Courtesy of VHS Coaches
Swimming
2022 ASAA/FIRST NATIONAL BANK ALASKA
SWIM & DIVE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
The 2022 high school swim championship meet was held on November 4-5, 2022 at Bartlett High School Pool in Anchorage. 30 schools throughout Alaska attended this meet. Representing the Valdez Buccaneers was senior Fisher Mishmash, and his younger sister, sophomore, Kinsey.
The Mishmash kids are no strangers to the pool. Both have swam with the Valdez Torpedoes swim club since about age 7, competing in statewide meets at various pools, and are respected throughout the swimming community. This state championship was most likely the last one they will swim together.
Swim and Dive Preliminaries were Friday’s events, with only the top 8 swimmers and 2 alternates advancing to the Finals for Saturday. Fisher’s qualifying events were the 50 and 100 Free; Kinsey qualified in her 100 Breaststroke.
Friday didn’t play out quite as anticipated, with a head cold and malfunctioning “Fast Suit” setting the tone. Fisher swam his 50-Free with a time of 22.66, landing him as 1st Alternate for Saturday’s finals. His 100-Free was 52.21, placing 14th and not advancing to Finals. Kinsey swam her 100-Breast with a time of 1:13.15, earning 2nd Alternate for Saturday’s Finals. Despite not securing berths at finals, both swimmers swam hard and gave it their all, something their coaches couldn’t ask anything more of.
It was an honor to coach these kids and spend time with them on the swim deck and in the van. They both exude confidence without arrogance, which will lend them an edge over others in their lifetime.
Volleyball
Aurora Conference Champs
Aurora Conference Volleyball Tournament
This weekend, the varsity volleyball team traveled to Hutchison High School for our Regional Tournament. The girls went into the tournament seeded first as they went undefeated in regular season conference matches. Their only game Friday was against the fourth seed, Delta. The girls started off slow in the first set, but came back and finished the match strong, winning 3-0. The starters pulled out a strong lead in the final set, which allowed the rest of the team to get first time experience on the floor during a regional tournament. This match pushed them into the semi-finals on Saturday, at 10pm.
Valdez with a big block
The team faced the Monroe Catholic Rams in the semi-finals. The girls came out with a strong start on both offense and defense. They won this match quickly, 3-0, to be the top team going into the championship. That afternoon, we had a rematch against Monroe for the 1st place spot at State for the Aurora Conference. The girls had a repeat performance beating Monroe, 3-0. This is the girls third year in a row winning regionals. I am so beyond proud of how hard these girls have worked this season and am excited to see how they perform this week. This Thursday, we kick off the State Tournament playing against the Houston Hawks at 1:30pm in the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.
VS Delta
25-22, 25-11, 25-11
VS Monroe (Semi-finals)
25-23, 25-16, 25-15
VS Monroe (Championship)
25-21, 25-15, 25-21
Conference Player of the Year
Masen Holmes
All-Conference
Momoe Togagae
Peyton Wade
All-Sport
Lily Brown
All Tournament Team
Wrestling
ACS write up
This past weekend Buccaneer wrestling continued at the annual ACS invitational. Leading the way for the Bucs were Sophomores Carlie Vanbuskirk placing 3rd, Rylen Case placing 6th, and Junior Mckennan Mayer placing 3rd. Other than the State Tournament, ACS is the largest 3A (Division 2) tournament in the state and always gives us a great projection who we will face later in the year at State. Next weekend the Bucs will fly West to compete at the Bethel Bush Brawl.
See below for more results.
Varsity Boys 103
Rylen Case’s place is 6th and has scored 9.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Rylen Case (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
Quarterfinal – Rylen Case (Valdez High School) won by fall over Tommy Jarnig (Seward High School) (Fall 0:44)
Semifinal – Hayden Jimenez (Haines High School) won by fall over Rylen Case (Valdez High School) (Fall 3:57)
Cons. Semi – Sawyer Love (Susitna Valley Jr/Sr High School) won by fall over Rylen Case (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:53)
5th Place Match – Ryley Young (Dillingham High School) won by fall over Rylen Case (Valdez High School) (Fall 4:07)
Varsity Boys 119
Weston Clupper’s place is unknown and has scored 0.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Eli Banks (Houston) won by fall over Weston Clupper (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:07)
Cons. Round 1 – Weston Clupper (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 – Evan Andrew (Mt. Edgecumbe High School) won by fall over Weston Clupper (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:43)
Varsity Boys 125
Jarrett Gage’s place is unknown and has scored 3.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Jarrett Gage (Valdez High School) won by major decision over Wyatt Maguire (Nikiski High School) (Maj 10-2)
Quarterfinal – Jake Stockhausen (Glennallen High School) won by fall over Jarrett Gage (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:30)
Cons. Round 2 – Anthony Kapotak (Dillingham High School) won by fall over Jarrett Gage (Valdez High School) (Fall 3:25)
Varsity Boys 160
Warren Blood’s place is unknown and has scored 9.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) won by fall over Cole Hanson (Cordova ) (Fall 1:28)
Quarterfinal – Randy Churchill (Wrangell Wolves) won by fall over Warren Blood (Valdez High School) (Fall 0:13)
Cons. Round 4 – Warren Blood (Valdez High School) won by fall over Ethan Vollema (Glennallen High School) (Fall 3:54)
Cons. Round 5 – Graelin Chaney (Dillingham High School) won by major decision over Warren Blood (Valdez High School) (Maj 10-0)
Varsity Boys 160
Romen Weber’s place is unknown and has scored 7.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Jason Young (Sitka High School) won by decision over Romen Weber (Valdez High School) (Dec 7-1)
Cons. Round 1 – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
Cons. Round 2 – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) won by fall over David Grey (Grace Christian School) (Fall 2:45)
Cons. Round 3 – Romen Weber (Valdez High School) won by fall over Cole Hanson (Cordova) (Fall 1:58)
Cons. Round 4 – Graelin Chaney (Dillingham High School) won by major decision over Romen Weber (Valdez High School) (Maj 15-4)
Varsity Boys 171
Kedrick Wallis’s place is unknown and has scored 6.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Kedrick Wallis (Valdez High School) won by fall over William Larow (Seward High School) (Fall 1:08)
Champ. Round 2 – Kedrick Wallis (Valdez High School) won by decision over Roman Dunham (Kenai Central High School) (Dec 9-2)
Quarterfinal – Wyatt Milnes (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) won by fall over Kedrick Wallis (Valdez High School) (Fall 0:54)
Cons. Round 4 – Wyatt Ahmasuk (Nome High School) won by injury default over Kedrick Wallis (Valdez High School) (Inj. 0:00)
Varsity Boys 171
Mckennan Mayer’s place is 3rd and has scored 22.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) won by fall overJayden Rodgers-Whipple (Kenai Central High School) (Fall 0:26)
Champ. Round 2 – Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) won by fall over Dylan Jackson (Bethel High School) (Fall 1:37)
Quarterfinal – Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) won by decision over Donovan Koba (Delta) (Dec 8-7)
Semifinal – Ethan Blatchley (Wrangell Wolves) won by decision over Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) (Dec 5-2)
Cons. Semi – Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) won by fall over Michael David (Hutchison High School) (Fall 3:52)
3rd Place Match – Mckennan Mayer (Valdez High School) won by decision over Donovan Koba (Delta) (Dec 9-7)
Varsity Boys 189
Aj Tudela’s place is unknown and has scored 11.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) won by fall over Jacob Emery (Hutchison High School) (Fall 1:05)
Champ. Round 2 – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) won by fall over Vincent Nothstine (Cordova ) (Fall 3:22)
Quarterfinal – Steven Warren (Delta) won by fall over Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) (Fall 1:02)
Cons. Round 4 – Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) won by fall over Sioeli Tuifua (Barrow High School ) (Fall 2:49)
Cons. Round 5 – Tim Goodnight (Nikiski High School) won by fall over Aj Tudela (Valdez High School) (Fall 3:53)
Varsity Girls 138G
Carlie VanBuskirk’s place is 3rd and has scored 24.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 – Carlie VanBuskirk (Valdez High School) received a bye () (Bye)
Champ. Round 2 – Carlie VanBuskirk (Valdez High School) won by fall over Brooke Phelps (Bristol Bay ) (Fall 3:42)
Quarterfinal – Carlie VanBuskirk (Valdez High School) won by fall over Joy Walker (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 1:51)
Semifinal – Kaitlyn Cottrell (Colony High School) won by major decision over Carlie VanBuskirk (Valdez High School) (Maj 12-4)
Cons. Semi – Carlie VanBuskirk (Valdez High School) won by fall over Bianca` Hart (Lathrop Wrestling) (Fall 3:50)
3rd Place Match – Carlie VanBuskirk (Valdez High School) won by fall over Joy Walker (Redington Sr. Jr/Sr High School) (Fall 4:52)