Skyview grapplers look to postseason

Stalking the school's fourth state 4A wrestling title, the Skyview Panthers feasted on the competition Saturday at the final dual meet of the season at Skyview High School.

The Panthers racked up impressive wins over Soldotna, Homer and Bartlett to cap a highly successful regular season that saw the Panthers drop just one dual meet all season.

"It was a good way to end our season," said Skyview head coach Neldon Gardner after his team finished up Saturday with a 51-16 shredding of Soldotna.

"I really feel good about it," Gardner said.

Skyview's only loss came at the hands of the Wasilla Warriors, who the Panthers also beat this season. With the Region III tournament coming up next weekend in Kodiak and state the following weekend the Panthers and Warriors appear to be on a collision course to determine who will walk away with the state title this year.

Gardner said he's happy with how his team looks going into next weekend, though he said he's actually more excited about the state meet, when overall numbers won't be as big a factor in determining the overall champion.

"I think regions are going to be a little tougher than state," he said, pointing out that the 1999 Panthers placed second at regions but came back to take the state title. "Wasilla might have us in numbers, but quality we're head-to-head with them."

The focus following Saturday's duals meet for Skyview will be to get healthy and prepared for the crucial final two weeks of the season.

"We'll have a couple medium practices and try to get healthy," he said.

With the way Skyview looked Saturday, a healthy Panther squad could be tough to beat. Skyview had seven wrestlers go undefeated Saturday, including 189-pounder Zach Rohr, who won all three of his matches by pin, and 215-pounder Jesse Grant, who had two pins. Also undefeated were Eli Hutchison at 119 pounds, Dallas Seavey at 130, Clark Buffington at 135, Zack Aragon at 140 and Jake Savely at 145.

"The whole team is looking real good," Gardner said.

Also looking good are a number of individual wrestlers from other peninsula schools. That includes a couple Kenai Kardinals, a team that's seen a tremendous amount of improvement through the course of the season. Kenai won its dual match with Homer, 26-24, and had a couple outstanding performances.

Kenai 135-pounder Billy Loosli went 3-0 on the day, including two pins and a forfeit, while Steven Fisher had a 2-1 record with a pin and technical fall.

Kenai Head Coach Tony Prior said his wrestlers are peaking at just the right time to make a splash at next week's tournament.

"This is a good time to do it," Prior said.

Most impressive for Prior is that all the hard work his squad's put in is finally starting to pay off.

"They're working real hard in practice, improving and that's what we need," he said.

Prior said he thinks there's a realistic chance that several of Kenai's grapplers can place in the top six at regions and move on to state.

"I'm hoping at least four of our guys can place and go on to state," he said.

The SoHi Stars will also be looking to send several individual performers to state as well. Leading the way will be heavyweight Sean Whitmore, who went 3-0 Saturday with a pin, technical fall and major decision. Also getting pins Saturday were 145-pounder Jeremy Goracke, 140-pounder Brandy Goracke, 152-pounder Johnny Howarth, 125-pounder Lawrence Kline and 112-pounder Jake Ciufo.

The Stars got team wins over Kenai and Bartlett Saturday, something Head Coach Jeff Breakfield is encouraging as his team heads towards next weekend's trip to Kodiak.

"Any time you can beat an Anchorage school, it's exciting," Breakfield said.

Breakfield said the key for Soldotna will be to go into regions well-prepared after a good week of practice.

"We've got to keep working hard in practice, and we'll see what happens Friday and Saturday."

Skyview 51, Soldotna 16

112 J. Ciufo, Sol, pin L. Morris, Sky, 1:27

119 E. Hutchison, Sky, pin A. Kline, Sol, 4:35

125 E. Gautier, Sky, pin L. Kline, Sol, 4:30

130 D. Seavey, Sky, pin S. Foster, Sol, 1:54

135 C. Buffington, Sky, pin Sp. Tachick, Sol, 2:40

140 Z. Aragon, Sky, def. Sh. Tachick, Sol, 10-5

145 Savely, Sky, def. J. Goracke, Sol, 4-2

152 J. Gorake, Sol, pin J. Carlon, Sky, 4:55

160 T. Wehrli, Sky, def. J. Howarth, Sol, 10-7

171 A. Silva, Sky, won by forfeit

189 Z. Rohr, Sky, pin T. Carlson, Sol, 1:03

215 J. Grant, Sky, pin J. Gomez, Sol, :41

HWT S. Whitmore, Sol, maj. dec. J. Morse, Sky, 19-5

Skyview 53, Homer 15

112 S. Daigle, Hom, pin L. Morse, Sky, 3:38

119 E. Hutchison, Sky, won by forfeit

125 L. Greiner, Hom, def. E. Gautier, Sky, 5-4

130 D. Seavey, Sky, won by forfeit

135 C. Buffington, Sky, won by forfeit

140 Z. Aragon, Sky, won by forfeit

145 Savely, Sky, won by forfeit

152 J. Carlon, Sky, tech. fall J. Murphy, Hom, 16-0

160 T. Wehrli, Sky, won by forfeit

171 A. Hediger, Hom, def. A. Silva, Sky, 6-5

189 Z. Rohr, Sky, pin D. Turner, Hom, :26

215 J. Grant, Sky, won by forfeit

HWT J. Weaver, Hom, def J. Morse, Sky, 5-4

Skyview 65, Bartlett 6

112 L. Morse, Sky, pin A. Collazoz, Bar, :18

119 E. Hutchison, Sky, won by forfeit

125 E. Gautier, Sky, pin A. Pugh, Bar, 4:39

130 D. Seavey, Sky, tech. fall E. Rector, Bar, 17-2

135 C. Buffington, Sky, won by forfeit

140 Z. Aragon, Sky, won by forfeit

145 Savely, Sky, won by forfeit

152 D. Labaron, Bar, def. J. Carlon, Sky, 15-10

160 J. Herron, Bar, def. T. Wehrli, Sky, 12-4

171 A. Silva, Sky, pin R. Kamrovski, Bar, 3:05

189 Z. Rohr, Sky, pin J. Hessock, Bar, 3:07

215 J. Grant, Sky, pin L. Thomas, Bar, 1:15

HWT J. Morse, Sky, won by forfeit

Bartlett 39, Kenai 24

103 A. Collazoz, Bar, won by forfeit

119 K. Tozer, Bar, won by forfeit

125 S. Fisher, Ken, pin A. Pugh, Bar, 5:08

135 B. Loosli, Ken pin E. Rector, Bar, 1:22

140 Carlito O'Dell, Ken, won by forfeit

152 Bancroft, Bar, pin M. Dormady, Ken, 1:14

160 LaBaron, Bar, won by forfeit

171 B. Douglas, Bar, won by forfeit

189 J. Hessock, Bar, won by forfeit

215 C. Benson, Bar, def. K. Walters, Ken, 15-11

HWT M. Canavan, Ken, pin L. Thomas, Bar

Soldotna 39, Bartlett 24

112 J. Ciufo, Sol, pin A. Colla, Bar, 2:47

119 K. Tozer, Bar, pin A. Kline, Sol, 3:37

125 L. Kline, Sol, pin Duvall, Bar, 5:08

130 S. Foster, Sol, pin Pugh, Bar, 2:51

135 Sp. Tachick, Sol, tech. fall Rector, Bar, 16-0

140 Sh. Tachick, Sol, won by forfeit

145 B. Goracke, Sol, maj. dec. J. Cline, Bar, 14-3

152 Bancroft, Bar, injury forfeit Kauffman, Sol

160 LeBaron, Bar, def. Howarth, Sol, 6-3

171 B. Douglas, Bar, won by forfeit

189 D. Ikiikipi, Bar, def T. Carlson, Sol, 12-6

215 J. Gomez, Sol, pin Benson, Bar, 1:39

HWT S. Whitmore, Sol, pin Thomas, Bar, :33

Bartlett 36, Homer 12

112 S. Daigle, Hom, pin A. Colla, Bar, 3:47

119 K. Dozer, Bar, won by forfeit

125 L. Grainer, Hom, pin A. Pugh, Bar, :35

130 E. Rector, Bar, won by forfeit

145 J. Kline, Bar, pin J. Murphy, Hom, 1:49

152 C. Bancroft, Bar, won by forfeit

160 Parker, Bar, won by forfeit

171 A. Hediger, Hom, pin J. Collins, Bar, 2:14

189 J. Hessock, Bar, pin D. Turner, Hom, :22

215 Benson, Bar, won by forfeit

HWT J. Weaver, Hom, pin L. Thomas, Bar, :33

Soldotna 53, Kenai 11

112 J. Ciufo, Sol, won by forfeit

119 A. Kline, Sol, won by forfeit

125 S. Fisher, Ken, tech. fall L. Kline, Sol, 16-0

130 S. Foster, Sol, won by forfeit

135 B. Loosli, Ken, pin Sp. Tachick, Sol, 1:02

140 B. Goracke, Sol, pin C. O'Dell, Ken, 3:45

145 M. Kauffman, Sol, won by forfeit

152 J. Howarth, Sol, pin M. Dormady, Ken, 1:48

189 T. Carlson, Sol, won by forfeit

215 J. Gomez, Sol, pin K. Walters, Ken, 1:11

HWT S. Whitmore, Sol, tech. fall M. Canavan, Ken, 20-3

Kenai 26, Homer 24

112 S. Daigle, Hom, won by forfeit

125 S. Fisher, Ken, pin L. Greiner, Hom, 5:24

135 B. Loosli, Ken, won by forfeit

145 C. O'Dell, Ken, pin J. Murphy, Hom, 3:47

152 M. Dormady, Ken, won by forfeit

171 A. Hediger, Hom, won by forfeit

189 D. Turner, Hom, won by forfeit

215 K. Walters, Ken, won by forfeit

HWT M. Canavan, Ken, def. J. Weaver, Hom, 10-8

SOLDOTNA 47, HOMER 18

Soldotna's Jeremy Kaufman, Sean Whitmore and Jose Gomez each recorded pins to lead the Stars to a 47-18 dual meet win over Homer Friday in Homer. The Mariners actually won four of the seven matches wrestled Friday, but five forfeits in Soldotna's favor enabled the Stars to easily win the meet.

The Stars got pins from Jeremy Kauffman, Jose Gomez and Sean Whitmore in the victory, while Homer picked up falls from Simeon Daigle, Monte Garroute and Adam Hediger.

At Homer

Friday

112 Simeon Daigle, Hom, maj. Dec. Jake Cuifo, Sol, 11-1

119 Anthony Kline, Sol, won by forfeit

125 Lauden Greiner, Hom, def. Eric Morris, Sol, 8-2

130 Scott Foster, Sol, won by forfeit

135 Monte Garroute, Hom, pin Spence Tachick, Sol, 3:02

140 Brandy Goracke, Sol, won by forfeit

145 Jeremy Kauffman, Sol, pin Jude Murphy, Hom, :51

152 Jake Howarth, Sol, won by forfeit

160 Ben Breakfield, Sol, won by forfeit

189 Adam Hediger, Hom, pin Terrance Carlson, Sol, 3:59

215 Jose Gomez, Sol, pin Dan Turner, Hom, :56

HWT Sean Whitmore pin Jared Weaver, Hom, 2:50