Seven was the Falcon’s lucky number this weekend as that many wrestlers competed in final matches at the team’s weekend home tournament.
Thunder Mountain High School’s wrestling team hosted its annual Brandon Pilot Invitational Wrestling Tournament, a two-day event that invited high school wrestling teams from all over Southeast Alaska to compete in the all-day round-robin tournament on Friday and bracketed tournament Saturday.
A group of Thunder Mountain High School wrestlers sit along the mat as they watch a match Saturday afternoon during the Brandon Pilot Invitational Wrestling Tournament at THMS. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
The Falcons had seven of its wrestlers make it into the finals and five took first in their weight divisions. The team welcomed wrestlers from Craig, Haines, Hoonah, Hydaburg, Metlakatla, Mt. Edgecumbe, Petersburg, Sitka, Skagway and Wrangell high schools.
Adam Messmer, head coach for TMHS wrestling, said it’s been a “great season so far” and felt confident with how his team performed at the event. He said this tournament is great for new wrestlers on the team to gain some experience, and said for many of his wrestlers, the event marked their first time competing against other teams.
The TMHS wrestling team is co-ed and composed of TMHS, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé and homeschool students in the area, and this year Messmer said 35 students joined the team, along with more on the way as students transition out of the football season. Messmer said this year there are only two seniors on the team, Carson Cummins and Sage Richards, and the majority of the team are freshmen and sophomores.
“I think it went great,” Messmer said. “For how young of a team I think we did very well.”
Thunder Mountain High School wrestler Carson Cummins goes head to head with his competition Saturday afternoon during the Brandon Pilot Invitational Wrestling Tournament at THMS. At 119 lbs. senior, Cummins took first going 7-0 for the weekend. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Gideon Monett, TMHS wrestling assistant coach, said he also thought the team performed very well at the event and said he thinks this year’s team is the strongest he’s seen since joining on as a coach a few years back.
• Contact reporter Clarise Larson at clarise.larson@juneauempire.com or (651)-528-1807. Follow her on Twitter at @clariselarson.
Results courtesy of Adam Messmer
Boys competition:
— 112 lbs. Colton Cummins (sophomore) took first going 7-0 for the weekend.
— 119 lbs Carson Cummins (senior) took first going 7-0 for the weekend.
— 125 lbs Dane Hubert (freshman) went 3-3.
— 130 lbs. Oliver Able (freshman) went 4-4 for the weekend.
— 135 lbs. Owen Woodruff (sophomore) took second place going 8-1 for the weekend.
— 140 Malachi Peimann (junior) took first place, going.
— 145 lbs. Jacob Long (sophomore) took second Going 6-2 for the weekend.
— 152 lbs. Shannon Mitchell (junior) went 5-3.
— 215 lbs. Sage Richards (senior) took first going 3-0.
Girls competition:
— 120 lbs Te Lani See (freshman) went 2-2.
— 152 lbs Evelyn Reichards (sophomore) Took first going 4-0
