Submitted by VHS Wrestling Coach
Buccaneer wrestling is officially finished for the 2025 season! This past weekend nine Buccaneer wrestlers toed the line to compete at ASAA State Championships. Leading the way for the Bucs were Sophomores Kaden Vanbuskirk (2nd place, 130 pounds), Logan Beck (2nd place, 135 pounds), and Cirque Carter (5th place, 145 pounds).
Kaden cruised his way to the finals winning every match by pin, including returning placer Hunter Gumlickpuck of New Stuyahok in the semi-finals. In the finals Kaden faced the now three-time State Champ Ridge Conant of Seward High School, where Conant won the match via pin.
Logan also cruised his way to finals winning his first two matches via pin, then wrestled returning State Champion Elden Andrew of Mt. Edgecumbe where Logan won in dominating fashion 11-1. In the finals Logan faced Trestin Houck of Mountain City Christian Academy where Houck won by a score of 2-0.
Cirque came into the tournament unseeded, taking out the fifth seeded wrestler in the first round, dropped his quarterfinal bout, then battled back with a couple of hard fought/gritty wins on the consolation side of the bracket to take fifth place.
Congratulations to this year’s state placers and also to Assistant Coach Austin Rake for winning the 2025 Assistant Coach of the year! I’m very excited and thankful to see your hard work and endless hours that you have dedicated to our program be recognized at the State level.
I would also like to shout out the remainder of our state qualifiers (Trace Arnberg, Anand Galsaikhan, Malin Blood, Brody Gittins, Bryndi Beck, and Jewely Weber) for competing this weekend. Many of our qualifiers still strapped up to compete despite fighting through injuries and sickness for a chance to be on the podium.
Last, I would like to say thank you to all of wrestlers for your time and pushing each other to be the best you can be. Thank you to our Buccaneer Wrestling Alumni for showing up in force to support our wrestlers compete this weekend. Thank you to: Coach Rake, Coach Taylor, Coach Ineck, Alumni, parents, Staff, and administrators for all the time and effort put in to make our program what it is.
Congrats again and go Bucs!
Our Valdez Alumni Wrestlers showed up this weekend to support the Wrestling Team at the State Tournament! Jana Allen, Carlie Vanbuskirk, Alyvia Askren-Weber, Jarrett Gage, Dalen Beck, McKennon Mayer, Angelo Tudela and Romen Weber. Photo by Keristyn Weber
