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Chugiak High School junior Melissa Apodaca records one of two pins, the tournament's quickest of 11 seconds, during her four matches in the USGWA 145-157 pound high school division. Apodaca, who has won three state titles, had some tough competition this year, narrowly beating Christina Elliott of Bethel.
PHOTO BY DAN SHEPARD
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With the Cook Inlet Conference wrestling meet Jan. 27 and Jan. 28 and the State Class 4A meet Feb. 2 and Feb. 3, Chugiak High School finished the trifecta, hosting the United States Girls Wrestling Association's Alaska State Championships Saturday.
The local community was well represented among the winners with Chugiak junior Melissa Apodaca and Eagle River High School senior Audriana Pleas at the top of their respective weight divisions.
Tournament director Tom Huffer, Jr. said he was very pleased with the event, which fielded 44 competitors ranging in age from elementary school age to 44 years old.
“Every year the quality of wrestlers is getting better,” he said.
While the tournament was held in Sitka last year, limiting some athletes' access to the meet, Huffer said the hope is to move the meet to Southcentral Alaska.
“We would like to keep it in the Anchorage area and at Chugiak High, if we could,” he added.
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Eagle River's Audriana Pleas waits for the signal in her pinning of Debra Torrey of Wasilla in the women's heavyweight title match at the USGWA Alaska State Championships Saturday at Chugiak High School. Pleas pinned Torrey twice in 33 seconds and 48 seconds en route to the title.
PHOTO BY DAN SHEPARD
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There were 13 weight divisions, ranging from 56-67 pounds to heavyweight, 208-215, with athletes from Bethel to Petersburg and many locations in between traveling to compete.
Mirror Lake Middle School's Anna Ward also competed, placing second in the 89-97 pound weight class.
Complete results of the meet follow:
USGWA State Championships
At Chugiak High
Saturday
56-67 pounds, Elementary — 1) Grace Wiggins, Anch; 2) Jade Shell, Big Lake; 3) Syndee Kimber, Sitka.
59-70, Middle School — 1) Hannah Hutchison, Soldotna.
59-70, Elementary — 1) Sidney Riggs, Sitka; 2) Brittany Whitaker, Wasilla.
89-97, Middle School — 1) Jennifer Coisman, Wasilla; 2) Anna Ward, Eagle River; 3) Jessie Benedict, Anch.
100-107, High School — 1) Michelle Canete, Kodiak; 2) Kendra Nelson, Wasilla; 3) Cody Sloan, Service High; 4) Tiffany Bennett, Dillingham.
107-119, High School — 1) Chloe Ivanoff, Kodiak; 2) Brooke Nelson, Wasilla; 3) Rachel Shannon, Big Lake; 4) Elizabeth Ankivgak, Sitka.
120-126, High School — 1) Michaela Hutchison, Skyview; 2) Aerial Seltenreich, Wasilla; 3) Claira Sallenbach, Petersburg; Lilli Connor, Homer.
131-142, Middle School — 1) Kellee Torrey, Wasilla; 2) Victoria Locklar, Homer; 3) KC Kent, Girdwood; 4) Shastina Ralston, Wasilla.
126-136, High School — 1) Aubrae Putnam, Anch; 2) Kate Iten, Sitka; 3) Jennifer Malone, Palmer; 4) Leslie Thomas, Wasilla.
142-143, High School — 1) Jacklynn Carpenter, Wasilla; 2) Destina Mitchell, Bartlett High; 3) Sarah Hernandez, Bartlett; 4) Karen Webb, Mt. Edgecumbe.
145-157, High School — 1) Melissa Apodaca, Chugiak; 2) Christina Elliot, Bethel; 3) Harriet Chilton, Wasilla; 4) Pauline Shellabarger, Kiana.
188-192, Open — 1) Sunya Maxwell, Sitka; 2) Victoria Willward, Bethel; 3) Devyn Coffman, Anch.
208-216, High School — 1) Audriana Pleas, Eagle River; 2) Debra Torrey, Wasilla.
