This weekend is the biggest of the year for the state's top Class 4A high school wrestlers, who will converge on Bartlett High for the state tournament Friday and Saturday.
Defending champion Service is ranked fourth coming in, with Northern Lights Conference champion Wasilla ranked first and Cook Inlet Conference champion South ranked second.
No wrestlers have a shot at a third or fourth individual title, but Kenai's Hope Steffenson is one of five grapplers shooting for a second title. As a sophomore in 2010, Steffenson became the second girl to claim a state title in Alaska, joining Skyview's Michaela Hutchison (2006).
Kodiak's Andrew Cabala, East's Josh Wiggins and Service's John Pounds and Rilen Skieens are also chasing their second titles.
Individual rankings by weight class
Top 3
98 -- 1) Greg Shack, South; 2) Logan Albrect, Wasilla; 3) Brian McKimson, Wasilla. 106 -- 1) Kyle Willard, East; 2) Hope Steffenson, Kenai; 3) Marcus Amico, Eagle River. 113 -- 1) Gavin Alvarado, South; 2) Andrew Caballa, Kodiak; 3) Matt Glover, South. 120 -- 1) Mason Cochran, Palmer; 2) Andrew Shannon, Wasilla; 3) Rami Pellumbi, South. 126 -- 1) Daide Agnew, West Valley; 2) Alex Nanez, Service; 3) Shannon Carpenter, Wasilla. 132 -- 1) John Pounds, Service; 2) Ryker Steiner, Wasilla; 3) Spencer Adams, Colony. 138 -- 1) Ellery Steffenson, Kenai; 2) Kraig Hammond, South; 3) Anthony Sierra, East. 145 -- 1) Nate McKimson, Wasilla; 2) Sam Zimmerman, Lathrop; 3) Tyler Thamavongsa, Service. 152 -- 1) Bryce Serna, Wasilla; 2) Moo Rogers, North Pole; 3) Joe Dickinson, Lathrop. 160 -- 1) Rilen Skieens, Service; 2) Luke Heun, Palmer; 3) Craig Deboer, Ketchikan. 170 -- 1) Simon Root, Colony; 2) Josh Wiggins, East; 3) Franklyn Dunbar, Service. 182 -- 1) Sawyer Root, Colony; 2) Hyland Story, West Valley; 3) Caleb Nielsen, Palmer. 195 -- 1) Dalton Sauder, South; 2) Kerry Powers, Kodiak; 3) Austin Rench, Colony. 220 -- 1) Derek Zorea, Service; 2) Ian McKenzie, Colony; 3) Richard Burroughs, Chugiak. 285 -- 1) Brian Thompson, Palmer; 2) Cole Frohling, Palmer; 3) Keanu King, East.
Past State Champions
Class 1-2-3A Class 4A
2012-13 Bethel TBA
2011-12 Bethel Service
2010-11 Bethel Wasilla
2009-10 Dillingham Colony
2008-09 Petersburg Colony
2007-08 ACS Colony
2006-07 Dillingham Colony
2005-06 Dillingham Wasilla
2004-05 ACS Wasilla
2003-04 ACS Wasilla
2002-03 Bethel West Valley
2001-02 Skyview Chugiak
2000-01 Skyview Lathrop
1999-2000 Seward Service
1998-99 Nikiski Skyview
1997-98 Nikiski Service
1996-97 Nikiski Skyview
1995-96 Nikiski Palmer
1994-95 Kotzebue Service
1993-94 ACS Service
1992-93 Bethel Service
1991-92 Eielson Lathrop
1990-91 Eielson West Valley
1989-90 Eielson West Valley
1988-89 Eielson West Valley
1987-88 Eielson West Valley
1986-87 Valdez West Valley
1985-86 Homer Service
Division I Division II
1984-85 North Pole Homer
1983-84 Glennallen Service
1982-83 Glennallen Service
1981-82 Homer Service
1980-81 Eielson West
1979-80 Petersburg Kenai
Single division
1978-79 Kenai
1977-78 West Valley
1976-77 West Valley
1975-76 Service
1974-75 Service
1973-74 Chugiak, Lathrop
Schools were divided into two divisions after 1979. Division I was for small schools and Division II for large schools. Enrollment classifications went into effect for the 1985-86 school year. Schools with less than 400 students wrestled in Class 1-2-3A and schools with more than 400 wrestled in Class 4A.
-- Anchorage Daily News
