Five Juneau youth traveled with a larger contingent of approximately 40 Alaska wrestlers to the USA Wrestling Western Regionals Meet in Pocatello, Idaho, from June 18-24.
Eleven-year-old Thomas Baxter, one of the five representatives of Tornadoes Wrestling Club, finished first in all three of his tournaments in the 120-pound weight bracket: freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle. Baxter wrestles as a novice, which the wrestling organization defines as youth born in 2005 or 2006.
“I just went down there to get better at wrestling, and you know, have a good experience,” Baxter said. “I never really expected to place in any of the tournaments.”
Baxter had a strong showing at the Alaska USA Wrestling State Championships in Anchorage at the end of April — nabbing gold in freestyle, silver in Greco-Roman and silver in folkstyle — but even Tornadoes coach Paul Davis didn’t see a triple crown in his young wrestler’s future.
“I knew he had the potential, but I wouldn’t of predicted it — I was surprised it happened,” Davis said.
Davis added that Baxter was the only Alaskan wrestler to accomplish the feat at the meet, which attracts top wrestlers from 11 western states.
“It’s a big deal (and) not easy to do; not very many kids did that,” Davis said of the triple crown.
Baxter defeated Owen Burkhart of Team Oregon in the folkstyle by a pin in just under 30 seconds.
Baxter’s teammates also displayed mettle at the meet in Idaho. Fellow novice Jamal Johnson was third in the freestyle tournament for his 112-pound weight bracket.
Johnson lost to Oregon’s Justin Rademacher in the first place match and was narrowly defeated by Hawaii’s Oscar Williams in a 13-9 decision in the second place match.
Camden Erickson and Nate Huston wrestled in the schoolboy class (born in 2003-04) for the Tornadoes at the meet. Erickson finished third in the freestyle tournament and fourth in Greco-Roman for his 175-pound weight bracket.
According to TrackWrestling.com, an online wrestling database, Erickson is 24-8 since the end of last season.
Jed Davis was the youngest Juneau wrestler to grapple in the meet as a bantam (born in 2009-10).
The Tornadoes Wrestling Club begins its season in early January and finishes upon the completion of the state championships in late April, early May. According to Davis, the club currently numbers around 80 wrestlers.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
Nate Houston wrestles in the USA Wrestling Western Regionals in Pocatello, Idaho during the week of June 18-24. (Photo courtesy of Kristie Erickson)
Thomas Baxter wrestles on Team Alaska in the USA Wrestling Western Regionals Meet in Pocatello, Idaho. Baxter won the triple crown at the event by taking first in his weight bracket in freestyle, Greco-Roman and folkstyle. (Photo courtesy of Kristie Erickson)
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