The Juneau Youth Wrestling Club brought 43 members to the Alaska USA state wrestling championships in Wasilla last weekend.
Two wrestlers on either side of the age spectrum — 9-year-old Jed Davis and 45-year old Chad Requa — came home with multiple state championships. Davis finished first in folkstyle and freestyle and second in Greco-Roman. Requa was first in all three styles.
The three-day tournament, which attracted 26 teams from all over the state, dedicated last Thursday to the folkstyle competition, Friday to the Greco-Roman competition and Saturday to the freestyle competition.
Altogether, the team earned upwards of 70 medals. Medals are awarded to the top-six wrestlers in each weight class.
“This year I just noticed as a whole we were just a really solid program up there and across the board, we just competed really well,” JYWC coach Josh Houston said. “I think that’s almost better than just having one or two standout kids, it’s better to have the whole program doing well.”
The club earned the highest marks in Thursday’s folkstyle competition as 10 of its wrestlers made the finals. Four of whom — Jed Davis (53 pounds), Carson Cummins (77 pounds), Chad Requa (open) and Mathias Wiederspohn (195 pounds) — ended up winning.
Two girls also won their respective weight brackets at the Alaska USA women’s tournament on Friday: Cailynn Baxter and Evelyn Richards. The club brought four girls total to the tournament.
Jed Davis, 9, shows off his bracket and medal for winning the Alaska USA State Wrestling championship in folkstyle. Davis also grappled his way to first in freestyle and second in Greco-Roman. (Courtesy Photo | Summer Baxter) Jed Davis, 9, shows off his bracket and medal for winning the Alaska USA State Wrestling championship in folkstyle. Davis also grappled his way to first in freestyle and second in Greco-Roman. (Courtesy Photo | Summer Baxter)
