie - “The Hitman’s Bodyguard.” Hobbies - I like playing sports, like baseball, I like being outside too. Nickname - A lot of people call me Joshy Boshy or Bosh. Wrestling memory - Being able to wrestle with my brother Antonio my freshman year when he was a senior. I really liked that. Coach’s comment - An extremely hard worker. He is a super positive guy who supports his team. Win or lose, you know that he will give it 100-percent every time he steps on the mat. (P.S. His nickname is Guido, because he looks like the guys from Jersey Shore).
Jay Dihn. Hometown - Dutch Harbor. Weight class - 171. Favorite food - Sushi. Favorite book - “The Alchemist” (Paulo Coelho). Favorite movie - “Interstellar.” Hobbies - I like playing basketball. Nickname - Dinty Moore. Wrestling memory - This year going to the Anchorage Christian School Tournament with all my friends, that was fun. Coach’s comment - He came back to wrestling after a couple of years away from the sport. We’re happy that he’s back. He has a positive attitude and is a pleasure to hang out with.
Leon Evon. Hometown - Bethel. Weight class - 145. Favorite food - Sushi, I love sushi. Favorite book - “Hatchet” (Gary Paulsen). Favorite movie - “The Polar Express.” Hobbies - I love fly fishing. Nickname - I do not. Wrestling memory - When I won the Southeast Regions my freshman year against the number one seed. Coach’s comment - I can’t say enough about this guy. He’s the reason people become coaches. He makes me want to be a better coach. He and junior Lloydy Ayojiak are the heart and soul of the boys team.
Nelson Jackson. Hometown - Kwethluk. Weight class - 145. Favorite food - Moose soup. Favorite book - “Hatchet” (Gary Paulsen). Favorite movie - “Junkyard Dogs.” Hobbies - Hunting, playing games. I hunt birds, caribou, moose, and beaver. Nickname - Mookie, a combination of my older brothers Kenneth and Moses. Wrestling memory - Going to the state wrestling tournament my sophomore year. Coach’s comment - A super nice guy. We are glad to have him back for his senior year. He is quiet, but you can see him work hard.
Jaclyn Kernak. Hometown - Bethel. Weight class - 160. Favorite food - Panipopo. Favorite book - n/a. Favorite movie - “Moana.” Hobbies - Spending time with family and friends. Nickname - Kernel Corn. Wrestling memory - When we traveled to Juneau and Alaina (sophomore Alaina Pete) stayed up with me to cut weight. Coach’s comment - I really wish she would have wrestled sooner. She is a hard worker.
Chuxiao Li. Hometown - Kunming, China, the south part of which is very close to Vietnam. Weight class - 119. Favorite food - Steak. Favorite book - “The Kite Runner” (Khaled Hosseini), “The Old Man And The Sea” (Ernest Hemingway). Favorite movie - “La La Land.” Hobbies - I love playing guitar. Nickname - Fez, this is my nickname on the team. Wrestling memory - My first takedown in a match. Once in Petersburg. That was my first travel trip. Coach’s comment - It’s been great having him on the team. He is our first exchange student to wrestle in school history.
Ethan Sergie. Hometown - Nunapitchuk. Weight class - 135. Favorite food - I have to say pizza. Favorite book - “The Trap” (Melanie Raabe). Favorite movie - “Incredibles 2.” Hobbies - Hunting, a lot of hunting. I hunt ducks, game, moose, anything at home. Nickname - When I was younger they used to call me E-trey, in elementary. Wrestling memory - That was in Wrangell when we went to a morning place, a restaurant, and I was barely up so the waitress asked me how I wanted my eggs and I answered “cooked.” Coach’s comment - A very hard worker who has come a long way. He is a great friend to his teammates.
