Wrestling

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé sophomore Camden Messmer pins Skagway junior Brenden Moncibaiz in their 119-pound title match on Saturday at the Southeast Showdown Wrestling Tournament in Juneau’s George Houston Gymnasium. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)

JDHS takes team title as champion grapplers crowned in Southeast Showdown

Top high school wrestlers in the Panhandle gave fans a return to the ultimate showcase in Juneau.

 

Mt. Edgecumbe junior Haley Osborne fends off a takedown attempt by Homer senior Jaydin Mann during their 285-pound title match at the 2018 ASAA State Wrestling Championships in Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. One of the most anticipated and competitive matches this reporter has ever witnessed. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)

Pure Sole: Wrestling is hard — as more than 200 grapplers will demonstrate at Southeast Showdown

High schoolers from throughout Southeast will compete in Juneau tournament starting Friday

 

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Justus Darbonne pins a Metlakatla opponent during the Hoonah Invitational wrestling tournament on Saturday. (Photo courtesy JDHS wrestling)

JDHS grapplers pass first tournament test at Hoonah

18 Crimson Bears wrestle 135 matches over three days

 

Members of the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears wrestling team are shown at the Juneau Wrestling Center during practice on Wednesday. (Klas Stolpe/Juneau Empire)

JDHS name returns to wrestling team, spirit remains for defending TMHS Region V title

Crimson Bears open season at two-day Hoonah Invitational starting Friday.

Members of the Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears wrestling team are shown at the Juneau Wrestling Center during practice on Wednesday. (Klas Stolpe/Juneau Empire)
Abby Dolan (wearing green) tries to take down Sofia Contreras during a Juneau Youth Wrestling Club camp Sept. 1 at the Juneau Wrestling Center. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

Youths try to get a leg up — and opponents down — with help from pros at wrestling camps

With participation by girls rising and school teams getting bigger, every tip helps

Abby Dolan (wearing green) tries to take down Sofia Contreras during a Juneau Youth Wrestling Club camp Sept. 1 at the Juneau Wrestling Center. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Wrestlers for South Anchorage High School, which won the ASAA Division I state wrestling tournament on Saturday, were easy to identify by their bleach blond hair. (Steven Glasheen / Alaska Sports Report)

South Anchorage High School wins D1 wrestling title

One TMHS competitor finishes fourth; two finish sixth in weight divisions during two-day tournament.

Wrestlers for South Anchorage High School, which won the ASAA Division I state wrestling tournament on Saturday, were easy to identify by their bleach blond hair. (Steven Glasheen / Alaska Sports Report)
Wrangell junior Della Churchill pins Mt. Edgecumbe junior Nevaeh George in the girls 114-pound championship match of the 2023 ASAA Region V wrestling tournament Saturday at Thunder Mountain High School. Churchill was selected the Girls Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament. (Klas Stolpe/ For the Juneau Empire)

Mt. Edgecumbe wins ASAA Region V Division II and Girls Wrestling Championships

Wrangell’s Della Churchill, Haines Leo Wald selected outstanding wrestlers

Wrangell junior Della Churchill pins Mt. Edgecumbe junior Nevaeh George in the girls 114-pound championship match of the 2023 ASAA Region V wrestling tournament Saturday at Thunder Mountain High School. Churchill was selected the Girls Outstanding Wrestler in the tournament. (Klas Stolpe/ For the Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain senior Liam Hart uses a cradle to pin Ketchikan High School junior Easton Yoder in the 189-pound Division I championship match of the 2023 ASAA Region V wrestling tournament, Saturday, at Thunder Mountain High School. (Klas Stolpe/ For the Juneau Empire)

Thunder Mountain wins historic Region V wrestling championship, ending Ketchikan streak

Eight Juneau grapplers earn Southeast weight division titles

Thunder Mountain senior Liam Hart uses a cradle to pin Ketchikan High School junior Easton Yoder in the 189-pound Division I championship match of the 2023 ASAA Region V wrestling tournament, Saturday, at Thunder Mountain High School. (Klas Stolpe/ For the Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School junior Sage Schultz pins Ketchikan senior Alexander Gilley in their 135-pound semifinal match of the 2023 Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday at TMHS. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)

Juneau grapplers have lead in first day of Region V Southeast Tournament Championships

TMHS, Mt. Edgecumbe top boys’ divisions; Ketchikan, MEHS top girls’

Thunder Mountain High School junior Sage Schultz pins Ketchikan senior Alexander Gilley in their 135-pound semifinal match of the 2023 Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday at TMHS. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
The Thunder Mountain High School wrestling team, made up of TMHS and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé athletes, will host the Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday and Saturday in the TMHS Thunderdome gym. (Photo courtesy of TMHS)

Falcons grapplers have mat mission at Southeast Tournament Championships

Thunder Mountain High School upperclassmen have waited lifetime for title chance.

The Thunder Mountain High School wrestling team, made up of TMHS and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé athletes, will host the Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday and Saturday in the TMHS Thunderdome gym. (Photo courtesy of TMHS)
Jed Davis of Thunder Mountain High School, right, and Evan Andrew of Mt. Edgecumbe High School face off in the 125-pound division during the Southeast Showdown at TMHS on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)

TMHS finishes top among boys on home mats in Southeast Showdown wrestling tournament

Ketchikan takes overall title, Falcons second in two-day, co-ed competition among eight schools.

Jed Davis of Thunder Mountain High School, right, and Evan Andrew of Mt. Edgecumbe High School face off in the 125-pound division during the Southeast Showdown at TMHS on Saturday. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Empire)
Darren Foster and Nixie Schooler with some of their gold medals and their prestigious “Triple Crown” belt buckles at the USA Wrestling Alaska State Championships at the Menard Center in Wasilla from May 3-7. (Courtesy Photo / Jason Hass)

Juneau Youth Wrestling Club finds gold in Wasilla

USA Wrestling Alaska State Championship held from May 3-7.

Darren Foster and Nixie Schooler with some of their gold medals and their prestigious “Triple Crown” belt buckles at the USA Wrestling Alaska State Championships at the Menard Center in Wasilla from May 3-7. (Courtesy Photo / Jason Hass)
Emanual Canales Ortiz of the Juneau Youth Wrestling Club prepares for second period against Dawson Folcik of Palmer on March 3-4 in Fairbanks. (Courtesy Photo / Melinda Messmer)

Juneau Youth Wrestling Club returns from Fairbanks tournament

27 Juneau wrestlers go to 47th annual Tanana Middle School Invitational.

Emanual Canales Ortiz of the Juneau Youth Wrestling Club prepares for second period against Dawson Folcik of Palmer on March 3-4 in Fairbanks. (Courtesy Photo / Melinda Messmer)
Thunder Mountain High School wrestler Brandon Day pins down his competition Saturday afternoon during the Brandon Pilot Invitational Wrestling Tournament at THMS. The Falcons had seven of its wrestlers make it into the finals and five took first in their weight divisions. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)

Falcons hit the mats

Juneau high school wrestlers take top spots at weekend tournaments

Thunder Mountain High School wrestler Brandon Day pins down his competition Saturday afternoon during the Brandon Pilot Invitational Wrestling Tournament at THMS. The Falcons had seven of its wrestlers make it into the finals and five took first in their weight divisions. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Carson Cummins hoists his opponent from Ketchikan High School before taking him to the mat during a tournament at Thunder Mountain High School on Friday, April 3. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire).

5 wrestlers start off season with first-place finishes

It’s back to the mats

Carson Cummins hoists his opponent from Ketchikan High School before taking him to the mat during a tournament at Thunder Mountain High School on Friday, April 3. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire).
The site of Juneau Youth Wrestling Club’s future practice facility has been cleared, and Josh Houston, club board president said it’s hoped the building will be in place by October. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Juneau Youth Wrestling Club’s new home nears completion

Tornados are ready to touch down.

The site of Juneau Youth Wrestling Club’s future practice facility has been cleared, and Josh Houston, club board president said it’s hoped the building will be in place by October. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain High School sophomore Jacob Ferster pins East Anchorage’s Ikaska Vaivai in the second round of the 215-pound consolation bracket of the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Division I State Wrestling Championships at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)

Thunder Mountain grapplers 13th at state tournament

Derek Mason goes out swinging.

Thunder Mountain High School sophomore Jacob Ferster pins East Anchorage’s Ikaska Vaivai in the second round of the 215-pound consolation bracket of the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Division I State Wrestling Championships at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018. (Michael Dinneen | For the Juneau Empire)
Sophomore Jake Ferster, top, workouts against senior Derek Mason during Thunder Mountain High School’s wrestling team practice on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)

Player of the Week: Derek Mason

Derek Mason is the Juneau Empire player of the week. Mason, a senior at Thunder Mountain High School, won the Region V Wrestling Championships 215-pound… Continue reading

Sophomore Jake Ferster, top, workouts against senior Derek Mason during Thunder Mountain High School’s wrestling team practice on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire File)
Coach Jesse Cruz watches his team workout during Thunder Mountain High School’s wrestling team practice on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)

‘Cruz’ control: Last-minute coach find turning out well for Thunder Mountain wrestling team

Kids and administrators think highly of him.

Coach Jesse Cruz watches his team workout during Thunder Mountain High School’s wrestling team practice on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)
Thunder Mountain’s Kadin Messmer wrestles Ketchikan’s Degan Linne during their 103-pound finals match in the Region V Division I Wrestling Championships at TMHS on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Linne pinned Messmer at 5:44 to win the region title. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)

TMHS wrestlers resilient at Region V tourney

Next stop: state.

Thunder Mountain’s Kadin Messmer wrestles Ketchikan’s Degan Linne during their 103-pound finals match in the Region V Division I Wrestling Championships at TMHS on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018. Linne pinned Messmer at 5:44 to win the region title. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)