Juneau’s Thunder Mountain High School wrestling team, comprised of Falcons and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears, holds a slim team points lead over the Ketchikan Kings after the first day of the Region V Southeast Tournament Championships in the TMHS “Thunderdome” gymnasium.
TMHS scored 150.5 points to Kayhi’s 133 during Friday’s action. Wrestlers return to the mats at 10 a.m. Saturday for consolation action. The championship finals are scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
“We had an amazing first round early in the day with some kids getting their first wins over some opponents,” TMHS head coach Adam Messmer said. “Wyatt Kenny’s win at the end of that round really pumped up the team. There were a few surprises in the semifinals, but we knew it was going to get tougher. Overall we are still looking good.”
Thunder Mountain High School freshman Camden Messmer pins Ketchikan sophomore RJ Cadiente in their 112-pound semifinal match of the 2023 Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday at TMHS. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
Kenny’s inspirational win swept the Falcons sideline.
“I’ve never won a match at Lancer (northern mid-season tournament), I’ve never won a match at regionals and this year I won five matches at Lancer and now I’ve won one match at regionals so far,” Kenny said. “I feel great. I’m going to do it, I’ve got this. The support from our team feels great. They support me so much I have got to win this for them. I want to win the regional tournament because we haven’t won in 12 years. So this is going to be the year.”
The Falcons are looking to loosen the Kings’ hold on the region crown and stop Kayhi’s 15-year title run that began in 2007. Ketchikan has won 21 of the last 25 region crowns.
Mt. Edgecumbe leads the early DII team scoring with 136 points. Haines has 107, Wrangell 89.5, Sitka 66.5, Petersburg 42, Craig 19.5, Metlakatla 15, Skagway 15, Kake 10, Southeast Island School District (Craig/Klawock) 9, Hoonah 8 and Hydaburg 3.
Ketchikan and Mt. Edgecumbe are tied in the girls division with 74 points, Wrangell 49, Metlakatla 43, Hoonah 27, Hydaburg 15, Craig 11, Petersburg 10 and SISD 6.
Thunder Mountain High School sophomore Wyatt Kenny escapes from Ketchikan freshman Russell Page during their 160-pound opening round match of the 2023 Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday at TMHS. Kenny won by fall. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
The following are Friday’s TMHS results per Track Wrestling:
112
Landyn Dunn (23-9)
Semifinal – Landyn Dunn (Thunder Mountain) 23-9 won by fall over Joseph Webster (Thunder Mountain) 5-12 (Fall 3:29)
112
Joseph Webster (5-12)
Semifinal – Landyn Dunn (Thunder Mountain) 23-9 won by fall over Joseph Webster (Thunder Mountain) 5-12 (Fall 3:29)
112
Camden Messmer (22-2) scored 11.0 team points.
Semifinal – Camden Messmer (Thunder Mountain) 22-2 won by fall over RJ Cadiente (Ketchikan High School) 9-22 (Fall 1:13)
119
Tristan Ridgeway (2-5) scored 11.0 team points.
Semifinal – Tristan Ridgeway (Thunder Mountain) 2-5 won by fall over Easton Paulson (Ketchikan High School) 8-18 (Fall 5:26)
Ketchikan sophomore Summer Boling puts Mt. Edgecumbe freshman Andrea Westdahl on her back during their girl’s 120-pound opening round match of the 2023 Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday at Thunder Mountain High School. Boling won by fall. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
125
Gage Keller (5-8)
Quarterfinal – Gage Keller (Thunder Mountain) 5-8 won by forfeit over Colton Cummins (Thunder Mountain) 6-6 (For.)
Semifinal – Jack Styles (Ketchikan High School) 10-8 won by fall over Gage Keller (Thunder Mountain) 5-8 (Fall 3:39)
Cons. Semi – Gage Keller (Thunder Mountain) 5-8 received a bye () (Bye)
125
Colton Cummins (6-6)
Quarterfinal – Gage Keller (Thunder Mountain) 5-8 won by forfeit over Colton Cummins (Thunder Mountain) 6-6 (For.)
Cons. Round 1 – Colton Cummins (Thunder Mountain) 6-6 received a bye () (Bye)
125
Jed Davis (25-8)scored 15.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Jed Davis (Thunder Mountain) 25-8 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal – Jed Davis (Thunder Mountain) 25-8 won by fall over Oscar Wutzke (Ketchikan High School) 13-14 (Fall 3:34)
130
Gunner Niere (13-12)
Quarterfinal – Gunner Niere (Thunder Mountain) 13-12 won by fall over Eliot klinger (Thunder Mountain) 0-3 (Fall 1:39)
Semifinal – Gunner Niere (Thunder Mountain) 13-12 won by decision over Oliver Abel (Thunder Mountain) 15-19 (Dec 6-4)
130
Eliot Klinger (0-3)
Quarterfinal – Gunner Niere (Thunder Mountain) 13-12 won by fall over Eliot Klinger (Thunder Mountain) 0-3 (Fall 1:39)
130
Oliver Abel (15-19) scored 7.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Oliver Abel (Thunder Mountain) 15-19 won by fall over Sanjeev Putta (Ketchikan High School) 1-9 (Fall 4:15)
Semifinal – Gunner Niere (Thunder Mountain) 13-12 won by decision over Oliver Abel (Thunder Mountain) 15-19 (Dec 6-4)
130
Felix Hesson (5-6) placed 6th.
Quarterfinal – Felix Hesson (Thunder Mountain) 5-6 won by major decision over Theodore Escalante (Ketchikan High School) 6-13 (MD 11-3)
Semifinal – Sampson Oliver (Ketchikan High School) 34-2 won by fall over Felix Hesson (Thunder Mountain) 5-6 (Fall 1:30)
Wrangell junior Della Churchill pins Mt. Edgecumbe junior Hayden Naneng in a girls 114-pound semi-final match of the 2023 Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday at Thunder Mountain High School. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
135
Xavier Thibault (5-10)
Quarterfinal – Gage Massin (Ketchikan High School) 27-4 won by fall over Xavier Thibault (Thunder Mountain) 5-10 (Fall 2:16)
Cons. Round 1 – Xavier Thibault (Thunder Mountain) 5-10 received a bye () (Bye)
135
Sage Shultz (5-5) scored 7.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Sage Shultz (Thunder Mountain) 5-5 won by fall over Bryce Smith (Ketchikan High School) 5-7 (Fall 1:24)
Semifinal – Alexander Gilley (Ketchikan High School) 15-7 won by fall over sage shultz (Thunder Mountain) 5-5 (Fall 4:14)
135
Jaeger Hubert (12-8) placed 6th.
Quarterfinal – Jaeger Hubert (Thunder Mountain) 12-8 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal – Gage Massin (Ketchikan High School) 27-4 won by fall over Jaeger Hubert (Thunder Mountain) 12-8 (Fall 1:32)
140
Owen Woodruff (6-12)
Quarterfinal – Owen Woodruff (Thunder Mountain) 6-12 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal – Ethan Vankirk (Thunder Mountain) 16-5 won by decision over Owen Woodruff (Thunder Mountain) 6-12 (Dec 8-4)
140
Ethan Vankirk (16-5) scored 14.5 team points.
Quarterfinal – Ethan Vankirk (Thunder Mountain) 16-5 won by tech fall over Dreydin Ohana (Ketchikan High School) 5-7 (TF-1.5 3:14 (16-1))
Semifinal – Ethan Vankirk (Thunder Mountain) 16-5 won by decision over Owen Woodruff (Thunder Mountain) 6-12 (Dec 8-4)
140
Marlin Cox (9-11)
Quarterfinal – Kelvin Jiang (Ketchikan High School) 9-7 won by forfeit over Marlin Cox (Thunder Mountain) 9-11 (For.)
Cons. Round 1 – Marlin Cox (Thunder Mountain) 9-11 received a bye () (Bye)
145
Orrin Noon (2-3)
Quarterfinal – Orrin Noon (Thunder Mountain) 2-3 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal – Hayden Aube (Thunder Mountain) 10-3 won by fall over Orrin Noon (Thunder Mountain) 2-3 (Fall 1:32)
145
Hayden Aube (10-3) scored 15.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Hayden Aube (Thunder Mountain) 10-3 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal – Hayden Aube (Thunder Mountain) 10-3 won by fall over Orrin Noon (Thunder Mountain) 2-3 (Fall 1:32)
Haines sophomore Nolan Wald works against Mt. Edgecumbe junior Lennie Brandell during their 145-pound semifinal match of the 2023 Region V Wrestling Championships on Friday at Thunder Mountain High School. (Klas Stolpe / For the Juneau Empire)
152
William Dapcevich (1-16)
Quarterfinal – Alex Marx-Beierly (Thunder Mountain) 10-10 won by forfeit over William Dapcevich (Thunder Mountain) 1-16 (For.)
Cons. Round 1 – William Dapcevich (Thunder Mountain) 1-16 received a bye () (Bye)
152
Alex Marx-Beierly (10-10)
Quarterfinal – Alex Marx-Beierly (Thunder Mountain) 10-10 won by forfeit over william Dapcevich (Thunder Mountain) 1-16 (For.)
Semifinal – Alex Marx-Beierly (Thunder Mountain) 10-10 won by fall over Jason Lorig (Ketchikan High School) 18-14 (Fall 3:05)
152
Justus Darbonne (11-8) scored 15.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Justus Darbonne (Thunder Mountain) 11-8 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal – Justus Darbonne (Thunder Mountain) 11-8 won by fall over Noah Hilson (Ketchikan High School) 15-17 (Fall 0:47)
160
Shanen Mitchell (10-4)
Quarterfinal – Shanen Mitchell (Thunder Mountain) 10-4 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal – Amook Bullock (Ketchikan High School) 20-11 won by fall over Shanen Mitchell (Thunder Mountain) 10-4 (Fall 4:52)
160
Carvin Hass (17-12) scored 15.0 team points.
Quarterfinal – Carvin Hass (Thunder Mountain) 17-12 received a bye () (Bye)
Semifinal – Carvin Hass (Thunder Mountain) 17-12 won by fall over Wyatt Kenny (Thunder Mountain) 10-10 (Fall 0:43)
160
Wyatt Kenny (10-10)
Quarterfinal – Wyatt Kenny (Thunder Mountain) 10-10 won by fall over Russell Page (Ketchikan High School) 7-5 (Fall 3:30)
Semifinal – Carvin Hass (Thunder Mountain) 17-12 won by fall over Wyatt Kenny (Thunder Mountain) 10-10 (Fall 0:43)
Cons. Semi – Wyatt Kenny (Thunder Mountain) 10-10 received a bye () (Bye)
171
Tyler Oudekerk (1-15)
Semifinal – Wyatt Balluta (Ketchikan High School) 3-6 won by fall over Tyler Oudekerk (Thunder Mountain) 1-15 (Fall 0:26)
3rd Place Match – Tyler Oudekerk (Thunder Mountain) 1-15 received a bye () (Bye)
171
Jackson Jim (4-7) scored 7.0 team points.
Semifinal – Jackson Jim (Thunder Mountain) 4-7 received a bye () (Bye)
189
Merrick Hartman (3-9)
Semifinal – Liam Hart (Thunder Mountain) 9-7 won by fall over Merrick Hartman (Thunder Mountain) 3-9 (Fall 0:42)
189
Liam Hart (9-7) scored 11.0 team points.
Semifinal – liam Hart (Thunder Mountain) 9-7 won by fall over Merrick Hartman (Thunder Mountain) 3-9 (Fall 0:42)
215
Denali Schijvens (22-10) scored 11.0 team points.
Semifinal – Denali Schijvens (Thunder Mountain) 22-10 won by fall over Wesley Hewson-Lastimosa (Ketchikan High School) 2-10 (Fall 0:48)
285
Kyle Carter (6-11) .
Semifinal – Brian Burns (Ketchikan High School) 12-13 won by fall over Kyle Carter (Thunder Mountain) 6-11 (Fall 1:41)
285
Darren Foster (14-10) scored 11.0 team points.
Semifinal – Darren Foster (Thunder Mountain) 14-10 won by fall over Jack Dunn (Ketchikan High School) 6-15 (Fall 1:06)
