VHS WEEKEND WRAP-UP: DEC 12, 2022

Courtesy of VHS Coaches

Denali Conference Wrestling Championships

This year Buccaneer wrestling had the privilege to host the 2022 Denali Conference Championships. This year featured a tight team race between the Eielson Ravens, Delta Huskies, and the Valdez Buccaneers. Team points are calculated by the result earned by the wrestler (pin, tech fall, Maj. decision, or decision) as well as advancement points earned by advancing through the bracket. The Bucs held the lead until the 189 pound championship bout where the Delta Huskies took the lead by a slim 6.5 point margin. The second place team trophy earned by the Bucs is the first Denali Conference trophy since the 2013-2014 school year.

Leading the way individually for the Bucs and also qualifying for the State tournament are:  Tristen Mayer (Freshman, 1st 140lbs), Rylen Case (Sophomore, 1st 103lbs), Carlie Vanbuskirk (Sophomore, 1st 138lbs) Dalen Beck (Sophomore, 1st 152lbs), Romen Weber (Sophomore, 2nd 152lbs), Warren Blood (Sophomore, 2nd 160lbs), and AJ Tudela (Sophomore, 2nd 189lbs), and Mckennan Mayer (Junior, 2nd 171lbs). In addition to placement medals, coaches take a vote to decide who the most “Outstand Wrestler” of the tournament is. This year’s Outstanding Wrestler Award went to Valdez’s own Carlie Vanbuskirk after she pinned #3 ranked Kiann Williams of Lathrop in the finals. Another notable mention is Freshman Tristen Mayer. After getting injured playing football this season, Tristen’s second match of the season was against #6 ranked Jayden Stone of Glennallen. Trailing 10-2 in the 3rd and final period, Tristen was able to hit a big feet to back move “the twister” and get the pin to advance to the finals. Tristen also received the Boy’s Sportsmanship Award, an award voted on by the referees.

This year’s Denali Conference Wrestling Championship also featured the Buccaneer Cheerleading squad! I would like to extend a huge thank you to coach Hannah Bell for the last minute charge getting your girls ready to sit matside and cheer on our wrestlers, I also want to give a shout out to the cheer squad for helping hand out medals during the award ceremony. Thank you Buccaneer Cheer!

I would like to extend a huge thank you to all of the Parents, table workers, coaches, community members, teachers, maintenance staff, and admin who helped out to make this tournament run very smoothly. I would also like to say a very special thank you to Todd Wegner, Tyler Thompson, Regina Blood, and Patrick Olson for helping set up/organize, and once again, make everything run as smoothly as it did. Thank you!!

Congratulations to this year’s Buccaneer wrestling State Qualifiers! See below for individual results.

103

Rylen Case (9-10) placed 1st and scored 24.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Rylen Case (Valdez High School) 9-10 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Rylen Case (Valdez High School) 9-10 received a bye () (Bye)
• Semifinal – Rylen Case (Valdez High School) 9-10 won by fall over Paxton Lawhorne (Delta) 18-17 (Fall 0:34)
• 1st Place Match – Rylen Case (Valdez High School) 9-10 won by fall over Sawyer Love (Susitna Valley Jr/Sr High School) 8-7 (Fall 2:47)

125

Jarrett Gage (8-7) placed 4th and scored 10.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Jarrett Gage (Valdez High School) 8-7 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Jarrett Gage (Valdez High School) 8-7 won by major decision over William Russell (Delta) 2-19 (MD 15-4)
• Semifinal – Jake Stockhausen (Glennallen High School) 12-4 won by fall over Jarrett Gage (Valdez High School) 8-7 (Fall 1:41)
• Cons. Semi – Jarrett Gage (Valdez High School) 8-7 won by decision over Francis Hoffman (Glennallen High School) 1-6 (Dec 9-6)
• 3rd Place Match – Michael Garza (Eielson High School) 15-11 won by fall over Jarrett Gage (Valdez High School) 8-7 (Fall 0:41)

135

Landon Metzger (7-10) placed 4th and scored 7.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Landon Metzger (Valdez High School) 7-10 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Landon Metzger (Valdez High School) 7-10 received a bye () (Bye)
• Semifinal – Jace Zaldivar (Eielson High School) 14-11 won by decision over Landon Metzger (Valdez High School) 7-10 (Dec 5-0)
• Cons. Semi – Landon Metzger (Valdez High School) 7-10 won by fall over Gabriel Livaudais (Eielson High School) 2-23 (Fall 0:48)
• 3rd Place Match – Aiden Klein (Delta) 18-18 won by fall over Landon Metzger (Valdez High School) 7-10 (Fall 4:54)

140

Tristen Mayer (3-0) placed 1st and scored 26.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Tristen Mayer (Valdez High School) 3-0 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Tristen Mayer (Valdez High School) 3-0 won by fall over Tyler Laws-Fox (Eielson High School) 1-17 (Fall 1:47)
• Semifinal – Tristen Mayer (Valdez High School) 3-0 won by fall over Jayden Stone (Glennallen High School) 13-7 (Fall 5:40)
• 1st Place Match – Tristen Mayer (Valdez High School) 3-0 won by fall over William Douglas (Delta) 10-22 (Fall 2:00)

140

Eli Critchlow (8-13) placed 4th.

• Champ. Round 1 – Eli Critchlow (Valdez High School) 8-13 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Eli Critchlow (Valdez High School) 8-13 received a bye () (Bye)
• Semifinal – William Douglas (Delta) 10-22 won by fall over Eli Critchlow (Valdez High School) 8-13 (Fall 5:14)
• Cons. Semi – Eli Critchlow (Valdez High School) 8-13 won by fall over Tyler Laws-Fox (Eielson High School) 1-17 (Fall 1:51)
• 3rd Place Match – Jayden Stone (Glennallen High School) 13-7 won by fall over Eli Critchlow (Valdez High School) 8-13 (Fall 1:51)

152

Romen Weber (12-11) placed 2nd.

• Champ. Round 1 – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) 12-11 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) 12-11 won by decision over Gabe Hoffman (Glennallen High School) 8-11 (Dec 10-5)
• Semifinal – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) 12-11 won by fall over Ty Newman (Susitna Valley Jr/Sr High School) 12-6 (Fall 3:28)
• 1st Place Match – Dalen Beck (Valdez High School) 13-8 won by fall over Romen Weber (Valdez High School) 12-11 (Fall 2:28)
• 2nd Place Match – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) 12-11 won by no contest over Ty Newman (Susitna Valley Jr/Sr High School) 12-6 (NC)

152

Dalen Beck (13-8) placed 1st and scored 26.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Dalen Beck (Valdez High School) 13-8 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Dalen Beck (Valdez High School) 13-8 won by fall over James Fox (Delta) 5-16 (Fall 3:20)
• Semifinal – Dalen Beck (Valdez High School) 13-8 won by fall over Larry Olson (Hutchison High School) 8-7 (Fall 5:08)
• 1st Place Match – Dalen Beck (Valdez High School) 13-8 won by fall over Romen Weber (Valdez High School) 12-11 (Fall 2:28)

160

Warren Blood (9-10) placed 2nd and scored 20.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) 9-10 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) 9-10 won by fall over Owen Mitcham (Eielson High School) 6-23 (Fall 3:45)
• Semifinal – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) 9-10 won by fall over Gabe Mannan (Hutchison High School) 13-15 (Fall 3:45)
• 1st Place Match – Ethan Vollema (Glennallen High School) 9-4 won by major decision over Warren Blood (Valdez High School) 9-10 (MD 15-2)
• 2nd Place Match – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) 9-10 won by no contest over Gabe Mannan (Hutchison High School) 13-15 (NC)

171

Mckennan Mayer (21-8) placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) 21-8 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) 21-8 won by fall over Joseph Sword (Hutchison High School) 11-13 (Fall 2:56)
• Semifinal – Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) 21-8 won by fall over Micah Howell (Delta) 10-7 (Fall 2:11)
• 1st Place Match – Donovan Koba (Delta) 21-4 won by fall over Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) 21-8 (Fall 3:09)
• 2nd Place Match – Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) 21-8 won by fall over Michael David (Hutchison High School) 18-11 (Fall 1:31)

171

Kedrick Wallis (3-11) place is unknown.

• Champ. Round 1 – Kedrick Wallis (Valdez High School) 3-11 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Micah Howell (Delta) 10-7 won by fall over Kedrick Wallis (Valdez High School) 3-11 (Fall 0:30)
• Cons. Round 2 – Kedrick Wallis (Valdez High School) 3-11 received a bye () (Bye)
• Cons. Round 3 – Joseph Sword (Hutchison High School) 11-13 won by fall over Kedrick Wallis (Valdez High School) 3-11 (Fall 2:04)

171

William Crater (5-10) place is unknown.

• Champ. Round 1 – William Crater (Valdez High School) 5-10 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Michael David (Hutchison High School) 18-11 won by fall over William Crater (Valdez High School) 5-10 (Fall 1:14)
• Cons. Round 2 – William Crater (Valdez High School) 5-10 won by fall over Cody Smith (Galena Hawks) 0-6 (Fall 2:45)
• Cons. Round 3 – Gage Harvey (Susitna Valley Jr/Sr High School) 7-8 won by fall over William Crater (Valdez High School) 5-10 (Fall 0:41)

189

AJ Tudela (9-12) placed 2nd and scored 18.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – AJ Tudela (Valdez High School) 9-12 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – AJ Tudela (Valdez High School) 9-12 received a bye () (Bye)
• Semifinal – AJ Tudela (Valdez High School) 9-12 won by fall over Darren Coleman (Eielson High School) 17-14 (Fall 2:39)
• 1st Place Match – Steven Warren (Delta) 20-3 won by fall over AJ Tudela (Valdez High School) 9-12 (Fall 3:45)
• 2nd Place Match – AJ Tudela (Valdez High School) 9-12 won by no contest over Darren Coleman (Eielson High School) 17-14 (NC)

138G

Carlie VanBuskirk (21-6) placed 1st and scored 26.0 team points.

• Champ. Round 1 – Carlie VanBuskirk (Valdez High School) 21-6 received a bye () (Bye)
• Quarterfinal – Carlie VanBuskirk (Valdez High School) 21-6 won by fall over Hailey Loose (Hutchison High School) 13-9 (Fall 0:53)
• Semifinal – Carlie VanBuskirk (Valdez High School) 21-6 won by fall over Bianca` Hart (Lathrop Wrestling) 30-14 (Fall 2:43)
• 1st Place Match – Carlie VanBuskirk (Valdez High School) 21-6 won by fall over Kiann Williams (Lathrop Wrestling) 15-2 (Fall 2:55)

Valdez Nordic Ski Team 

Colony Chaos December 9-10

Coach Cole Beck

The Buccaneer ski team had a great first trip of the season in Palmer this weekend.  The poor early season snow conditions in Valdez led to our team traveling with a smaller contingent of race ready skiers.  Friday’s competition was a 5k Classic interval start, and on Saturday was a 5k freestyle race.  Government Peak Recreation Area provided a very technical course with challenging climbs and downhills.  Along with cold temperatures that were around 0 degrees at the start of the girls race on Saturday.  These were great distances to compete in our first race and will give us a great base time to continue to improve throughout the year.  Senior Cole Wadsworth achieved a 6 minute improvement on his Colony Chaos time from last year.  Ezekiel James also had a PR of 2 minutes. Blake Roosma had a strong race and finished just 20 seconds off his last year’s time.  Senior Elaina Hanson had 2 great 5 k’s the first of her season and showed lots of toughness preparing with the cold morning start. 

Great Job to all Buccaneer Skiers on a great first race! Now we’re hoping for good snow at home to get some practice on.  The Bucs next race will be the Valdez Invitational during the first weekend in January.