Juneau hosts Southeast Showdowns wrestling tournament

Above: Carvin Hass (TMHS) brings Amook Bullick (Ketchikan High School) back to the mat. (Photo credit Jody Hass)

Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – In total, there were a total of 32 members of the combined Juneau Douglas High School and Thunder Mountain High School wrestling team competing this past weekend. The tournament took place Friday and Saturday at TMHS.

For many, it was their first-ever wrestling tournament and the first opportunity to experience their personal growth.

The weekend tournament showcased the growth of wrestling programs region-wide.

Juneau’s team will now continue to travel to weekly tournaments throughout the state in anticipation of the regional tournament (hosted in Juneau this year) Dec. 8 and 9.

TMHS had 7 finalists in Showdowns (by weight and place):

  • 112 Landyn Dunn 1st
  • 112 Camden Messmer 2nd
  • 125 Jed Davis 2nd
  • 145 Hayden Aube 1st
  • 160 Carvin Hass 1st
  • 160 Alex Marx-Beierly 2nd
  • 189 Liam Hart 1st
Liam Hart (TMHS) attempts to pin Colin Eliot (Ketchikan). (Photo credit Jody Hass)

Coaches also voted RJ Didrickson from Mt Edgecumbe High School as the Southeast Showdown Brandon Pilot Memorial Outstanding Wrestler.

Head Coach of the TMHS/JDHS Wrestling Team, Adam Messmer, said what his takeaway was from this weekend.

“They’re definitely getting better and we saw a lot of things that we need to work on. It’s a pretty young team. But there’s some really experienced kids that are young that have been wrestling in the club since they were five,” he said. “Those freshmen really shined during this tournament, and they’ve been helping bring the other freshmen up to speed. Our upperclassmen are definitely leading the team in the right direction.”

Between Friday and Saturday, Messmer noticed significant improvement. He said Friday they wrestled “a little flat” as it was their first tournament of the year, but by Saturday they were locked in.

The Juneau team also has fundraisers coming up.

On Nov. 4 at TMHS the team will host a crab feed. All of the wrestlers have a handful of tickets they’re selling for the event.

They’re also participating in a school raffle and organizing a poster that allows businesses to add their logos as sponsors for the team.

Messmer added wrestling is a team effort behind the scenes.

“A lot of people think of wrestling as an individual sport. You know, it is when you set foot on that mat. It’s just you and your opponent,” he said. “But to get to the point to be able to beat somebody, it takes a team of drilling and beating up on each other basically in the wrestling room to get you to that level.”

Denali Schijvens (TMHS) goes toe to toe with Silas Ferguson (Sitka HS). (Photo credit Jody Hass)
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