Courtesy of Coach Deaton – The Valdez Buccaneer wrestling team traveled up to the Denali Conference Championships in Fairbanks this past weekend and are coming home with some hardware! The boys team dominated the field and won their first region title as a team since the 2013-2014 season. The lady Bucs also are bringing home some hardware, winning the first ever lady Buccaneer wrestling team trophy with a second-place finish! The Bucs got off to hot start Saturday morning and never let their foot of the gas, winning the 1st place spot by a 95.5-point margin.
Qualifying for the state tournament are: Rylen case 119, Kian Coxey 119, Rylen Labonte 125, Kaden Vanbuskirk 130, Logan Beck 135, Landon Metzger 145, Jax Salmeri 152, Dalen Beck 160, Romen Weber 171, AJ Tudela 189, Warren Blood 189, Melanie Leeds 114G, Kaitlyn Morgan 120G, Jewely Weber 132G, Carlie Vanbuskirk 152G.
Overall, I’m super proud of wrestler’s performance this past weekend and I’m excited to watch them ride this wave into the state tournament. I would like to extend a large thank you to all of our wrestling parents, fans, teachers, admin, and coaches for all of their continued support. Go Bucs!
ASAA Denali Results for Valdez High School
112
Gerald Rice (3-13) placed 3rd and scored 9.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Gerald Rice (Valdez High School) 3-13 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Dean Watson (Hutchison High School) 16-14 won by fall over Gerald Rice (Valdez High School) 3-13 (Fall 3:41)
- Cons. Semi – Gerald Rice (Valdez High School) 3-13 received a bye () (Bye)
- 3rd Place Match – Gerald Rice (Valdez High School) 3-13 received a bye () (Bye)
- 2nd Place Match – Dean Watson (Hutchison High School) 16-14 won by no contest over Gerald Rice (Valdez High School) 3-13 (NC)
119
Kian Coxey (2-3) placed 2nd and scored 17.5 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Kian Coxey (Valdez High School) 2-3 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Kian Coxey (Valdez High School) 2-3 won by tech fall over Keegan Enderle (Delta) 3-12 (TF-1.5 4:20 (22-7))
- 1st Place Match – Rylen Case (Valdez High School) 5-8 won by fall over Kian Coxey (Valdez High School) 2-3 (Fall 0:54)
- 2nd Place Match – Kian Coxey (Valdez High School) 2-3 won by no contest over Keegan Enderle (Delta) 3-12 (NC)
119
Rylen Case (5-8) placed 1st and scored 22.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Rylen Case (Valdez High School) 5-8 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Rylen Case (Valdez High School) 5-8 received a bye () (Bye)
- 1st Place Match – Rylen Case (Valdez High School) 5-8 won by fall over Kian Coxey (Valdez High School) 2-3 (Fall 0:54)
125
Cirque Carter (10-12) placed 5th and scored 5.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Cirque Carter (Valdez High School) 10-12 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Michael Santiago (Delta) 17-10 won by fall over Cirque Carter (Valdez High School) 10-12 (Fall 2:35)
- Cons. Semi – Sawyer Love (Susitna Valley Jr/Sr High School) 15-14 won by fall over Cirque Carter (Valdez High School) 10-12 (Fall 2:32)
- 5th Place Match – Cirque Carter (Valdez High School) 10-12 received a bye () (Bye)
125
Rylen Labonte (11-7) placed 1st and scored 23.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Rylen Labonte (Valdez High School) 11-7 won by major decision over Sawyer Love (Susitna Valley Jr/Sr High School) 15-14 (MD 19-10)
- Semifinal – Rylen Labonte (Valdez High School) 11-7 won by fall over Ronan Hawley (Galena Hawks) 1-7 (Fall 1:24)
- 1st Place Match – Rylen Labonte (Valdez High School) 11-7 won by decision over Michael Santiago (Delta) 17-10 (Dec 15-14)
130
Kaden Vanbuskirk (20-7) placed 1st and scored 24.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Kaden Vanbuskirk (Valdez High School) 20-7 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Kaden Vanbuskirk (Valdez High School) 20-7 won by fall over Hanuman Seyrak (Galena Hawks) 4-9 (Fall 1:59)
- 1st Place Match – Kaden Vanbuskirk (Valdez High School) 20-7 won by fall over Jack Dvorak (Delta) 16-13 (Fall 1:06)
135
Logan Beck (25-8) placed 1st and scored 16.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Logan Beck (Valdez High School) 25-8 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Logan Beck (Valdez High School) 25-8 received a bye () (Bye)
- 1st Place Match – Logan Beck (Valdez High School) 25-8 received a bye () (Bye)
140
Malin Blood (11-12) placed 3rd and scored 9.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Malin Blood (Valdez High School) 11-12 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Radson Paul (Nenana High School) 7-6 won by tech fall over Malin Blood (Valdez High School) 11-12 (TF-1.5 4:44 (27-10))
- Cons. Semi – Malin Blood (Valdez High School) 11-12 received a bye () (Bye)
- 3rd Place Match – Malin Blood (Valdez High School) 11-12 received a bye () (Bye)
- 2nd Place Match – Radson Paul (Nenana High School) 7-6 won by no contest over Malin Blood (Valdez High School) 11-12 (NC)
145
Landon Metzger (6-4) placed 1st and scored 23.5 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Landon Metzger (Valdez High School) 6-4 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Landon Metzger (Valdez High School) 6-4 won by tech fall over Princeton Mike (Nenana High School) 15-5 (TF-1.5 3:50 (19-3))
- 1st Place Match – Landon Metzger (Valdez High School) 6-4 won by fall over Aden McCarrick (Delta) 16-14 (Fall 5:10)
152
Jax Salmeri (15-12) placed 1st and scored 25.5 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Jax Salmeri (Valdez High School) 15-12 won by fall over Kalvin Roach (Tok High) 10-10 (Fall 1:31)
- Semifinal – Jax Salmeri (Valdez High School) 15-12 won by fall over Blaze Baldwin-Alexander (Nenana High School) 2-11 (Fall 1:10)
- 1st Place Match – Jax Salmeri (Valdez High School) 15-12 won by tech fall over David McDermott (Tok High) 12-9 (TF-1.5 5:22 (21-6))
160
Dalen Beck (18-10) placed 1st and scored 22.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Dalen Beck (Valdez High School) 18-10 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Dalen Beck (Valdez High School) 18-10 won by major decision over Jed Jacobson (Glennallen High School) 10-8 (MD 13-3)
- 1st Place Match – Dalen Beck (Valdez High School) 18-10 won by major decision over Joshua Barney (Hutchison High School) 24-7 (MD 12-3)
160
Travis Ray (8-11) placed 3rd and scored 14.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Travis Ray (Valdez High School) 8-11 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Joshua Barney (Hutchison High School) 24-7 won by decision over Travis Ray (Valdez High School) 8-11 (Dec 3-0)
- Cons. Semi – Travis Ray (Valdez High School) 8-11 won by fall over Isaiah White (Susitna Valley Jr/Sr High School) 1-6 (Fall 1:51)
- 3rd Place Match – Travis Ray (Valdez High School) 8-11 won by fall over Jed Jacobson (Glennallen High School) 10-8 (Fall 1:24)
- 2nd Place Match – Joshua Barney (Hutchison High School) 24-7 won by no contest over Travis Ray (Valdez High School) 8-11 (NC)
171
Romen Weber (27-9) placed 2nd and scored 21.5 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) 27-9 won by fall over Porter Crow (Susitna Valley Jr/Sr High School) 2-11 (Fall 0:34)
- Semifinal – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) 27-9 won by fall over Micheal Woods (Galena Hawks) 7-11 (Fall 1:31)
- 1st Place Match – William Douglas (Delta) 29-7 won by major decision over Romen Weber (Valdez High School) 27-9 (MD 11-3)
- 2nd Place Match – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) 27-9 won by tech fall over Cassius Wholecheese (Nenana High School) 4-7 (TF-1.5 1:32 (19-4))
189
Warren Blood (17-12) placed 2nd and scored 20.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) 17-12 won by fall over Hawken Scotten (Galena Hawks) 4-9 (Fall 0:32)
- Semifinal – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) 17-12 won by fall over Noah Douglas (Delta) 19-11 (Fall 2:35)
- 1st Place Match – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) 19-10 won by fall over Warren Blood (Valdez High School) 17-12 (Fall 3:23)
- 2nd Place Match – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) 17-12 won by no contest over Noah Douglas (Delta) 19-11 (NC)
189
Aj Tudela (19-10) placed 1st and scored 26.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) 19-10 won by fall over Dawson Brinkman (Tok High) 1-14 (Fall 0:52)
- Semifinal – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) 19-10 won by fall over Ben Jennings (Tok High) 13-10 (Fall 0:14)
- 1st Place Match – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) 19-10 won by fall over Warren Blood (Valdez High School) 17-12 (Fall 3:23)
215
Julian Crater (15-13) placed 3rd and scored 14.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Julian Crater (Valdez High School) 15-13 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Micah Howell (Delta) 15-13 won by fall over Julian Crater (Valdez High School) 15-13 (Fall 0:57)
- Cons. Semi – Julian Crater (Valdez High School) 15-13 won by fall over Liam Rooney (Delta) 1-10 (Fall 1:46)
- 3rd Place Match – Julian Crater (Valdez High School) 15-13 won by fall over Rand Bridge (Hutchison High School) 6-16 (Fall 0:35)
- 2nd Place Match – Micah Howell (Delta) 15-13 won by no contest over Julian Crater (Valdez High School) 15-13 (NC)
ASAA Denali Girls Results for Valdez High School
114G
Melanie leeds (10-12) placed 1st and scored 22.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Melanie leeds (Valdez High School) 10-12 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Melanie leeds (Valdez High School) 10-12 received a bye () (Bye)
- 1st Place Match – Melanie leeds (Valdez High School) 10-12 won by fall over Iris Haas (Delta) 9-12 (Fall 5:07)
120G
Kaitlyn Morgan (8-14) placed 1st and scored 22.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Kaitlyn Morgan (Valdez High School) 8-14 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Kaitlyn Morgan (Valdez High School) 8-14 received a bye () (Bye)
- 1st Place Match – Kaitlyn Morgan (Valdez High School) 8-14 won by fall over Shiara Hunt (Nenana High School) 2-6 (Fall 5:32)
132G
Jewely Weber (11-9) placed 1st and scored 24.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Jewely Weber (Valdez High School) 11-9 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Jewely Weber (Valdez High School) 11-9 won by fall over Eliana Howell (Delta) 7-15 (Fall 2:49)
- 1st Place Match – Jewely Weber (Valdez High School) 11-9 won by fall over Madison Andrew (Galena Hawks) 7-2 (Fall 2:59)
138G
Sophia Neahr (3-8) placed 2nd and scored 21.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Sophia Neahr (Valdez High School) 3-8 won by fall over Shelly Loon (Galena Hawks) 0-10 (Fall 1:30)
- Semifinal – Traylee O`Flanagan (Delta) 11-9 won by fall over Sophia Neahr (Valdez High School) 3-8 (Fall 0:26)
- Cons. Semi – Sophia Neahr (Valdez High School) 3-8 received a bye () (Bye)
- 3rd Place Match – Sophia Neahr (Valdez High School) 3-8 won by fall over Shelly Loon (Galena Hawks) 0-10 (Fall 2:24)
- 2nd Place Match – Sophia Neahr (Valdez High School) 3-8 won by fall over Kait Enderle (Delta) 2-6 (Fall 1:17)
145G
Kirstyn Passin (17-4) placed 2nd and scored 20.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Kirstyn Passin (Valdez High School) 17-4 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Kirstyn Passin (Valdez High School) 17-4 won by fall over Violet Cole (Susitna Valley Jr/Sr High School) 3-11 (Fall 0:26)
- 1st Place Match – Calyse Clark (Delta) 18-7 won by major decision over Kirstyn Passin (Valdez High School) 17-4 (MD 13-5)
- 2nd Place Match – Kirstyn Passin (Valdez High School) 17-4 won by fall over Bre Stone (Glennallen High School) 11-8 (Fall 2:52)
152G
Carlie Vanbuskirk (9-4) placed 1st and scored 16.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Carlie Vanbuskirk (Valdez High School) 9-4 received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Carlie Vanbuskirk (Valdez High School) 9-4 received a bye () (Bye)
- 1st Place Match – Carlie Vanbuskirk (Valdez High School) 9-4 received a bye () (Bye)