Photo gallery: Alaska’s top high school wrestlers post high numbers during state title matches

More than 625 students participated in Anchorage tournament; here are their results and 215 photos of the competition, awards and other notable moments

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Camden Messmer (31-6) attempts to pin Eagle River freshman Jacob Driscoll (28-15) in their 125-pound fifth-place match Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, during the 2025 ASAA State Wrestling Championships at Anchorage's Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

By Klas Stolpe

Juneau Independent

The numbers are outstanding. Roughly 629 wrestlers competed at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Wrestling State Championships last weekend at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center.

Thirty-seven grapplers won four of their matches by pin or technical fall.

They include Aniak’s Ralph Steeves (135 pounds); Delta’s Micah Howell (285); East’s Kenya-Marie Bruno (165); Haines’ Finn Crowe (112); Hutchison’s Lorelei Byrd (235); Juneau-Douglas’ Camden Messmer (125); Kenai’s Keagan Stanley (171), Leilani Boone (165) and Thaddeus Lingenfelter (285); Ketchikan’s Rocco Piazza (215); Mt. Edgecumbe’s Benjamin Balluta (112); Newhalen’s Ida Lester (132); Nome’s Rayden Cross (189); Palmer’s Lillie VanSiegman (138); Redington’s Ashlynn Akers (100); Service’s Malila Miller 145); Seward’s Alejandro Sanchez (140) and Ridge Conant (130); Sitka’s Jene Keith (103); Soldotna’s Carson Cobb (140), Naomi Keller (100), Mia Hannevold (114), Katara Lepule (165), Coleman LeClair (112), and Mason Bock (135); South’s Zane Gerlach (189), Ryder McGuffey (152), Jacob Morris (160) and Benson Mishler (140); Student Wrestling Development Program’s Jaxon Runnels (285), Gage Runnels (215) and Hayden Reuter (152); Wasilla’s Brylee Lutz (138) and Danielle Steiner (120); West Valley’s Canyon May (112); and Wrangell’s Jackson Carney (145) and Ryder Ritchie (103).

The 2025 ASAA Wrestling State Championship Outstanding Wrestler Award winners, from left, are DII Wrangell Wolves' 145-pound junior Jackson Carney (32-0), Girls Student Development Wrestling Program 107-pound senior Jade Sherry (35-4) and DI Soldotna 152-pound senior Michael Dickinson (44-0). (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

South’s 119-pound Mason Ekle (119) had the fastest pin in 21 seconds, Colony’s Arien Sanderson (145) had the second-fastest in 22 seconds and Cordova’s Trent Dundas third-fastest in 23 seconds. Ninety-two matches were decided under one minute. Southeast’s fastest pin came from Metlakatla’s Josiah Bergtold (215) and WRG’s Ian Nelson (152), both in 25 seconds; SIT’s J. Keith and WRG’s Ritchie had pins in 32 seconds; MEHS’ Balluta and Bentley Melovidov (119) and KTN’s Meg Thompson (132) in 33 seconds; MET’s Jeshua Mowers in 38 seconds; KTN’s Noah Hilson (171) and JDHS’ Messmer in 39 seconds, and JDHS’ Nixie School (107) in 45 seconds.

The tally for pins and technical falls by team included the SWDP boys with 46 and girls with 11. SOHI boys had 41 and girls 21, SAHS boys 38 and girls 10, WRG boys 23, COL boys 17 and girls 14, KEN boys 17, WAS girls 16. The JDHS boys had 14 and the girls six, MEHS boys 12 and girls 10, SIT boys nine, HNS boys eight, KTN girls eight and boys seven, among the various teams.

The 2025 ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Wrestling State Champions from the Girls, Division I and Divsion II tournaments pose for a photo Saturday at Anchorage's Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

GIRLS’ DIVISION weight brackets top six placers:

100 pound - 1. SOHI So. Naomi Keller (42-1); 2. COL Sr. Grace Loutzenhiser (26-3); 3. WHS Jr. Taylor Cooley (30-7); 4. NOME Jr. Renee Brown (22-6); 5. RED Jr. Ashlynn Akers (19-15); 6. KOTZ Sr. Caris Nanouk (16-15).

107 - 1. SWDP Sr. Jade Sherry (35-4); 2. JDHS So. Nixie Schooler (27-1); 3. SAHS So. Brooklyn Duelfer (32-2); 4. BETH So. Claire Dyment (21-9); 5. KTN Fr. Loriel Zapanta (22-9); 6. CHS Fr. Rylee Ruggles (18-10).

114 - 1. SOHI Jr. Mia Hannevold (28-0); 2. NPHS Sr. Jaelynn Colby (20-2); 3. COL Sr. Hayden Vanderpool (30-4); 4. COL Fr. Tanellei Trebizo (27-11); 5. DEL Sr. Iris Haas (20-16); 6. JDHS Fr. Madelyn Dale (15-9).

120 - 1. COL Jr. Braelyn Troxell (36-6); 2. SOHI Jr. Valarie McAnelly (46-2); 3. NEW Sr. Pagan Lester (23-6); 4. HOM So. Christab Minke (28-9); 5. WHS Sr. Danielle Steiner (31-14); 6. NPHS So. Jordan Colby (29-9).

126 - 1. SEW Jr. Sobina Clendaniel (20-0); 2. WRG So. Kourtney Barnes (29-2); 3. DMD Sr. Nyah O’Neil (23-7); 4. SOHI Jr. Rowan Peck (23-13); 5. NPHS Fr. Londyn Estrada (30-11); 6. KTN Sr. Minh-Thu Vo (16-12).

132 - 1. DILL So. Alora Wassilly (23-2); 2. HOM Sr. Saoirse Cook (28-4); 3. LATH Jr. Solveig Finstad (35-7); 4. PAL So. Abigail Paddock (33-13); 5. NEW So. Ida Lester (22-9); 6. KTN Sr. Meg Thompson (17-9).

138 - 1. WHS Jr. Brylee Lutz (43-0); 2. DEL So. Jane Douglas (31-4); 3. PMR Jr. Lillie VanSiegman (21-5); 4. BETH Jr. Riley Boney (24-13); 5. MEHS Sr. Halena Slats (19-8); 6. COL So. Cailynn Belgarde (31-13).

Mt. Edgecumbe junior Sophie Didrickson (11-7) pins Bethel senior Ari O'Domin (8-4) in the consolation semifinals during Saturday's ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Wrestling State Championships at Anchorage's Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

GIRLS cont.:

145 pound - 1. SER Sr. Malila Miller (26-1); 2. WHS Jr. Lydia Taysom (20-12); 3. NIK So. Braylynn Young (30-8); 4. DEL Sr. Calyse Clark (21-6); 5. SWDP Fr. Katherine Lovejoy (16-6); 6. EAHS Jr. Heavan Copeland (9-5).

152 - 1. NPHS Sr. Desiree Moore (33-1); 2. SAHS Sr. Savannah Stout (34-3); 3. SOHI Jr. Carrisa Heitstuman (25-7); 4. NPHS Fr. Nyana Tidwell (31-1); 5. LATH Jr. Alice Balash (31-9); 6. KCHS So. Rylee Trent (22-9).

165 - 1. EAHS Sr. Kenya-Ma Bruno (26-2); 2. WHS Jr. Macy Martin (25-7); 3. SOHI Fr. Katara Lepule (27-6); 4. SWDP Jr. Macy Martin (25-7); 5. KCHS Fr. Leilani Boone (8-3); 6. HNH Fr. Ava Hinchman (6-3).

185 - 1. HMR Fr. Phoebe Lang (22-6); 2. BAR Sr. Zadah Unutoa (9-3); 3. SOHI Jr. Infinity Asiata-Higa (36-5); 4. PMR So. Linsey Flores-Romo (22-8); 5. SER So. Lillian Muller (26-14); 6. LATH Sr. Thalia Martinez (36-3).

235 - 1. SAHS Sr. Allison Coffey (31-3); 2. SWDP Jr. Honey Rexford (16-4); 3. HMR So. Araya Andres (25-4); 4. MEHS Jr. Sophie Didrickson (11-7); 5. HUTC So. Lorelei Byrd (13-8); 6. BBAY Sr. Ari O’Domin (8-4).

Sitka freshman Jene Keith (21-1) pins New Stuyahok sophomore Vincent Gust (16-4) to win the Division II 103-pound title during Saturday's ASAA Wrestling State Championships at Anchorage's Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

DIVISION II weight brackets top six placers:

103 pound - 1. SIT Fr. Jene Keith (21-1); 2. NSHS So. Vincent Gust (16-4); 3. WRG Fr. Ryder Ritchie (22-5); 4. NAP Fr. Travis Andrew (16-6); 5. NSHS So. Abram Gust (11-8); 6. GCHS Fr. Ryder Wright (27-9).

112 - 1. MCCA Fr. Ross Dunfee (21-7); 2. SIT Fr. JD Keith (19-6); 3. MEHS Jr. Benjamin Balluta (25-6); 4. BETH Jr. Aidan Crow (24-68); 5. HNS So. Finn Crowe (19-8); 6. BAR Jr. Darren Salazar (22-15).

119 - 1. DILL Jr. August Reigh (21-3); 2. BETH So. Cole Iverson (26-8); 3. NSHS So. Bryson Andrew (22-12); 4. WRG So. Curtis Harriger (23-11); 5. HMR Jr. Luca Fitzpatrick (29-11); 6. CHEV Jr. Laiton Pingayak (11-8).

125 - 1. KOLIG Sr. Gusty Tunguing IV (21-6); 2. SEW Jr. Emery Kirchner (34-11); 3. DILL Fr. Chasen Savo (16-8); 4. MET So. Jeshua Mowers (27-8); 5. BETH Jr. Brandon Ayapan (26-10); 6. SVHS Sawyer Love (20-9).

130 - 1. SEW Jr. Ridge Conant (35-4); 2. VLDZ So. Kaden Vanbuskirk (31-8); 3. NSHS Sr. Hunter Gumlickpuk (24-8); 4. CORD Jr. Gunnar Davis (16-9); 5. WRG Sr. Ben Houser (26-7); 6. MCCA Fr. Gideon Slaugenhoup (20-14).

135 - 1. MCCA Fr. Trestin Houck (30-1); 2. VLDZ So. Logan Beck (31-5); 3. AHS Jr. Ralph Steeves (19-8); 4. SEW So. Quinn Humbert (26-9); 5. MEHS Sr. Elden Andrew (18-7); 6. NSHS Sr. Kiser Gust (18-12).

140 - 1. RED Jr. Eben Caulkins (18-9); 2. UNAK Sr. Cache Henning (24-5); 3. SEW Sr. Alejandr Sanchez (32-5); 4. HMR Sr. Zayne Adams (30-15); 5. NOME Sr. Young Erikson (17-9); 6. CORD Sr. Blake Bailey (13-9).

145 - 1. WRG Jr. Jackson Carney (32-0); 2. KCHS Sr. Conner Cook (24-5); 3. DILL Jr. Lanakila Greene (16-5); 4. PSG Jr. Tanner Caulum (12-6); 5. VLDZ So. Cirque Carter (23-17); 6. KOTZ Sr. Benjamin Marcus (18-14).

Delta senior William Douglas (30-4) grapples with Mt. Edgecumbe senior Carlos Sandoval (25-4) in the 189-pound championship match during Saturday's ASAA Wrestling State Championships at Anchorage's Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

Division II Cont:

152 pound - NIK Sr. Jaxson Young (27-5); 2. KCHS Jr. Gunnar Stanley (32-7); 3. NOME Sr. Benjamin Milton (22-6); 4. RED So. Christia Marquez-Hops (17-7); 5. DILL So. Wyatt Munster (16-8); 6. HMR Jr. Justus Grimes (22-8).

160 - 1. KCHS Sr. Daniel Steffensen (35-3); 2. GCS Sr. Brady Crofts (28-10); 3. NOME Jr. Talan Johnson (15-7); 4. WRG Jr. Everett Meissner (26-12); 5. SISD Jr. Jayden Kohn (19-8); 6. SEW Sr. Anthony Smith (22-12).

171 - 1. GCS Sr. Carson Crotts (38-3); 2. HNS Sr. Nolan Wald (26-5); 3. KCHS Sr. Keagan Stanley (37-12); 4. UNAK Sr. Kaidon Parker (21-7); 5. NIN Jr. Brandt Mill (4-2); 6. HMR Jr. Landyn Woods (31-11).

189 - 1. DEL Sr. William Douglas (30-4); 2. MEHS Sr. Carlos Sandoval (25-4); 3. RED Sr. Triston Charley (24-9); 4 MCCA Sr. Ryan Earhart (21-8); 5. NOME So. Rayden Cross (25-9); 6. BBHS So. Kadin Torino (5-3).

215 - 1. HNS James Stickler (25-1); 2. WRG Sr. Cody Barnes (25-8); 3. UNAK Sr. Jamin Tolai (25-5); 4. NOME Jr. Treydon Thomas (19-7); 5. MCCA Sr. Serge Duchatellier (18-12); 6. HSTN Fr. Corwin Rein (13-9).

285 - 1. KCHS Sr. Thaddeus Lingenfelter (32-6); 2. BAR Sr. Sioeli Tuifua (17-5); 3. NIK Jr. Breaker Schmit (33-9); 4. KCHS So. Cecil Newcomb-Hamm (19-8); 5. DEL Sr. Micah Howell (19-9); 6. KOTZ Jr. Allen Geffe (16-15).

Soldotna and Student Wrestling Development Programs wrestlers start their match during Saturday's ASAA Wrestling State Championships at Anchorage's Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

DIVISION I weight brackets top six placers:

103 pound - 1. SAHS Fr. Manny Novelli (32-1); 2. EAHS Fr. Colter Campbell (24-5); 3. SWDP Fr. Owen Thomas (24-12); 4. NPHS Fr. Garry Lawrence (21-10); 5. NPHS Jr. Kooper Matteson (27-6); 6. SOHI Fr. Shayden Ford (30-12).

112 - 1. WVHS Jr. Canyon May (42-3); 2. SOHI Fr. Harley Hyatt (36-5); 3. SOHI Fr. Coleman LeClair (38-6); 4. KTN Fr. Maxton Glover (13-10); 5. JDHS Fr. Matthew Shockley (30-9); 6. NPHS Fr. Drew Bush (18-6).

119 - 1. SAHS Fr. Mason Ekle (35-1); 2. WVHS Jr. Hayden May (43-3); 3. JDHS Fr. Landon Hill (26-2); 4. SOHI Fr. Corbin Ebenezer (24-8); 5. SWDP Fr. Eli Manns (32-11); 6. COL Sr. Gabriel Crockett (18-18).

125 - 1. SOHI Fr. Hudson Morris (38-6); 2. SOHI Jr. Titus Watts (33-4); 3. EAHS Sr. Max Francisco (27-3); 4. SWDP Jr. Lincoln Werner (31-5); 5. JDHS Jr. Camden Messmer (31-6); 6. ERHS Fr. Jacob Driscoll (28-15).

130 - 1. SOHI Sr. Sam Henry (44-1); 2. SWDP Jr. Quenten Halverson (31-7); 3. SAHS Jr. Kaden Costigan (30-2); 4. SWDP Fr. Ashton Martin (28-9); 5. COL Fr. Addyxus Echak (31-12); 6. PMR So. Wyatt Wilson (33-13).

135 - 1. SOHI Sr. Mason Bock (33-6); 2. COL Sr. Isaiah Schultz (25-4); 3. SOHI So. Kaiser DesOrmeaux (35-10); 4. SWDP Sr. Frank Rodriguez (28-4); 5. PMR Jr. Johnny Martinez (27-13); 6. SAHS Jr. Vincent Robinson (25-12).

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé coaches Alonzo Leisholm, Dan Ondrejka and Adam Messmer watch a Crimson Bears championship match Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, during the 2025 ASAA State Wrestling Championships at Anchorage's Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)

DIVISION I Cont:

140 pound - 1. SOHI Jr. Carson Cobb (39-6); 2. SWDP Jr. Kendall Wyble (30-6); 3. ERHS Sr. Michael Roschi (24-1); 4. SAHS Sr. Benson Mishler (33-5); 5. SWDP Sr. Owen Peterson (19-3); 6. SAHS So. Nathan McCabe (24-8).

145 - 1. SAHS Jr. Levi Shivers (33-1); 2. SWDP Sr. Ezekiel Bolton (29-6); 3. COL Sr. Tristen Mayer (27-3); 4. SWDP So. Jett Connolly (33-9); 5. SOHI Fr. Landon Foster (21-12); 6. PMR Jr. William Lindsey (18-6).

152 - 1. SOHI Sr. Michael Dickinson (44-0); 2. SAHS Fr. Shane Ostermiller (31-3); 3. SWDP Jr. Hayden Reuter (39-8); 4. JDHS Jr. Jed Davis (27-7); 5. SAHS So. Ryder McGuffey (29-10); 6. PMR Jr. Nolan Deemer (19-12).

160 - 1. SAHS Jr. Jacob Morris (31-0); 2. CHS So. Richard Dunlavey (27-10); 3. CHS Jr. Dax Jones (15-9); 4. JDHS Sr. Alex Marx-Beierly (30-10); 5. SWDP Jr. Jesse Conley (14-4); 6. SWDP Jr. Wallace Evans (31-14).

171 - 1. SAHS Sr. Clayton McGuire (39-0); 2. SAHS Sr. Bohdan Porter (36-8); 3. CHS Sr. Elias Rimbert (27-8); 4. SOHI Jr. Laramie Gibson (38-5); 5. SWDP Fr. Cameron Strong (32-8); 6. WAHS Jr. Ryder Thomas (24-14).

189 - 1. SAHS Jr. Zane Gerlach (31-0); 2. COL So. Thor Nelson (36-3); 3. ERHS Sr. Bryson Diola (24-3); 4. SWDP Sr. Alex Kemp (18-4); 5. SWDP Jr. Hunter Terbeek (23-14); 6. WVHS Jr. Daniel Anderson (39-12).

215 - 1. SWDP Sr. Gage Runnels (34-0); 2. WHS Sr. Max Moat (26-8); 3. SOHI Sr. Rodney Mcneel (37-5); 4. KTN Rocco Piazza (18-8); 5. ERHS Sr. Braden Ott (23-10); 6. EAHS Sr. Alberto Colon (22-8).

285 - 1. SWDP Sr. Chandler St. George (17-1); 2. WVHS Jr. James Pearson (10-5); 3. DMD Sr. Daven Nysta (33-5); 4. SWDP So. Jaxon Runnels (27-8); 5. SAHS Jr. Lucas Griffin (27-4); 6. NPHS Jr. Matthew Baird (22-11).

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@gmail.com.

More photos of the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Wrestling State Championships

(All by Klas Stolpe / Juneau Independent)