Chugiak, Alaska Team in the 37 Team Northen Badger

With three starters on the bench, the Chugiak Mustang varsity wrestling team sustained their first second-place finish of 2006-07, finishing as runner-up to South Anchorage in the West High Christmas Classic Friday and Saturday.
Chugiak had five athletes among the 14 weight division finals, one of which was won by 189-pounder Cayle Byers. Other finalists included Zach Baldwin (130), Quincy Voris (145), Dan Tol (152) and Nolan McBryde (160).

Missing from the team's roster were Rory McBryde, Sam Carlson and John O'Hara with various sicknesses and injuries. McBryde, the squad's top 215-pounder, opted to bypass the meet to rest his shoulder prior to a nationwide tournament in Reno, Nev., this weekend, reported head coach Duncan Shackelford.

“He probably could have wrestled, but chose not to, and that's fine,” said Shackelford Sunday.

“I felt that we wrestled pretty well,” he added.

The Chugiak coach said a lot of coaches are switching around their lineups to see what shakes out.

“We got a change to see everyone's lineup and that's good,” he added. “Coaches are jockeying around their lineups.”

Shackelford is taking 17 athletes on a trip to the Northern Badger Invitational wrestling tournament in River Falls, Wis., Tuesday through Dec. 31.

“I think we'll be competitive,” he said.

Reach the reporter at news@alaskastar.com

West Christmas Classic

Wrestling Tournament

Fri-Sat

Team finish — 1) South, 164.5; 2) Chugiak, 155.0; 3) Wasilla, 11.70; 4) East, 111.5; 5) Colony, 106.5; 6) Soldotna, 98.0; 7) Dimond, 70.5; 8) Homer, 67.0; 9) Service, 59.5; 10) Kenai, 48.0; 11) Kodiak, 45.0; 12) Skyview, 43.0; 13) Palmer, 33.0; 14) West, 32.0; 15) Bartlett.

Chugiak Individuals only-

103 — Taylor Harris, 0-2; 112 — Nick Wharton, 2-2 (6th place); 119 — Grant Sullivan, 2-2 (4th); 125 — Stephen Kichura, 1-2 (4th); 130 — Zach Baldwin, 2-1 (2nd); 135 — Melissa Apodaca, 0-2; 140 — Derek Henry, 1-2; 145 — Quincy Voris, 3-1 (2nd); Anthony Podvin, 3-1 (3rd); 152 — Dan Tol, 3-1 (2nd); 160 — Nolan McBryde, 3-1 (2nd); 171 — Chaz Johnson, 2-2 (4th); 189 — Cayle Byers 3-0 (1st); 215 — Greg Howard, 2-2 (4th); 275 — Chris Cuff, 3-1 (7th).

This article published in The Alaska Star on Thursday, December 21, 2006.