Champions learn by winning tournaments and runners-up practice harder for another shot at the title.
Fifteen crowns were won at Saturday’s Brandon Pilot Invitational at Thunder Mountain High School, and Falcons senior Hunter Boyer put one of the most exciting wins on the mat with an escape as time expired to defeat Craig’s Wyatt Patten 3-2 for the 152-pound crown.
“Getting that last escape at the end was pretty much all I was hoping for once the third round hit,” Boyer said. “He beat me last week so we are even now. It’s all good. Constant battles throughout the year are what I am expecting from him.”
“It is huge,” TMHS coach Jason Boyer said. “This just sets the pace because Wyatt won last week and this shows he is not going to be dominant They are going to have a great show every match. They are equal competition and they are going to test each other.”
Ketchikan won the team title with 185 points, TMHS was second with 144 and Juneau-Douglas High School finished eighth among 13 schools competing.
One of the most anticipated bouts of the night was the 195-pound rematch between Ketchikan senior Nate Fousel and JDHS junior Cody Weldon.
The pair went scoreless after one period and Fousel held a 4-2 advantage starting the final stanza. A Weldon escape made it 4-3 but Fousel had a near fall and then controlled the tempo for a 9-3 decision. Weldon won their last matchup in Wrangell.
“I learned to not wrestle flat,” Fousel said. “To wrestle aggressively. I didn’t wrestle hard enough last time. I need to keep improving in everything. There is always room to improve.”
TMHS senior Tyler Cole won a 6-2 over Wrangell’s Darren Shilts for the 170-pound title. The score was 0-0 after one period and Shilts deferred to Cole who scored a reversal.
Cole led 4-1 starting the final stanza and added a takedown.
“Just go out there and have fun,” Cole said. “I love the sport. It is really fun. Win or lose you learn from your match. I was a little faster than him. He looked strong but it is really about the technique. I need to cut the corners more when I take my shots, I was just bending over. I need to be popping my hips in more.”
TMHS’ Carl Tupou pinned Mt. Edgecumbe’s Sean Orsborn 47 seconds into the second period of their 220-pound match.
“I’m just a little tired,” Tupou said. “I used the pancake. It’s my favorite move. Get under the arm and flip him over. I need to explode out more, get out of the reach of their arms and get into position.”
In the 98-pound weight class, Ketchikan’s Payton Stewart began the championship rounds with a pin over TMHS’ Connor Norman with 58 seconds remaining in the second period.
“Keeping my weight back was key,” Stewart said. “Usually I get my weight up to much and get bumped to my side. I just go through each match, whatever happens in the match is what I will deal with.”
Even in a loss there are lessons.
“I learned to not be on my back so much,” Norman said.
IN OTHER TITLE MATCHES
• Ketchikan’s Brayden Linne won by 10-1 major decision over teammate Matthew Rodriguez for the 106-pound title.
“We wrestle each other a lot,” Linne said. “We push each other.”
• Sitka’s Jacob Gagner decisioned Ketchikan’s Vince Tenebro 12-5 for the 113-pound title.
“I was told speed over strength,” Gagner said. “Strength over technique, and that is what I went by the whole match.”
Gagner led 4-2 after one period and 7-2 in the second.
“I was the third seed and he was first seed,” Gagner said. “I am a freshman, he’s a sophomore. I say that is an upset. I am pretty happy.”
• Ketchikan’s Sean Tavares pinned Wrangell’s Orion Heller at 31 seconds for the 120-pound title.
“I was surprised,” Tavares said. “I thought that Orion was going to be a good match for me and I was hoping we could wrestle a bit longer. I guess it didn’t come down to that. He is a good opponent. This was the first time I wrestled him. It boosts my confidence but I still have to keep working too.”
• Haines’ Cameron Bauer won by 10-2 major decision over Ketchikan’s Troy Harris for the 126-pound title.
“I think key for me was keeping a lot of pressure on him,” Bauer said. “Holding him down. Just working him over as best I could. Giving it my all. I felt pretty confidant going into the match. During the match I work on improving my skills and seeing what I can do to get better each time.”
• Sitka’s Caleb Suarez won by 16-3 major decision over Wrangell’s Ian Jenson for the 132-pound title. “I feel pretty good,” Suarez said. “This is my first victory of the season. Now I am looking forward to the rest of it.”
Suarez wrestled at a higher weight class last week and lost in the semifinals.
“Getting the arm in the beginning and getting the back points in the first period was key,” Suarez said. “That really helped me.”
• Ketchikan’s Max Collins pinned Craig’s Bryan Castle with 1:25 remaining in the match for the 138-pound title.
“Staying aggressive and making shots on him was key,” Collins said. “I like to build myself up in this region because we are making some big trips up to Anchorage soon and I will be seeing better competition.”
• Thorne Bay’s Tell Tripple decisioned TMHS’ Sam Nolan 6-2 for the 145-pound title. Tripple led 2-0 and 4-0 at the breaks.
Tripple was called for stalling, as he appeared to not be working from the top quick enough.
“Keeping control was key,” Tripple said. “Staying in constant control the whole match. I was sitting on the hips, camping too long so I got the stalling call. It happens. It is good he called it on me now instead of up north when it matters.”
• Thorne Bay’s Titus Tripple won by 12-0 major decision over Sitka’s Joshua Young for the 160-pound title.
Tripple led 5-0 after one period and 10-0 starting the final stanza.
“It was a pretty good fight, yeah,” Tripple said. “I just wanted to keep up with it. I did my best to do that. Normally I try to go on the bottom because I think I am better down there. Some say I am pretty strong too.”
• Wrangell’s Chet Armstrong pinned Sitka’s Joshua Goeden with just 12 seconds remaining in their 182-pound title match.
“Fundamentals of wrestling,” Armstrong said. “Keep your hips flat to the mat and shoot.”
Armstrong was elated with his win. “I have never taken first before,” Armstrong said. “So this is a new experience. I need to improve on probably every area but mostly I need to continue working on guarding my legs, because he got some good shots in.”
• Metlakatla’s Brayden Blandov pinned Craig’s Liam Price with 1:42 remaining in the final period for the heavyweight title. “I’m tired,” Blandov said. “He’s been good competition for the last four years.”
Blandov has lost only one match to Price, when they were sophomores. The two were tied 2-2 after one period and 4-4 entering the third stanza. Blandov rolled a reversal into the fall.
“He gave me a run for my money tonight,” Blandov said. “I learned I have to keep my cardio up more and hit the weights more. I am excited for regions. My goal is not only to qualify for state but to place high there.”
The tournament is named in honor of Brandon Pilot, a Crimson Bears freshman who was killed in a car accident in 2000.
THIRD PLACE MATCHES
98 – Wrangell’s Jonathon Barratt earned 3rd and Kayhi’s Connor McCormick 4th in the round robin format.
106 – Sitka’s Curt Bartlett earned 3rd, Mt. Edgecumbe’s Nelson Jackson 4th, and JDHS’ Adam Murphy 5th in the round robin format.
113 – Ketchikan’s Patrick Rauwolf decsioned TMHS’ Juan Fisher 3-0.
120 – Craig’s Seth Packer pinned Haines Charlie Bower at 2:20.
126 – Sitka’s Harry Hartzog decisioned Craig’s Isaiah Records 6-2.
132 – Craig’s Drew Marker pinned Ketchikan’s Kadin Hodges at 3:39.
138 – TMHS’ Deven Mason pinned Mt. Edgecumbe’s Orlin Gologergen at 4:26.
145 – Wrangell’s Sam Armstrong decisioned Ketchikan’s Grant Collins 10-8.
152 – Sitka’s Kyler Samauang pinned Haines Zane Durr at 6:59.
160 – JDHS’ Ethan Goebel decisioned Craig’s Noah Castle 9-3.
170 – Metlakatla’s Abraham Booth pinned JDHS’ Seth Machakos at 3:46.
182 – Mt. Edgecumbe’s Arthur Freitas decisioned Metlakatla’s Alonzo Leishlmn 4-0.
195 – Haines’ Tyler Murphy earned 3rd, Thorne Bay’s Brayden Schwab 4th and TMHS’ Devin Locke 5th in round robin.
220 – Mt. Edgecumbe’s Kobe Rutherford pinned Wrangell’s Chris Seddon at 2:35.
HWT – Ketchikan’s Brian McClennan 3rd, Mt. Edgecumbe’s Jared Huntington 4th, Metlakatla’s August Leask 5th in round robin format.
POINTS BY SCHOOL
Ketchikan — 185 points;, TMHS — 144 Wrangell — 136, Sitka — 122; Craig 119; Haines — 73; Mt. Edgecumbe — 59; JDHS — 58; Thorne Bay — 54; Metlakatla — 53; Hydaburg — 10.5; Pelican — 8; Kake — 0.
