Each December wrestlers from across Bristol Bay compete in the state tournament. This year, the championship was held on December 15 and 16 at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.
The tournament comes after a full season’s worth of work: months of practices, duels and tournaments where athletes honed their skills.
Olivia Harvilla, a sophomore at Bristol Bay Middle/High School, said the season went by quickly.
“It was a really fun season. We had a big group this year. One of the biggest teams we’ve had.”
Harvilla’s teammate senior Chad Anderson, a captain, said the team had the opportunity to compete against strong opponents throughout the season.
“We started off with a really good tournament in Nikiski. Before we kicked off with that tournament, we had two duels with two really competitive teams – Seward and Soldotna. And that was really cool,” he said.
The Bristol Bay Middle/High School team’s hard work paid off, with their girls team winning the region’s championship for the first time this year, according to the school district. The boys team took third.
Brooke Phelps is a sophomore at Bristol Bay and team captain. Ahead of State, she said she was excited to bring the bigger team to the competition.
“Bringing a bigger team this year just allows all of us to support each other more and have someone there after our matches,” she said. “It's nice to have your coaches and stuff, but having teammates around who know how it feels, it helps a lot.”
About sixty miles west, Dillingham’s athletes prepared for the championship as well. They spent afternoons the week leading up to the championship practicing at the school gym.
Graelin Chaney is a Dillingham junior. He said that for him, wrestling runs in the family.
“My second oldest brother - he was a State champ. And he wrestled in college, which is something I’m starting to think about,” he said.
Chaney said he was excited for this year’s state competition.
Both Dillingham sophomore Tristen Tilden and Dillingham junior Dylan McCambly said they’ve seen their team improve through the season.
“Everybody’s been improving and taking things slow one match at a time,” Tilden said.
McCambly said that the team, which has no seniors, saw successful rematches throughout the season.
“We had some kids lose against some people and then come back later in the season and beat them. So, there was definitely improvement,” he said.
Sophomore Adalgisa Reigh was Dillingham’s only female athlete wrestling at the state championship. She said that she not only enjoys wrestling for the challenge and strength she gains from it, but for how it impacts her academic performance.
“It challenges you but it also builds you up. It keeps you on track for your grades and everything too,” she said.
Dillingham’s boys team, the Wolverines, took the region championship earlier this month. Dillingham’s girls placed third.
When asked about advice for younger wrestlers, Bristol Bay High School sophomore and team captain Phelps said to persist.
“I would just say, keep going,” she said. “If you don't like it the first day, go the next day and just keep trying it out because eventually, you'll probably learn to love it at the end of it.”
Check out the state results below:
Top three finishers from the Bristol Bay Region:
Dillingham junior Dylan McCambly was State Champion in his weight class - 119 lbs.
Dillingham sophomore Tristen Tilden placed second in his weight class - 130 lbs.
Newhalen athlete Pagen Lester placed second in her weight class - 120 lbs.
Dillingham junior Graelin Chaney finished third in his weight class - 171 lbs.
You can find more information on the competition at the Alaska School Activities Associate Wrestling page here.
You can find results from the championship here.
Get in touch with the author at christina@kdlg.org or 907-842-2200.
