Ellis, Service wrestlers dominate at CIC tourney

"I tell them to get their body ready for combat," Service coach Luke Duffy said. "That's how Stephen gets ready. That kid is ready to rock when he steps out on the mat."

Ellis was one of 10 Service wrestlers to earn a semifinal victory at the Cook Inlet Conference wrestling tournament Friday at Chugiak High. He pinned Chugiak's Alex Medeiros in 1 minute, 39 seconds in the 195-pound weight class, helping the Cougars take a commanding lead of more than 100 points over defending CIC champion South.

Ellis has statistically been Service's best wrestler this season. The senior hasn't had a single offensive point scored against him in Alaska, and the two-time state champion will wrestle West's Jacob Crews today in an attempt to win his third conference title.

Ellis said his secret is hard work coupled with a love for the sport. As he roams around the gym before a match, he plays out every move in his head and visualizes exactly how he thinks the match will go.

"I have practiced every single one of those moves a thousand times," he said. "I pretty much stick to the basics, because basics win matches."

Daniel Murakami was another Service senior to win by pin Friday, taking out Chugiak's Karson Forbush in 5:10 to advance to the final in the 160-pound division. Today's final against South's Jacob Shangin will be Murakami's first shot at a conference title.

Some other wrestlers earning their first shot at a conference title were Service's Josh Fetko, East's Brennan Girard and West's Mike Huck.

Fetko, a freshman, pinned South's Andrew Concepcion in 4:00 to win in the 106-pound division. He said he won by being aggressive right from the start, even though he was plenty nervous.

"It's a big step up from middle school, for sure," he said. "I just want to take it to him tomorrow in the final."

Fetko will wrestle Girard today, who defeated South's Gavin Alvarado in the other 106-pound semifinal. Girard is a sophomore who only weighed 88 pounds at the end of last season and had to work hard in the weight room to put on some muscle over the summer.

"I had never been around the lifting game," he said. "I ate a lot of rice, fish and protein and I drank a gallon of water a day."

He weighed in at 108 pounds Friday, and when he got his win, a 14-5 major decision, he could hardly contain himself.

"I went out in the hallway to shake out the jitters," he said.

East assistant coach Scott Armstrong said Girard is one of the hardest working wrestlers on the team, often staying 45 minutes after practice to do extra conditioning. He called him an incredibly skilled wrestler who is still learning how to keep his emotions in check during and after a match.

"He's a great technician, but he's still a little too much cowboy," Armstrong said.

Huck's win came in the 132-pound weight class, a 4-1 decision over East's Dwayne Townes. Huck lost in the semifinals at last season's CIC meet, so he was thrilled to get the win this time. He said he has faced Townes many times, with every match being decided by five points or less.

"Every time we wrestle, it's close," he said. "He's a great scrambler."

Huck will surely be in for another tough match today when he faces South's Johnny Hogenson, a three-time conference champion.

"He's in another super-tough weight class," said West coach Shawn Silverthorn. "It's loaded top to bottom."

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Reach Jeremy Peters at jpeters@adn.com or 257-4335.

CIC wrestling tournament

Chugiak High School

Team scores after first day

1) Service, 294.5; 2) South, 173.0; 3) East, 156.0; 4) Chugiak, 118.0; 5) West, 116.5; 6) Eagle River, 92.5; 7) Dimond, 38.0; 8) Bartlett, 26.0.

Friday's semifinal results

106 -- Josh Fetko, Service p. Andrew Concepcion, South, 4:00; Brennan Girard, East m.d. Gavin Alvarado, South, 14-5.

113 -- Alex Nanez, Service dec. Gabe Larson, Service, 6-2; Nick Ottum, South, dec. Zach Ritchie, South, 4-2 OT.

120 -- Kraig Hammond, South, m.d. Zack Luff, Eagle River,14-2; Cody Paniptchuk, Service, p. John Evangalista, Service, 1:00.

126 -- John Pounds, Service, dec. Chase Jury, Chugiak, 7-5; Masa Hu, Dimond, p. Tyler Wintersteen, Chugiak, 3:19.

132 -- Johnny Hogenson, South, m.d. Jacob Wenzl, Chugiak, 18-5; Mike Huck, West, dec. Dwayne Townes, East, 4-1.

138 -- Jacob Lunsford, Service, p. Adam Downing, East, 1:43; Matt Downing, East, dec. Colten Jury, Chugiak 7-4.

145 -- Dominic Taus, Eagle River, p. Josh Noe, South, 5:25; Cesar Guzman, East, dec. Manny Torres, West, 5-0.

152 -- Rilen Skieens, Service, p. Robert Huffer, Chugiak, 4:39; Pedro Pena, West, dec. Ferss Corbett, East, 11-4.

160 -- Daniel Murakami, Service, p. Karson Forbush, Chugiak, 5:10; Jacob Shangin, South, p. Nathan Gorski, Eagle River, 2:50.

170 -- Josh Wiggins, East, won by injury default over Keahi Queja, East; Frankie Dunbar, Service, p. Leroy Elliot, West 1:41.

182 -- Garrett Morrison, Chugiak, p. Duncan Frank, Dimond, 2:30; Ed Hall, Eagle River, dec. Robert Lopez, South10-8 OT.

195 -- Stephen Ellis, Service, p. Alex Medeiros, Chugiak, 1:39; Jacob Crews, West, dec. Jachike Madabuko, Eagle River, 6-3.)

220 -- Derek Zorea, Service, p. Johnny Burgess, South, 4:12; Richard Burroughs, Chugiak, dec. Bien Metcalfe, West, 11-5.

285 -- Caleb Green, Bartlett, p. Kody Trombley, Chugiak, 1:26; Erich Pili, Service, p. Derrick Jones, East, 4:43.