by Greg Lincoln
Congratulations to Paul Dyment of Bethel (at bottom) and Daylon Brown of Quinhagak who both won gold medals at the 2023 State Division II Wrestling Championships last Saturday in Anchorage.
Daylon Brown of Quinhagak and Paul Dyment of Bethel both won a gold medal at the Alaska Schools Activities Association State Wrestling Division II Tournament this past weekend. Wrestlers from all parts of the state came to the wrestling finals December 15-16, 2023 held at the Alaska Airlines Center.
Dyment of Bethel Regional High School, the state’s #4 seed, battled through the boys 135 lb. bracket, including a tough come from behind bout in the quarterfinals. Brown, the #1 top seed, wrestled in the 125 lbs. weight class, both are seniors.
Winning silver medals in their divisions included Laiton Pingayak of Chevak (103 lbs.), Sheldon Smith of Bethel (125 lbs.), and Ellis Johnson of Bethel (160 lbs.).
Bronze medalists from the Yukon Kuskokwim region included Aaron Mute of Bethel (130 lbs.), and Landon Burke also of Bethel (189 lbs.).
Fourth place finishers from the region were Brendon Brown of Quinhagak (103 lbs.) and Torian Dull of Mt. Edgecumbe High School (145 lbs.).
Coming in 5th place were Brandon Ayapan of Bethel (112 lbs.) and Evan Andrew of Mt. Edgecumbe High School (119 lbs.).
Sixth place finishers also stood on the awards podium including Aniak’s Ralph Steeves (119 lbs.) and Jackson Iverson of Bethel (140 lbs.).
For the team awards, Seward High School won the team winners trophy. Coming in second was Haines, and the Bethel Warriors took third place.
On the girls’ side, finishing in second place were Isabel Lieb of Bethel (132 lbs.). Mt. Edgecumbe’s Nevaeh George (114 lbs.) came in fourth place. In sixth was Kelsey Charlie of Kwethuk (185 lbs.).
Soldotna won the girls team trophy, Colony placed second, and Redington took third.
Congratulations to all the state wrestlers, your hard work and determination are inspiring.
2023 ASAA Wrestling State Championship
December 15-16, 2023
Boys Results
103
1st Tommy Jarnig, Seward
2nd Laiton Pingayak, Chevak
3rd Paxton Lawhorne, Delta
4th Brendon Brown, Quinhagak
5th Caleb Gust, New Stuyahok
6th Luca Fitzpatrick, Homer
112
1st Ridge Conant, Seward
2nd Hayden Jimenez, Haines
3rd Emery Kirchner, Seward
4th Gusty Tunguing IV, Koliganek
5th Brandon Ayapan, Bethel
6th Young Erikson, Nome
119
1st Dylan McCambly, Dillingham
2nd Aidan Schilling, Seward
3rd Jaxson Young, Kenai
4th Oran Brown, Delta
5th Evan Andrew, MEHS
6th Ralph Steeves, Aniak
125
1st Daylon Brown, Quinhagak
2nd Sheldon Smith, Bethel
3rd Kyler Matteson, Eielson
4th Ben Houser, Wrangell
5th Hunter Gumlickpuk, New Stuyahok
6th Cache Henning, Unalaska
130
1st Hunter Forshee-Kurtz, Seward
2nd Tristan Tilden, Dillingham
3rd Aaron Mute, Bethel
4th Jackson Carney, Wrangell
5th Sean Mokiyuk, Savoonga
6th Eli Banks, Houston
135
1st Paul Dyment, Bethel
2nd Colton Merriner, Grace
3rd Alejandro Sanchez, Seward
4th Justus Grimes, Homer
5th Colton Combs, Haines
6th Kai Davis, Sitka
1st Place Match
140
1st Daniel Steffensen, Kenai
2nd Aidan Laselle, Redington
3rd Anthony Smith, Seward
4th Kennedy Elavgak, Barrow
5th Aidan Klein, Delta
6th Jackson Iverson, Bethel
145
1st Myles Campbell, Redington
2nd Nolan Wald, Haines
3rd Paul Minke, Homer
4th Torian Dull, MEHS
5th Son Erikson, Nome
6th Delen Byrd, Kenai
152
1st Keegan Hanson, Wrangell
2nd Brayden Woods, Homer
3rd Keagan Stanley, Kenai
4th Frank St. Denis, Nikiski
5th Matthew Lawhorne, Delta
6th Carlos Sandoval, MEHS
160
1st Dalton Henry, Haines
2nd Ellis Johnson, Bethel
3rd Romen Weber, Valdez
4th Samson Smith, MEHS
5th William Douglas, Delta
6th Gabe Mannan, Hutchison
171
1st Richard Didrickson, MEHS
2nd Leo Wald, Haines
3rd Graelin Chaney, Dillingham
4th Wyatt Milnes, Redington
5th Zach Bergford, Cordova
6th Corbin Owen, Grace
189
1st Bryant Holloway, Craig
2nd Mckennan Mayer, Valdez
3rd Landon Burke, Bethel
4th Ryder Magneson, Nome
5th James Stickler, Haines
6th Vincent Nothstine, Cordova
215
1st Aiden Ojala, Sitka
2nd Truit Mccaughey, Nikiski
3rd Jackson Long, Haines
4th Silas Ferguson, Sitka
5th Sioeli Tuifua, Barrow
6th Jonathan Patterson, Eielson
285
1st Uatahouse Tuifua, Barrow
2nd Mayaac Schmit, Nikiski
3rd Donovan Standifer, MEHS
4th John Vanbuskirk, Seward
5th Norman Lilomaiava, Barrow
6th Rex Wittmer, Nikiski
Girls Results
100G
1st Jessica LeClair, Soldotna
2nd KAELYNN SEIDL, Wasilla
3rd Grace Loutzenhiser, Colony
4th Megan Whittom, Soldotna
5th Xiimara Salazar, Kotzebue
6th Ke`ala Lawrence, North Pole
107G
1st Valarie McAnelly, Soldotna
2nd Lauren Bodeen, Eagle River
3rd Hayden VanderPool, Colony
4th TALIA JENKINS, Chugiak
5th Hailey Cook, Wrangell
6th MEGAN CORNETT, Kodiak
114G
1st Megan Spencer, Lathrop
2nd Jade Sherry, SWDP
3rd Della Churchill, Wrangell
4th Nevaeh George, MEHS
5th Anna Belle Valentine, West Valley
6th Angelina Chavarria, Soldotna
120G
1st Rowan Peck, Soldotna
2nd Pagan Lester, Newhalen
3rd Danika Dawley, North Pole
4th Krista Howland, Hoonah
5th TARYN WRIGHT, Wasilla
6th Nyah O`Neil, Dimond
126G
1st Saoirse Cook, Homer
2nd Sarah Callender, Palmer
3rd Brynlee Lutz, Wasilla
4th Mya Campbell, Redington
5th Julia Biagi, Ketchikan
6th Farah Brady, Lathrop
132G
1st Kaytlin McAnelly, Soldotna
2nd Isabel Lieb, Bethel
3rd Desiree Moore, North Pole
4th OLIVIA PROBASCO, Wasilla
5th Audrey Bahnke, MEHS
6th Hailey Loose, Hutchison
138G
1st Daisy Hannevold, Soldotna
2nd ANNIKA JOHNSON, Chugiak
3rd Lillie Vansiegman, Palmer
4th Lacey Sherman, Nome
5th Macy Alander, Hydaburg
6th Nevaeh Copeland, East Anch
145G
1st Amelia Fawcett, Colony
2nd Saige Morris, S. Anch
3rd Malila Miller, Service
4th Abigail Patten, Craig
5th Josephine Granger, Redington
6th Lynn Fayram, Unalaska
152G
1st Jahzara O`Neil, Dimond
2nd Carlie VanBuskirk, Valdez
3rd Jenna Yeoman, Kenai
4th Lexi Cook, Metlakatla
5th Aspen Kelly, Colony
6th Mia Wiederspohn, Wrangell
165G
1st Jessailah Thammavongsa, S. Anch
2nd Gia Jones, Colony
3rd Arianna Ryan, Cordova
4th Venice Cabugao, Bartlett High
5th Joy Walker, Redington
6th Alyssa McDonald, Soldotna
185G
1st Roane Cook, Homer
2nd Nikayla Miller, Redington
3rd Keasiya Luedde, Service
4th Thalia Martinez, Lathrop
5th Allison Coffey, S. Anch
6th Kelsey Charlie, Kwethluk
235G
1st Manusiu Muti, Barrow
2nd Noelle Buck, Palmer
3rd Meg Roberts, Soldotna
4th Honey Rexford, Barrow
5th Destiny Langston, Nikiski
6th Kimberly Tischner, Houston
For exciting footage from the State wrestling tournament, like and check out the Delta Discovery facebook page for sportsreels.
