Michaela's victory is garnering national attention
Boss feels no shame in losing to Michaela
Hutchison steals thunder
HISTORIC: Girl's state title overshadows two wrestlers becoming four-time
champs, Wasilla's 3rd straight crown.
By RON WILMOT
Anchorage Daily News
Published: February 5, 2006
Last Modified: February 5, 2006 at 05:57 AM
Skyview sophomore Michaela Hutchison wasn't the only wrestler to make
history Saturday night at Chugiak High.
Her older brother Eli and West Valley's David Wiese joined an elite group of
Alaska wrestlers with four straight state titles.
The biggest roars of the 2,000 fans came when Michaela Hutchison escaped for
a 1-0 win over Colony's Aaron Boss, becoming the first girl in U.S. history
to win a state wrestling championship while competing against boys.
As historic as that was, the two four-peats and Wasilla High's third
consecutive Class 4A team championship will always live long in Alaska
wrestling history too.
By winning in dominating fashion, Wasilla joined West Valley, Service,
Kenai, and Skyview as teams that have won three or more large-school state
titles.
"It feels like a lot of stress is off," said Wasilla head coach Shawn Hayes,
who was named coach of the year. "The first year, we were wrestling tough
but we were underdogs. This year, we were second to South at the first
tournament, and we were first in every tournament after that.
"We were wondering how long we would be able to keep it up. Being on top is
a different kind of pressure."
Eli Hutchison and Wiese joined Chugiak's Gary Steeby, West Valley's Matt
Mattson and Wasilla's Jed Wade are the only four-time champions in state
history.
But before Eli Hutchison could win his match, he had to sit courtside and
nervously watch his sister.
Eli said he and Michaela grapple each other at home.
So who wins?
"Well, I do," Eli said. "But I've got 40 pounds on her."
Skyview coach Neldon Gardner beamed like a proud papa afterward.
"Those two work as hard as any wrestlers I've coached in 20 years," he said.
"It's nice to see good things happen to good people."
Eli scored a 14-4 major decision over South's Matt Blakeslee to win the
135-pound title.
Wiese beat Wasilla's Mike Trudeau 14-5 to win the 152-pound title. Wiese,
who used to wrestle against Eli when they were kids competing at camps,
finished undefeated against Alaska competition the past two years.
"I feel like I've just completed a life goal," said Wiese soon after he got
a congratulatory hug from Michaela. "Words can't explain it."
Summaries from the championship finals:
103 pounds -- In an incredible way to start off the night, Skyview's
Michaela Hutchison slowly breaks free of Colony's Aaron Boss to pull an
escape with 15 seconds left for a 1-0 victory. Hutchison, a sophomore and
runner-up at 103 last season, finished 41-4 with 33 pins.
The Mat.com Wrestler of the Week
First Girl in the Country to win state title against boys
Hutchisons could make history
Area athletes eyeing glory at state wrestling championships
By WILL MORROW
Peninsula Clarion
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Photo:
Skyview's Michaela Hutchison, top, wrestles Soldotna's Meg Pruett at the
Skyview Invitational last month. Hutchison has a chance to become the first
girl in the U.S. to win a high school state wrestling title competing
against boys this weekend.
Photos by M. Scott Moon
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The biggest wrestling meet of the year kicks off today, and there could be
big things in store as the state's top 4A wrestlers meet at Chugiak High
School for the state championship tournament.
"We're real excited," said Skyview coach Neldon Gardner. "We're getting
ready to head up there and end the season in a positive manner."
The Panthers certainly have plenty to be excited about. Skyview is one of
the top teams in the state and is in the running for a top-three finish, and
a pair of Skyview wrestlers, 103-pounder Michaela Hutchison and 135-pounder
Eli Hutchison, are on the verge of some remarkable individual
accomplishments.
Michaela, a sophomore, has the potential to become the first girl in the
country to win a state wrestling title competing with boys while Eli, a
senior, is poised to become the first wrestler in state history to finish
his high school career without losing a match in Alaska.
Gardner said his team wasn't focused on individual records as much as
individual performances. Everyone in the mat room will be pulling for the
Hutchisons, but each wrestler also will be working toward his or her own
goals.
"Wrestling is such an individual sport. We're there for the team, and we
really focus on the team aspect, but we also tell the kids it's an
individual sport. You have to be there for yourself as well. You put too
much into it, too much blood, sweat and tears, if you're not in it for
yourself, you're in it for the wrong reasons," Gardner said.
Kenai Central High School will send six wrestlers to the meet after the
Kardinals didn't qualify a single wrestler a season ago. Leading the way for
Kenai is Michael Dormady, who scored a major upset to win the conference
title at 189 pounds last week.
"We had just a terrific region tournament. We're still riding high," said
Kenai coach David Boyle.
While Dormady and 275-pounder Mitchell Canavan enter the tournament as
conference champions, the rest of Kenai's qualifiers are young and still
gaining experience.
"We'll get in there, see what we can do, go have some fun and look ahead to
future years," Boyle said.
Soldotna has three wrestlers making the trip to Chugiak, and Homer will send
five.
Gardner said that while Wasilla and South Anchorage have an edge in the team
competition due to their depth, at the state meet, anything can happen. When
the Panthers won a state title in 1999, the team had placed second in the
region.
"Odder things have happened in the past. There's 18 or 19 other teams. We
could knock them off if we hit it just right. If we place eight to 10 kids
in the top six, we could be in the top three," Gardner said.
"Sitka has a good team, so does Colony and Chugiak. Kodiak is looking as
strong as I've seen them in years. West Valley is about like us, with 11 or
12 going to state and four or five really good kids ranked No. 1 or 2 ... I
just don't know how it's going to shake out."
Alaska School Activities Association/First National Bank State 4A Wrestling
Meet
Friday and Saturday at Chugiak High School
Kenai Peninsula Qualifiers
103 - Michaela Hutchison, Skyview; John Hughes, Kenai.
112 - Alex Janorschke, Skyview; Chris Osbekoff, Kenai.
119 - Robert Brymer, Homer; Tom Appelhanz, Homer.
125 - Simeon Daigle, Homer; Luke Morse, Skyview.
135 - Eli Hutchison, Skyview.
140 - Shane Strausbaugh, Skyview; Cody Booth, Kenai.
145 - Clark Buffington, Skyview.
152 - Michael Burlison, Skyview; Erick Morris, Soldotna; Tristan Brymer,
Homer.
160 - Eddie Buffington, Skyview; Jaron Dambacher, Kenai.
171 - Eric Rodgers, Skyview.
189 - Michael Dormady, Kenai; Josh Carlon, Skyview.
215 - Nick Hann, Skyview; Jose Gomez, Soldotna.
275 - Mitchell Canavan, Kenai; Matt Strieby, Soldotna; Michael Fielding,
Homer.
Alaskan girl first to win state title in wrestling
Feb. 8, 2006
In less than two weeks, 14 Indiana wrestlers will win state titles at
Conseco Fieldhouse.
Some will come from the region, others probably from the Indianapolis area,
others perhaps from the Evansville area.
None will be girls.
Though it probably will happen sooner rather than later.
This past weekend, Michaela Hutchison won the 103-pound championship in
Alaska, becoming the first girl in the country to win a state wrestling
title competing against boys.
She is the third of a family of 10 children to win a state title.
Scoff, if you must, at the fact that Hutchison, just a sophomore, won in
Alaska. Question the quality of competition in that state.
But from any angle, her accomplishment still is very impressive.
Colony sophomore Aaron Boss wrestles Michaela Hutchison on Feb. 4 in the 103-pound state wrestling championship final at Chugiak High. Hutchison became the first girl to win a high school championship while competing against boys. "I don't look at it as I lost to a girl," Boss said. "I look at it as I lost to a wrestler."