The South Wolverines claimed a dramatic victory late in the championship round to pull away from Soldotna and capture the tea title at the Grace Grizzly Shakedown, their third big tournament win of the season.
South won two of the final four matches, including a pivotal one against Soldotna, to take the team title with 246 points.
Soldotna was next with 237.5 points, followed by Colony (170), Palmer (144) and Seward (116.5). The two-day tournament at Anchorage’s Grace Christian School attracted 29 teams from across Alaska.
The South-Soldotna battle for team bragging rights was close throughout the night. Five of the 12 championship bouts were South-versus-Soldotna affairs, and Soldotna won three of the first four to lead South by two points, 237.5 to 235.5, after Soldotna’s Trevor Michael pinned South’s Zane Gerlach in the 152-pound final.
Those were Soldotna’s final points, however.
At 171 pounds, South’s Roth Powers fended off Soldotna’s Collin Peck for a 3-2 decision, putting the Wolverines in the team lead, 240 points to 237.5.
Soldotna had no shot at points after that, because the Stars didn’t have anyone still alive at 189, 215 or 285 pounds.
South boasted both finalists at 285, allowing the Wolverines to cement their team victory by adding six points on Chris Strawderman’s win by forfeit over teammate Tanner Meding.
The title was the third big-tournament championship of the season for the Wolverines, who also won the Lancer Smith Memorial tournament in Wasilla and the Bethel Invitational. Next up is the Cook Inlet Conference championships, which the Wolverines will host Saturday.
In the night’s other showdowns between South and Soldotna, Soldotna took wins at 112 pounds, where Carson Cobb decisioned Benson Mishler 11-4, and at 125 pounds, where Jacob Strausbaugh stopped Jacob Morris 10-6. South prevailed in the 119-pound showdown with Anan Siackhasone’s 6-2 decision over Titus Wells.
South had a meet-high four individual champs in the boys division. Clayton McGuire won the 145-pound title to join Powers, Slackhasone and Strawderman in the winners’ circle.
Colony matched Soldotna’s three individual winners. Noah Justice (103), Matthew Mitchell (135) and Luke Roderick (160) all nabbed titles for the Knights.
Other crowns went to East’s Kenton Cooke (140), Palmer’s Kaelin Vesel (189) and Kodiak’s Kavik Skonberg (215).
In the girls division, Colony produced three champions, and Soldotna and Homer had two apiece.
Colony’s winners were Grace Loutzenhiser at 100 pounds, Amelia Fawcett at 145 and Aspen Kelly at 152.
Valarie McAnelly (107) and Angelina Chavarria (114) took home titles for Soldotna, and Saoirse Cook (126) and Roane Cook (185) triumphed for Homer.
Other champions were Newhalen’s Pagan Lester, who pinned all three of her opponents to prevail at 120 pounds; East’s Heavan Copeland (132), Chugiak’s Annika Johnson (138), South’s Jessailah Thammavongsa (165) and Palmer’s Noelle Beck (235).