The visiting South wrestling team defeated Soldotna 47-18 on Friday night in a high-powered, feature dual meet not often seen in Alaska.
“Duals down in the states are still a big thing with league duals and conference duals,” Soldotna assistant coach Phil Leck said. “We dual some of our local teams, but it was really nice to bring down a big school and put our boys to the test.
“They hit us in the chin tonight.”
There are no official state rankings, but Leck said the Wolverines, the defending Division I state champions, are currently the top team in the state.
He said Soldotna, the Student Wrestler Development Program out of Fairbanks and Colony are in the next tier of teams.
“We just wanted to put together a really good dual,” Leck said. “Last year, I tried to get South on the hook but we just couldn’t work out the details.
“This year, we were able to make it work. Next year, we’ll go up and dual them at their place.”
South head coach Randy Hanson said there’s a reason the Wolverines drove down from Anchorage for less than two hours of wrestling.
“It’s fun. It’s different,” he said. “I wish we could do this more. I wish there was more teams out there that promoted duals because it’s an atmosphere that fans and kids like.”
Factors such as a short season with few available dates and big distances between schools tend to work against duals in Alaska.
There is also much to recommend the format.
“It’s not 12 hours in the gym to wait for your kid to wrestle once or twice,” Hanson said. “It starts at 6 p.m. and it’s done at 7:30.
“You get all the South kids or all the Soldotna kids or whatever team you’re cheering for in front of you for 14 straight matches. So just like other sports, it’s easier to consume.”
Hanson also said a tough dual is a valuable experience for wrestlers.
“The crowd was rooting against us,” he said. “We knew that coming in. I told the kids it’s an opportunity to just kind of practice that focus and emotional control, because that’s what you need in big matches.”
The best example of that was South’s Dylan Frawner at 103 pounds. SoHi’s Sam Strouse got back points to tie the match with 47 seconds left in the third period.
Frawner registered a takedown with 2 seconds left for the 9-7 decision in a matchup of two of the top wrestlers in the 103 weight class.
“We talk all the time about executing in the third period under stress and exhaustion, just being able to execute your technique,” Hanson said. “And he did that. It was a huge energy boost for the team.
“That kids just works his butt off every day. And he’s just a freshman.”
In the opener of the dual at 171, South’s Roth Powers got a 5-2 decision over Bowen Korth. Hanson said the two are at the top of the 171 weight class and Powers has defeated Korth in three close matches this season.
“That kind of started our momentum,” Hanson said. “It was an awesome starter.”
The South coach also said Clayton McGuire at 145, Zane Gerlach at 152 and Aaron Concepcion at 160 finished the dual with victories to all remain undefeated.
“I think that’s the best trio in the state,” Hanson said.
South also received pins from Hayden Martin at 215, Chris Strawderman at 285, Benson Mishler at 112 and Levi Shivers at 130. Jacob Morris had a major decision at 125.
“The kids wrestled hard,” Leck said. “We lost some matches that we were hoping would go the other way.
“They’re well coached. They wrestled fundamentally sound. We’ve got some work to do.”
Leck said Collin Peck was able to get a decision at 189 despite weighing in at only 168.
The coach also liked the way freshman Titus Watts looked in getting a technical fall at 119.
“There’s really no official rankings, but the wrestling community knows who Titus is,” Leck said. “He’s going to turn some heads.”
Leck also said Jacob Strausbaugh, at 135, and Michael Dickinson, at 140, looked solid in getting technical falls.
Friday
Wolverines 47, Stars 18
171 — Roth Powers, Sou, dec. Bowen Korth, 5-2; 189 — Collin Peck, Sol, dec. Gabriel Schumaker, 7-3; 215 — Hayden Martin, Sou, p. Rodney McNeal, 0:27; 285 — Chris Strawderman, Sou, p. Kenai Lepule, 2:00; 103 — Dylan Frawner, Sou, dec. Sam Strouse, 9-7; 112 — Benson Mishler, Sou, p. Jaden Carlyle, 1:24; 119 — Titus Watts, Sol, t.f. Anan Siackhasone, 3:35; 125 — Jacob Morris, Sou, m.d. Tustin Keller, 22-8; 130 — Levi Shivers, Sou, p. Mason Bock, 1:32; 135 — Jacob Strausbaugh, Sol, t.f. Bohdan Porter, 3:28; 140 — Michael Dickinson, Sol, t.f. Jase Phonsavang, 5:02; 145 — Clayton McGuire, Sou, m.d. Hunter Bras, 12-3; 152 — Zane Gerlach, Sou, dec. Trevor Michael, 5-2; 160 — Aaron Concepcion, Sou, p. Jaykob Kemp, 2:00.
