Crimson Bears wrestlers earn Southeast Region V team title
- Klas Stolpe
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
JDHS has 11 champions, 22 state qualifiers, 29 on the podium
By Klas Stolpe
Juneau Independent
The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears dominated the 2025 Region V Southeast Conference Division I Wrestling Championships at Sitka’s Mt. Edgecumbe High School’s B.J. McGillis Gymnasium over the weekend, earning the team title with 11 weight division champions, 22 state qualifiers and 29 podium finishes.
“We performed great,” JDHS coach Adam Messmer said. “Definitely had a couple of matches that we came up short, but overall we wrestled at a high level and I couldn’t be prouder. Even some of our kids that didn’t make the podium beat kids that they haven’t the whole season, which speaks to our growth as a team.”
JDHS won the DI team title with 250 points to Ketchikan’s 159 for the Crimson Bears' third straight Region V team title. The top two individual wrestlers in each weight bracket qualify for state.
JDHS senior captain Alex Marx-Beierly (27-8 on the season) won the 160-pound title by a 2-1 decision over KTN’s Cayden Harney (9-5).
“Having close matches like the one I had in finals is one of the most exhilarating parts of wrestling,” Marx-Beierly said. “I go out there and think about how I am going to score next — how am I going to set it up? If it doesn’t work what is my backup plan? What are some of his tendencies/habits that I can exploit? It is all one big chess match out there, all I need to do is stay in good position and wait for him to make a mistake."
"The team winning another region title is huge for us, huge for me. When I first joined the team my freshman year, we had a 20-something-year losing streak and we got very close to breaking it. Now, we are on our third region title in a row, with many more on the way and a full football lineup going to state. I am very proud of how far we have come and hope that the team keeps progressing long after I graduate.”
JDHS senior Marlin Cox (18-9) won the 145-pound title by pinning KTN’s Blake White (5-4) at 1:17. Crimson Bears junior Gage Keller placed third here.
JDHS senior Oliver Abel (13-5) won the 140-pound title by 21-2 technical fall over KTN’s Blaine Garlick (13-10) at 4:32. Crimson Bears sophomore Caleb Aube (13-6) placed third here, senior Quintin McCoy (2-9) fourth and freshman Caleb Demmert (2-7) did not place.
Junior Camden Messmer (28-4) won the 125-pound title, pinning KTN’s Mark Angelo Margaux (11-5) at 2:24. Crimson Bears junior Tristen Ridgeway (14-7) placed third here and sophomore Michael Carson (6-13) placed fourth.
“I have wrestled the kid I wrestled in the finals almost every tournament and he has never scored a point on me,” C. Messmer said. “So I feel pretty good to end regions with him not scoring on me. I mean, it just feels really good to have all of my teammates in the finals. I mean, there's a lot of weight classes that Kayhi did not even have any finalists in the finals and it was just us against ourselves. And I mean, as a team, I think we really used our hearts out there on the mat. I can feel now that regions is done the people who are going to state are ready for the up north competition.”
JDHS junior Jed Davis (25-5) won the 152-pound title by pinning classmate Elliot Klinger (8-5) at 1:17.
“We did what we set out to do, put kids in the finals and win,” Davis said. “This is probably one of the biggest state teams we’ve ever had and it’s great to be a part of it all. We are hoping to continue our winning streak through state and come out with some champions.
JDHS junior Joseph Webster (21-9) won the 135-pound title by 9-2 decision over freshman teammate Hendrik Van Kirk (14-8).
JDHS junior Jaxin Jim (4-3) won the 189-pound title by 20-5 technical fall over sophomore teammate Hugo Rank (10-6). Crimson Bears senior Hyrum Fish (10-11) placed third here.
JDHS sophomore Joshua Beedle (16-9) won the 130-pound title by 15-6 major decision over junior teammate Felix Hesson (18-12). Crimson Bears freshman Beckham Selvig-Baker (7-10) placed third here and junior Tyler Garrison (1-7) fourth.
“Winning regions this year is really cool,” Beedle said. “I had some tough competition and both my matches were a lot of fun. Having lot of teammates going to state is really cool because it shows that the team as a whole is getting better and that the hard work we all put in is paying off. I expect state to be a really tough tournament with lots of fun matches in store and It will be fun to see what happens there.”
JDHS sophomore Sean Fairchild (15-9) did not have an opponent for his 285-pound title.
JDHS freshman Jayden Frickey (10-14) won the 103-pound title, pinning KTN’s Cameron Caskey at 0:50.
JDHS freshman Landon Hill improved to 23 wins and one loss on the season winning the 119-pound title by 16-0 technical fall at 1:58 over freshman teammate William Hulson (19-12).
“It feels great to be surrounded by people that know I can get the job done at state,” Hill said.
Hill’s lone loss this year came from South Anchorage’s Mason Ekle.
“Once I get to the finals I think I will meet that one loss in the finals,” Hill said. “If so I am excited to show him what’s up.”
Other Division I boys champions included KTN’s 112-pound Max Glover by a 6-5 decision over JDHS freshman Matthew Shockley (28-7) - Crimson Bears sophomore Carson Kautz (8-9) placed third here; KTN’s 171-pound Noah Hilson by fall over JDHS senior Wyatt Kenney (3-5) at 3:40 - Crimson Bears senior Sam Buttner (3-15) placed third here and sophomore Brody Vavalis (2-13) fourth; KTN’s 215-pound Rocco Piazza (14-3) won by 14-2 major decision over JDHS senior Kyle Carter (16-9).
JDHS sophomore Nixie Schooler improved to 30-0 on the season as she won the girls 107-pound title by pinning Sitka’s Payton Bergman in the semifinals at 1:28 and KTN’s Loriel Zapata in the finals at 1:17.
“This means a lot to me because now I can go to state,” Schooler said. “It means a lot to have so many teammates going, I am so proud of them. I am expecting to win and I think I can, so I will just keep wrestling how I want to.”
Schooler was also voted the Girls Outstanding Wrester at the tournament. Ketchikan’s Max Glover was voted the Division I Boys Outstanding Wrestler and Hoonah’s Lawrence Howland won the Division II Boys honor.
“I just say it is just an award,” Schooler said. “And I wrestle to win so it doesn’t go to my head.”
JDHS freshman Madelyn Dale (17-6) won the 114-pound girls title by pinning KTN’s Katelynn Kimberley at 0:47 and defeating Wrangell’s Hailey Cook (26-8) by 7-1 decision in the final. Mt. Edgecumbe’s Marykay Evon placed third.
JDHS freshman Ciara Dutton (10-11) qualified for state with a second-place finish at 138 pounds, losing to MEHS’ Halena Slats by fall at 0:41 in the championship match.
JDHS freshman Fiona McFarlin (12-16) competed at 107 pounds, sophomores Sunny Dutton (15-11) and Lacie Whitehead (7-6) at 120 pounds.
Other girls champions included KTN 100-pound Brynn Linne by 11-4 decision over WRG’s Jenna Meissner (25-5) - MEHS’ Kaija Donath third; MEHS’ 120-pound Breana Nelson by fall over Craig’s Jayla Edenshaw - Metlakatla’s Ashlynn Leask (13-13) third; WRG’s 126-pound Kourtney Barnes (31-1) by fall over KTN’s Minh-Thu Vo - KTN’s Ezrah Harney third; KTN’s 132-pound Meg Thompson by fall over MEHS’ Ashlynn Lonewolf - MET’s Haylen Ladnier (13-10) third; HNH’s 145-pound Harlee Brown (17-3) won by fall over MEHS’ Ilana Kalke - CRG’s Abigail MCoy third; MEHS’ 152-pound Arianna Olanna by fall over MEHS’ Aryah Dybdahl - KTN’s Khloe Nordland third; HNH’s 165-pound Ava Hinchman by fall over CRG’s Eva Clark; MEHS’ 185-pound Charity Mila by fall over Kake’s Sassy Sharclane; MEHS’ 235-pound Sophie Didrickson by fall over WRG’s Arabella Nore (15-6).
MEHS won the girls team title with 168, KTN 109.5, WRG 86.5, JDHS 62, CRG 54.5, HNH 41, MET 36, Kake 22, Sitka 15, Southeast Island School District 11 and Petersburg 4.
Wrangell won the Division II team title and Wolves captain Jackson Carney improved to 29-0, winning the 145-pound title by fall over Petersburg’s Tanner Caulum (10-4) at 1:50. WRG’s Lucas Stearns placed third here — the top three in each weight bracket advance to state.
“Getting to win an individual title is awesome,” Carney said. “But getting to watch the people around you succeed is even better. The Wrangell team has been working for moments like these for years, and to see it all paying off is priceless. Going into state undefeated is nice, and I plan on keeping it that way. That being said, wrestling is always about being ready for what comes next, so I am not going to look past anyone.”
WRG scored 248 team points, SIT 161, MEHS 130.5, MET 85, PSG 83, HNS 74, CRG 66, SISD 63, Skagway 58, HNH25.5 and Kake 4.
“Really, I am more excited for what the team is going to do at state,” Carney said. “The Alaska Airlines Center is the proving grounds, and we have got some wrestlers who are ready to roll. Hopefully we will go and secure that team title.”
Other DII champions (and third place state qualifiers) included Sitka’s 103-pound Jene Keith (18-1) by fall over WRG’s Ryder Ritchie (19-4) - CRG’s Allen Trimmer (3-1) third; SIT’s 112-pound JD Keith (16-5) by fall over MEHS’ Benjamin Balluta (12-3) - HNS’ Finn Crowe (15-6) third; WRG’s 119-pound Curtis Harrier (20-9) by fall over MEHS’ Bentley Melovidov (4-4) - SIT’s Chance Davis (9-14) third; MET’s 125-pound Jeshua Mowers (23-6) by decision over WRG’s Lennex Gurule (10-9) - SISD’s Tristan Dolan (13-7) third; WRG’s 130-pound Ben Houser (24-5) by fall over SIT’s Reece Howard (7-11) - SISD’s Nash Lovell (2-10) third; MEHS’ 135-pound Elden Andrew (10-3) by fall over SKG’s Zane Coughran (13-16) - WRG’s Jacoby Hunt (9-11) third; WRG’s 140-pound Cooper Powers (21-4) by fall over SIT’s Killan Hammock (13-10) - SKG’s Dane Ames (14-11) third; HNH’s 152-pound Lawrence Howland (19-6) by 11-8 sudden victory over WRG’s Ian Nelson (20-6) - SIT’s Cooper Wyman (16-9) third; SISD’s 160-pound Jayden Kohn (15-6) by fall over WRG’s Gavin Hunt (19-11) - WRG’s Everett Meissner (22-10) third; HNS’ 171-pound Nolan Wald (23-4) by 17-1 technical fall over SIT’s Landon LaDuke (21-11) - PSG’s Edgar Olsen (17-7) third; MEHS’ 189-pound Carlos Sandoval (13-1) by 21-5 TF over SIT’s Giorgi Jajanidze (7-5) - PSG’s Eli Anderson (19-4) third; HNS’ James Stickler (22-1) by 19-4 TF over WRG’s Cody Barnes (22-7) - MET’s Josiah Bergtold (10-15) third; WRG’s Everett Edens (6-16) by fall over MET’s Sebashti Martinez (13-6) - CRG’s Makhi Williams (3-1) third.
JDHS will take their 22 qualifiers to the 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Wrestling State Championships on December 19-20 at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.
