Soldotna wrestling celebrates senior night with dual victories

The Soldotna wrestling team hosted Kenai Central, Homer and Ninilchik for senior night Tuesday.

Coaches said the main purpose of the event was to honor Soldotna’s seniors and get the wrestlers more mat time as the state tournament looms just a month away.

“It’s all about getting mat time right now,” Homer head coach Bubba Wells said.

The only kink in the plan came due to illness.

Soldotna head coach Pete Dickinson said he had 12 wrestlers out of practice Monday. A few were able to make it back Tuesday, while a few more showed up ready to try and just couldn’t make it happen.

Nikiski was supposed to be at the meet and did not make it due to illness.

Wells said he had five kids out due to illness and two out due to injury. Kenai Central coach Jason Chavarria also said most of his varsity kids were out due to illness.

Dickinson said the important thing is seniors Jessica LeClair, Abigail Miller, Daisy Hannevold, Bella Byrd, Ryan Buchanan, Jacob Strausbaugh, Harold Rudstrom, Jackson Anding, Hunter Bras, Ryatt Weed, Braden Barnett and Trevor Michael were honored.

“It’s great to finish with so many seniors,” Dickinson said. “Last year and this year, I think we’ve had five or six different seniors that have come out as seniors for their first year.

“One thing I hope they get down to the underclassmen is, man, you’ve got to start this earlier. Every single one of them wishes they would have started earlier.”

In addition to honoring the seniors, Dickinson said the night doubles as appreciation for everyone that makes the program happen.

“Thank you to all the parents and thank you to all the coaches,” he said. “We really appreciate all the help, because we couldn’t do it without them.”

Mostly, the night was set up to get wrestlers matches, but there were two full dual meets and SoHi dominated both to the tune of 97-30 over Homer and 123-12 over Kenai.

Dickinson said he has 49 wrestlers out right now and they are performing well. He said the Stars had more in the finals than any other program at the Lancer Smith Memorial Tournament.

The coach said depth is the reason the boys and girls both finished third.

Wells also said the season is going really well. The Mariners boys were the second Division II team at Lancer Smith.

“We’re looking forward to taking regions, or hopefully taking regions, then being a competitor at state this year,” he said.

The coach said Seward has more top-end wrestlers, while the Mariners have more depth.

Wells said that depth could carry the Mariners at conference, but the depth of the conference could make it tough to get enough wrestlers to state to win that event.

“Keep an eye on us, because we’re building up,” the coach said. “Next year, we’re going to dominate.”

He said of 42 wrestlers, only five are seniors while while 12 are freshmen and 11 are sophomores.

Chavarria also said he’s looking for a strong finish with his 32 or 33 wrestlers. He said his team traditionally starts slow and flourishes late.

“I think it’s right around this time at midseason,” he said. “We have nine practices left before regions, and they start being like, we’ve got to start showing up to practice. We’ve got to do this. We’ve got to do that.

“So they start stepping it up, and that’s usually where we start seeing them start to do better and perform better.”

Most peninsula schools will have some representation at the Bad to the Bone Tournament in Seward this weekend. Soldotna also will be at the Colony Duals, while Homer will have wrestlers at the Bush Brawl at Kotzebue.

Soldotna 97, Homer 30

103 — Double forfeit; 112 — Luca Fitzpatrick, Hom, p. Aaron Granados, 1:25; 119 — Cyrus Placious, Sol, p. Maxwell Barker, 0:58; 125 — Ryan Buchanan, Sol, won by forfeit; 130 — Titus Watts, Sol, tf Jadon Weisser, 2:00; 135 — Carson Cobb, Sol, p. Daniel Kulikov, 1:16; 140 — Jacob Strausbaugh, Sol, tf Zayne Adams, 1:23; 145 — Paul Minke, Hom, p. Harold Rudstrom, 2:50; 152 — Ryatt Weed, Sol, p. Brayden Woods, 3:38; 160 — Hunter Bras, Sol, p. Brayden Woods, 3:38; 171 — Trevor Michael, Sol, p. Isaiah Mann, 2:58; 189 — Anthony Payne, Sol, p. Gaius Taylor, 3:02; 215 — Double forfeit; 285 — Shea Yatchmeneff, Hom, p. Calvin Lyman, 4:47; 100G — Naomi Keller, Sol, won by forfeit; 107G — Chevelle Lamb, Sol, won by forfeit; 114G — Valarie McAnelly, Sol, dec. Christabelle Minke, 10-7; 120G — Mia Hannevold, Sol, won by forfeit; 126G — Rowan Peck, Sol, won by forfeit; 132G — Saoirse Cook, Hom, won by forfeit; 138G — Ryan Alcorta, Hom, won by forfeit; 145G — Daisy Hannevold, Sol, won by forfeit; 152G — Bella Byrd, Sol, p. Kya Stokes, 1:52; 165G — double forfeit; 185G — Infinity-Ann Asiata-Higa, Sol, p. Araya Andres, 4:19; 235G — Double forfeit.

Soldotna 123, Kenai 12

103 — Double forfeit; 112 — Aaron Granados, Sol, won by forfeit; 119 — Cyrus Placious, Sol, p. Chase Johnson, 0:55; 125 — Ryan Buchanan, Sol, won by forfeit; 130 — Jace Gilliam, Sol, p. Kaiser DesOrmeaux, 1:41; 135 — Mason Bock, Sol, won by forfeit; 140 — Jacob Strausbaugh, Sol, tf Gunnar Stanley, 1:59; 145 — Harold Rudstrom, Sol, p. Schyler Johnson, 0:43; 152 — Ryatt Weed, Sol, won by forfeit; 160 — Hunter Bras, Sol, won by forfeit; 171 — Trevor Michael, Sol, p. Atlas Ruark, 1:08; 189 — Anthony Payne, Sol, p. Thaddeus Lingenfelter, 4:27; 215 — Aiden Petla, Ken, won by forfeit; 285 — Lochlyn Roney, Ken, won by forfeit; 100G — Naomi Keller, Sol, won by forfeit; 107G — Chevelle Lamb, Sol, won by forfeit; 114G — Valarie McAnelly, Sol, won by forfeit; 120G — Mia Hannevold, Sol, won by forfeit; 126G — Riley Epling, Sol, md Jadeyn Jacko, 20-11; 132G — Rowan Peck, Sol, won by forfeit; 138G — Double forfeit; 145G — Daisy Hannevold, Sol, won by forfeit; 152G — Carrisa Heitstuman, Sol, won by forfeit; 165G — Infinity-Ann Asiata-Haga, Sol, won by forfeit; 185G — Double forfeit; 235G — Double forfeit.

Other matches

Homer vs. Kenai

189 — Tristan Overholt, Hom, p. Neil King, 1:41; 189 — Alexander Van Meter, Hom, p. Jason Johnson, 5:18.

Kenai vs. Soldotna

130 — Jace Gilliam, Sol, tf Tattum Gutierrez, 4:10; 189 — Bryce Jolicoeur, Ken, p. Tomas Engler-Faavae, 0:23; 189 — Jason Johnson, Ken, md Riley Vacek, 14-4; 285 — Cecil Newcomb-Hammer, Ken, p. Calvin Lyman, 1:56.

Soldotna vs. Ninilchik

Jackson Anding, Sol, md Brandt Mill, 20-8; 145 — Eli Richards, Sol, p. Jack Witten, 0:47; 160 — Brandt Mill, Nin, p. Kodiak Upton, 3:19.

Soldotna vs. Homer

130 — Jace Gilliam, Sol, p. Eddie Uwekoolani IV, 3:44; 130 — Eddie Uwekoolani IV, Hom, tf Jaden Yeager, 4:00; 135 — Rod Stokes, Hom, p. Sam Fredrickson, 2;42; 135 — Mason Bock, Sol, p. Rod Stokes, 1:38; 135 — Eddie Uwekoolani IV, Hom, md Sam Fredrickson, 15-7; 140 — Mason Bock, Sol, p. Ty Gibby, 1:45; 189 — Tristan Overholt, Hom, p. Tomas Engler-Faavae, 0:22.