Courtesy of VHS Wrestling Coach
This past weekend Buccaneer wrestling stayed at home to host the annual Throwdown in Snow town invitational. This year’s format looked a little different than years past with dual meet action taking place on Friday and a tournament on Saturday. For those unfamiliar with wrestling, dual meets are where each team sends out a representative at each weight class to compete and team score is kept based on the type of win earned (decision, major decision, technical fall, or fall. Types of wins are determined by the points scored in the individual match). Dual meet action began at 9:30am on Friday where the Bucs wrestled Wasilla JV, Colony JV, and Redington for Senior night (See below for dual results as well as tournament results). I was very excited to bring dual meet action to the Throwdown this year so fans could see our wrestlers compete one after the other all at one time, and it brings a little more team atmosphere to a very individual sport. This year we recognized 11 seniors at senior night (Eli Critchlow, Andrew Baczuk, Travis Ray, Landon Metzger, Dalen Beck, Warren Blood, Carlie Vanbuskirk, AJ Tudela, James Garcia, Romen Weber, and Rylen Case). This group of Seniors will be the largest class of wrestlers to graduate since my tenure began in 2019, the vast majority of which we helped coach when they were still in the youth program when I was in High School. When Austin Rake and I took over the program in 2019, we only had 5 kids on the team, so to have a group of kids stick with the program this long and to help build it to where it is now is incredible. Good luck Seniors in your final season as a Buccaneer wrestler!
Saturday tournament action began at 8:30 am where the Freshman class had a very strong showing, leading the way for the Bucs was Freshman Kirstyn Passin placing 1st at 145G as well as winning the tournament’s most outstanding wrestler for the girls. Congrats Kirtstyn! Also representing the Freshman class was Kaden Vanbuskirk at 130 pounds and Logan Beck at 135 pounds both earning their first gold medals at a high school meet. Also placing first were Seniors AJ Tudela at 189 pounds and James Garcia at 285 pounds. Also placing was Senior Romen Weber (2nd place 171 pounds), Sophomore Rylen Labonte (2nd place 125lbs), Sophomore Melanie Leeds (2nd place 114G pounds), and Sophomore Jewely Weber (3rd place 132G pounds).
I would like to thank all the parents, volunteers, and admin who all helped this event be successful, your help and support is greatly appreciated. Next week the Bucs head to Anchorage for the MCCA Invitational. Go Bucs!
2024 Throw Down in Snow Town Results for Valdez High School
Girls Varsity 114G
Melanie Roseleeds’s place is 2nd and has scored 4.0 team points.
- Round 1 – Melanie Roseleeds (Valdez High School) won by fall over Iselin Swalling (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 3:40)
- Round 3 – Hayden VanderPool (Colony High School) won by fall over Melanie Roseleeds (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:32)
Girls Varsity 120G
Kaitlyn Morgan’s place is 4th and has scored 6.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Caydence Nunley (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) won by fall over Kaitlyn Morgan (Valdez High School) (Fall 0:36)
- Cons. Round 1 – Kaitlyn Morgan (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Semi – Kaitlyn Morgan (Valdez High School) won by decision over Jaydi Pitcher (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Dec 12-10)
- 3rd Place Match – Alexis Mitchell (Colony High School) won by fall over Kaitlyn Morgan (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:39)
Girls Varsity 132G
Jewely Weber’s place is 3rd and has scored 13.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Calico McIntyre (Colony High School) won in the ultimate tie breaker over Jewely Weber (Valdez High School) (UTB 8-7)
- Cons. Round 1 – Jewely Weber (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Semi – Jewely Weber (Valdez High School) won by fall over Amelia Bowdish (Colony High School) (Fall 2:51)
- 3rd Place Match – Jewely Weber (Valdez High School) won by fall over Daisy Cardoso (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 4:32)
Girls Varsity 145G
Kirstyn Passin’s place is 1st and has scored 24.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Kirstyn Passin (Valdez High School) won by fall over Alejandra Roman (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 3:53)
- Semifinal – Kirstyn Passin (Valdez High School) won by fall over Ahna Morphis (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 0:47)
- 1st Place Match – Kirstyn Passin (Valdez High School) won by fall over Josephine Granger (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 1:58)
Varsity Boys 112
Gerald Rice’s place is 4th and has scored 8.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Alexander Probasco (Wasilla High School) won by fall over Gerald Rice (Valdez High School) (Fall 3:35)
- Cons. Round 1 – Gerald Rice (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Semi – Gerald Rice (Valdez High School) won by fall over Kyler Wheat (Colony High School) (Fall 2:08)
- 3rd Place Match – Alexander Probasco (Wasilla High School) won by fall over Gerald Rice (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:54)
Varsity Boys 125
Cirque Carter’s place is unknown and has scored 4.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Cirque Carter (Valdez High School) won by decision over Bewiller Paul (Colony High School) (Dec 15-9)
- Quarterfinal – Cirque Carter (Valdez High School) won by decision over Jones Cardoso (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Dec 10-7)
- Semifinal – Nicholas Marchione (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) won by fall over Cirque Carter (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:14)
- Cons. Semi – Aiden Dennison (Wasilla High School) won by fall over Cirque Carter (Valdez High School) (Fall 3:41)
Varsity Boys 125
Rylen Labonte’s place is 2nd and has scored 19.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Rylen Labonte (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Rylen Labonte (Valdez High School) won by tech fall over Radniel Gonzalez (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (TF 19-4)
- Semifinal – Rylen Labonte (Valdez High School) won by tech fall over Braiden Greene (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (TF 19-4)
- 1st Place Match – Nicholas Marchione (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) won by fall over Rylen Labonte (Valdez High School) (Fall 3:28)
Varsity Boys 130
Kaden Vanbuskirk’s place is 1st and has scored 24.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Kaden Vanbuskirk (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Kaden Vanbuskirk (Valdez High School) won by fall over Landon Foust (Colony High School) (Fall 0:49)
- Semifinal – Kaden Vanbuskirk (Valdez High School) won by fall over Isaiah Shepard (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 1:30)
- 1st Place Match – Kaden Vanbuskirk (Valdez High School) won by decision over Jake Olson (Colony High School) (Dec 8-3)
Varsity Boys 135
Brad Wheeler’s place is unknown and has scored 4.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Brad Wheeler (Valdez High School) won by fall over Leo Tsai (Houston) (Fall 1:05)
- Semifinal – Ethan Smalling (Colony High School) won by fall over Brad Wheeler (Valdez High School) (Fall 4:47)
- Cons. Semi – Eli Banks (Houston) won by fall over Brad Wheeler (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:36)
Varsity Boys 135
Logan Beck’s place is 1st and has scored 22.5 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Logan Beck (Valdez High School) won by tech fall over Eli Banks (Houston) (TF 17-1)
- Semifinal – Logan Beck (Valdez High School) won by tech fall over William Gittens (Valdez High School) (TF 19-4)
- 1st Place Match – Logan Beck (Valdez High School) won by tech fall over Ethan Smalling (Colony High School) (TF 16-1)
Varsity Boys 135
William Gittens’s place is 4th and has scored 7.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – William Gittens (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Semifinal – Logan Beck (Valdez High School) won by tech fall over William Gittens (Valdez High School) (TF 19-4)
- Cons. Semi – William Gittens (Valdez High School) won by fall over Leo Tsai (Houston) (Fall 3:21)
- 3rd Place Match – Eli Banks (Houston) won by fall over William Gittens (Valdez High School) (Fall 0:45)
Varsity Boys 140
Malin Blood’s place is unknown and has scored 6.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Malin Blood (Valdez High School) won by decision over Arnold Gagnon (Wasilla High School) (Dec 18-11)
- Quarterfinal – Malin Blood (Valdez High School) won by fall over Isaac Carillo (Wasilla High School) (Fall 1:51)
- Semifinal – Joshua Quisenberry (Colony High School) won by decision over Malin Blood (Valdez High School) (Dec 13-10)
- Cons. Semi – Marshall Moat (Wasilla High School) won by tech fall over Malin Blood (Valdez High School) (TF 16-1)
Varsity Boys 152
Jax Salmeri’s place is unknown and has scored 4.5 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Haakon Erickson (Colony High School) won by fall over Jax Salmeri (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:44)
- Cons. Round 1 – Jax Salmeri (Valdez High School) won by tech fall over Drake Attwood (Houston) (TF 20-5)
- Cons. Round 2 – Jax Salmeri (Valdez High School) won by decision over Marcus Holley (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Dec 16-12)
- Cons. Round 3 – Jax Salmeri (Valdez High School) won in sudden victory – 1 over David McDermott (Tok High) (SV-1 14-11)
- Cons. Semi – Haakon Erickson (Colony High School) won by fall over Jax Salmeri (Valdez High School) (Fall 0:00)
Varsity Boys 160
Travis Ray’s place is unknown and has scored 7.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Travis Ray (Valdez High School) won by fall over Alex Harrington (Wasilla High School) (Fall 1:58)
- Quarterfinal – Bryor Thayer (Houston) won by fall over Travis Ray (Valdez High School) (Fall 4:42)
- Cons. Round 2 – Travis Ray (Valdez High School) won by fall over Jayden Garcia (Houston) (Fall 2:35)
- Cons. Round 3 – Kaysan Mccormack (Houston) won by fall over Travis Ray (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:33)
Varsity Boys 171
Romen Weber’s place is 2nd and has scored 22.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) won by fall over Jacob Lawrence (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 2:00)
- Quarterfinal – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) won by fall over Ayden Bryne (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 2:18)
- Semifinal – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) won by fall over Hayden Wright (Houston) (Fall 1:04)
- 1st Place Match – Michael Marquez-Hopson (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) won in sudden victory – 1 over Romen Weber (Valdez High School) (SV-1 16-13)
Varsity Boys 189
Oden Halley’s place is unknown and has scored 0.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Oden Halley (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Thor Nelson (Colony High School) won by fall over Oden Halley (Valdez High School) (Fall 0:18)
- Cons. Round 2 – Oden Halley (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Round 3 – Ben Jennings (Tok High) won by fall over Oden Halley (Valdez High School) (Fall 0:15)
Varsity Boys 189
Warren Blood’s place is 2nd and has scored 19.5 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) won by tech fall over Joshua Weeks (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (TF 18-3)
- Semifinal – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) won by fall over Thor Nelson (Colony High School) (Fall 2:30)
- 1st Place Match – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) won by decision over Warren Blood (Valdez High School) (Dec 20-17)
Varsity Boys 189
Aj Tudela’s place is 1st and has scored 24.0 team points.
- Champ. Round 1 – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Quarterfinal – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) won by fall over Pj Kanz (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 0:43)
- Semifinal – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) won by fall over Lucas Quennell (Colony High School) (Fall 2:46)
- 1st Place Match – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) won by decision over Warren Blood (Valdez High School) (Dec 20-17)
Varsity Boys 215
Julian Crater’s place is unknown and has scored 0.0 team points.
- Quarterfinal – Triston Charley (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) won by decision over Julian Crater (Valdez High School) (Dec 6-0)
- Cons. Round 1 – Julian Crater (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
- Cons. Semi – Tristan Humphrey (Colony High School) won in sudden victory – 1 over Julian Crater (Valdez High School) (SV-1 4-1)
Varsity Boys 285
Pirate Gracia’s place is 1st and has scored 4.0 team points.
- 1st Place Match – Pirate Gracia (Valdez High School) won by fall over Waylon Nelson (Tok High) (Fall 2:19)