South High captures Division I wrestling crown

The South Wolverines survived an upset, cheered a senior who won his first state title and clawed their way back to the top of Alaska high school wrestling Saturday night at the Alaska Airlines Center.

South won its second title in four years by holding off Colony in the final round of action at the Division I state tournament.

Among the Wolverines’ individual champions was Jacob Shack, a runner-up as a sophomore and junior who wrapped up his career by winning his first state title. Shack won the 130-pound with a 9-3 decision, capping a 36-1 senior season.

The Wolverines led Colony by 16.5 points going into championship finals, where both teams had eight wrestlers going for titles.

South was more than up to the challenge.

Henry Saafi, the team’s first finalist to wrestle, won his match at 285 pounds to set the tone for the Wolverines.

And although they took a hit in the next match — previously undefeated Adam Concepcion was upset by Lathrop’s Jeremy Bockert at 103 pounds — the Wolverines won four of the next five matches to cement their championship.

Aidan Concepcion, a junior who is Adam’s brother, won at 112 pounds for his third straight state title. The win completed a 41-0 season.

Nick Mayo (125 pounds), Shack and Theo Cha (135) gave South three straight wins in a row, with Cha’s victory over Colony’s Vincent Cramer finishing the Knights’ hopes of catching the Wolverines.

Christian Hudson cushioned South’s lead with a win at 152 pounds, giving South champions in six of the 14 weight divisions. Adam Concepcion and Jacob Anderson (171 pounds) supplied runnerup finishes for the Wolverines.

Four wrestlers won titles for Colony -- Aidan Ehmann (119), Rush Fannon (140), Trace Severson (145) and Eric Christy (171).

ASAA/First National Bank state wrestling championships

Team scores (top 5)

1) South 340, 2) Colony 316.5, 3) Lathrop 261.5, 4) Wasilla 178, 5) Soldotna 127.5.

103 pounds

Championship — Jeremy Bockert (Lathrop) d. Adam Concepcion (South), 9-2.

Third place — Degan Linne (Ketchikan) d. Benjamin Pope (East), 4-2.

Fifth place — Andrew Killian-Dalrymple (Lathrop) p. Chandler Jasper (Wasilla), :52.

112 pounds

Championship — Aedyn Concepcion (South) d. T.J. Clapp (Colony), 9-3.

Third place — Roberto Lechuga Porras (Lathrop) d. Colton Parduhn (Lathrop), 8-3.

Fifth place — Kai Clein (West Valley) d. Carter Silva (Colony), 4-1.

119 pounds

Championship — Aidan Ehmann (Colony) d. Alexander Logsdon (Wasilla), 11-4.

Third place — Patrick Rauwolf (Ketchikan) d. Jacob Harvey (Colony), 12-2.

Fifth place — Garrett Bourne (Lathrop) d. Taylor Mcalpin (South), 12-1.

125 pounds

First place — Niko Mayo (South) d. Jared Hopkins (Colony), 3-1.

Third place — Sabastian Benefield (North Pole) d. Octavius McCleskey (East), 10-9.

Fifth place — Simon Keffalos (South) p. Payton Portney (Palmer), 3:33.

130 pounds

Championship — Jacob Shack (South) d. Gideon Hutchison (Soldotna), 13-5.

Third place — William Poland (Lathrop) d. Kayden Payne (Colony), 4-1.

Fifth place — Wesley Fraker (Wasilla) d. Rett Gallagher (Colony), 9-4.

135 pounds

Championship — Theo Cha (South) d. Vincent Cramer (Colony), 6-5.

Third place — Hunter Hayes (Wasilla) d. Isaac Rodman (Wasilla), 5-1.

Fifth place — Riley Harris (South) p. Matthew Sanchez (Lathrop), :45.

140 pounds

Championship — Rush Fannon (Colony) d. Kobe Ames (Lathrop), 8-5.

Third place — Wesley Wolff (Wasilla) d. Hunter Sasser (Colony), 2-0.

Fifth place — Andy Collins (Ketchikan) p. Niles Williams (Wasilla), 1:50.

145 pounds

Championship — Trace Severson (Colony) d. Gregory Dean (Wasilla), 13-0.

Third place — Brandon DeYarmon (South) p. Isaac Coon (West Valley), 4:52.

Fifth place — Andrew Mueller (Lathrop) p. Brayde Wolfe (Soldotna), 3:42.

152 pounds

Championship — Christian Hudson (South) d. Asa Barnes (Palmer), 16-4.

Third place — Rylan Randolph-Oxholm (Dimond) d. Josiah Opp (Lathrop), 5-2.

Fifth place — Tanner Thornhill (Colony) d. Andrew Green (Service), 5-3.

160 pounds

Championship — Andrue Shepersky (Lathrop) d. Nathan Kisgen (Lathrop), 4-2.

Third place — Spencer Martin (South) d. Michael Chaput (South), 3-2.

Fifth place — Jame Goodman (Kodiak) d. Austin Hacker (Wasilla), 3-1.

171 pounds

Championship — Eric Christy (Colony) d. Jacob Anderson (South), 5-2.

Third place — Josh Nummer (Kodiak) p. Sean Babitt (Soldotna), 4:06.

Fifth place — Levi Farris (Palmer) d. Colton Lindquist (Wasilla), 12-5.

189 pounds

Championship — Bradley Antesberger (North Pole) d. Levi Hopkins (Colony), 7-5.

Third place — Dorian Mellon (South) d. Sean Michel (Lathrop), 5-4.

Fifth place — Brandon Wieber (Ketchikan) def. Daniel Niebles (Chugiak), injury default.

215 pounds

Championship — Aaron Faletoi (Soldotna) p. Kelton Mack (West), 4:49.

Third place — Jamar Toston (Colony) d. Derek Mason (Thunder Mountain), 5-3 (sudden victory).

Fifth place — Andrew Hamilton (Eagle River) d. Elisa Roehl-Paredes (West). 12-7.

285 pounds

Championship — Henry Saafi (South) d. Poe Vaafuti (West), 3-2.

Third place — John Fitzpatrick (East) p. Melvin Lloyd (Soldotna), 2:26.

Fifth place — Brock Weatherspoon (North Pole) d. Eli Floyd (Soldotna), 8-2.