The middle school wrestling season just officially wrapped up, although for the Mitkof Vikings it was over a couple weeks ago since none of our wrestlers were able to pay their way to state. That was especially disappointing for Drew Beavers, who placed 2nd at the regional meet in Ketchikan.
Looking back at the season, Petersburg hosted the Stikine Invitational meet less than two weeks after winter break, and Viking wrestlers performed strong against the fifty or so visiting wrestlers. In the 100-lb weight class, Sean Gacchina took 2nd and Declan Olsen took 4th. Gunnar Cisney took 2nd at 105 lbs, Drew Beavers won 1st at 133-lbs, at 140 lbs Thomas Slaven and Tavyn Cabral took 2nd and 3rd respectively, Tucker Gibson got the 1st place medal at 160, followed by Mason Knudsen for 3rd. At 210 lbs, Edgar Olsen took 1st and Ro Harrison took 2nd, then Danny Stocks took 1st at heavyweight.
The next week the team traveled to Wrangell for a duel meet, where we got some more mat time against Wrangell wrestlers. It was a good experience, both for wrestling and for traveling. Then the team had a month to shape up before regionals in Ketchikan. By regionals, a few wrestlers succumbed to sickness and ineligibility, but a couple new wrestlers also joined the ranks.
At regionals, two guys wrestled at 95 lbs, Declan Olsen and Sean Gacchina. They had a match against each other, where Declan, a sixth grader, gave 8th-grade Gacchina a better battle than he had all season. Declan went on to lose his second match the next day, another battle that he fought through until the end.
After beating Olsen, Gacchina went on to the semifinals where he got bested, then had a tough match in the consolation quarterfinals the next day, fighting for a couple strong rounds before getting pinned.
Jake Newlun at 148 lbs had two cagey matches, and sported a swollen brow and a cut across his nose to show for it. He was proud of going a couple rounds in his final match before getting caught. He says, "I can't wait to spend all four years wrestling in high school," and he's been spending his recesses in the mat room since October, so he seems likely to hold to that.
At 127 lbs, new wrestler Jakob Smith started the season a little late, but he compensated with his energy. He hadn't won any matches going into the Regional Tournament, and he lost his first match in Ketchikan. But then he bounced back in his second match, getting a pin in the first round. He saw an opportunity, and fully committed to taking advantage of it. He said he thinks he loves wrestling now.
Drew Beavers, Tavyn Cabral, and Thomas Slaven all wrestled in the 133-lb weight class, a large and competitive bracket. Again, we had the bad luck of having a Viking vs. Viking match with Beavers and Slaven having their first match of the tournament against each other. Slaven put up a good fight for a few minutes until Beavers caught him and locked him up for a pin. In Slaven's next match, he kept a strong stance and position for some time before again getting caught by a decisive move from his opponent.
Cabral lost two tough matches, but kept his head up and asked for an exhibition match. He got his extra match while most of the other wrestlers were on a break on Saturday, and a Sitka coach volunteered to referee. It was Cabral's best match of the season, wrestling strong for two rounds before getting pinned, but coming out of it smiling.
Drew's next match in the 133-lb bracket was an eye-opener for him, his first match of the season against a physically stronger opponent. But Drew played it smart, maintaining strong position and paying attention. When he saw his chance, he struck and ended it with a pin. The finals match was similar with Drew facing another physically stronger opponent. Before the match, he said, "I might lose by points, but I won't lose by a pin." And that's exactly what happened. Drew stuck it out, getting a few escape and reversal points. It was close a couple of times, but he avoided getting pinned and went all three rounds, just getting outscored in the end.
Mason Knudsen started off regionals with a quick pin the first day, but then lost in the quarterfinals. He battled his way through the consolation bracket, getting three more pins and making it to the match for 3rd on Saturday, but he wound up wrestling the same guy he'd lost to in the quarterfinals the day before, and it was an almost exact repeat of their first match. The records even show Mason getting pinned at the exact same time both matches, at 1:42 in the first round. He wrestled five matches at the tournament and lost two to the same guy.
Danny Stocks went up against one of the top seeds in the heavyweight class, and went down in the first round. But then he had a guy that he'd pinned quickly a month ago in our home tournament. This time though, that guy pinned Danny. The final twist was that in the third place match that guy wrestled another guy who Danny had beat twice. The one Danny had beat twice wound up beating the guy that Danny had gone 1-1 with. So Danny should have had a good shot at 3rd in the region, but after a couple days of traveling he wasn't at his best. Still he maintains that, "Wrestling is basically my life now, so expect to see me at practices." Since most of the team will be graduating to high school next year, that team should see strengthening numbers. And come next winter, there will be ample opportunity for those interested in stepping up for the middle school team.
Pilot writer Jake Clemens,
author of this article, also served this season as head coach for the middle school wrestling team.