Middle school teams traveled to Soldotna to participate in the legendary “Rubber Chicken Classic” last week. The winner of each weight bracket is awarded a rubber chicken, something most middle-schoolers adore, rather than another medal or ribbon.

Teams from Palmer, Glennallen and Grace Christian School joined the usual peninsula squads, making some of the weight classes full of 16 wrestlers. Homer placed fourth overall with 80.5 points, while Chapman was sixth with 59 points and Voznesenka 10th with 24 points.

Wayne Newman and Tristen Cook both brought home “Rubber Chickens” this year.  All seven wrestlers on the Homer squad placed in the top four. 

Following are tournament results by team:

Voznesenka

• 85 pounds: Maxim Kuznetsov placed third and scored 9.00 team points. In the semifinals, Kameron Maxie of Kenai won by a fall over Kuznetsov in 2:31. In the third-place match, Kuznetsov won by a fall over Dexter Lowe of Homer in 2:04.

• 105 pounds: Dia Martishev placed third and scored 12 team points. In the quarterfinals, Martishev won by decision over Nikiski’s Luck Broussard. In semifinals, Levi Farris of Palmer won by a fall over Martishev in 0:47. In the consolation semi, Martishev won by major decision over Donovan Smith of Nikiski. In the third-place match, Martishev won by a major decision over Broussard.

• 125 pounds: Giorgy Kalugin’s place is unknown; he scored 3 team points. In the championship round 1, Nikiski’s Rykker Riddall won by a fall over Kalugin in 0:42. In the consolation round no. 1, Kalugin won by fall over Gaven Frazier of Palmer in 0:36. In the consolation round no. 2, Brennan Werner of Soldotna won by a decision over Kalugin.

• 138 pounds: David Sanarov’s place is unknown. In the championship round, Sanarov won by a decision over Grace Christian’s Eliot Merriner. In the quarterfinals, Trayton Bird of Soldotna won by a fall over David Sanarov in 0:54. In the consolation round no. 2, Sanarov won by a fall over Hunter Harrington of Chapman in 2:14. In the consolation semi, Alex Binder of Grace Christian won by a major decision over Sanarov.

• 138 pounds:Nikit Anufriev’s place is unknown. In the quarterfinal, Tristan Cook of Homer won by a fall over Anufriev in 1:29. In the consolation round no. 1, Anufriev won by a decision over Eliot Merriner of Grace Christian. In the consolation round no. 2, Baker Hensley of Nikiski won by a fall over Anufriev in 3:57.

Chapman

• 90 pounds: Wayne Newman placed first and scored 20 team points. In the semifinal, Newman won by a major decision over Charles Meyer of Soldotna. In the first-place match, Newman won by a major decision over Gideon Hutchison of Soldotna.

• 100 pounds: Allison Wells’ place is unknown and scored 4 team points. In the championship round no. 1, Wells won by a fall over Miller Armstrong of Palmer in 4:22. In the quarterfinal, Wells won by decision over Cameron Casey of Palmer. In the semifinal, Jacob Anderson of Kenai won by a fall over Wells in 0:49. In consolation semifinals, Armstrong won by a decision over Wells.

• 105 pounds: Louciano Fasulo placed second and scored 17.00 team points. In the quarterfinal, Fasulo won by a fall over Donovan Smith of Nikiski in 1:54. In the semifinal, Fasulo won by a major decision over Grace Christian’s Gabe Martin. In the first-place match, Levi Farris of Palmer won by a fall over Fasulo in 4:11.

• 120 pounds: Jack Hiembold’s place is unknown; he scored 3 team points. In the quarterfinal, Evan Bockman of Grace Christian won by a fall over Hiembold in 1:12. In the consolation round no. 1, Hiembold won by a fall over Paul Scott of Glen Allen in 1:57. In the consolation semifinal, Matthew Daniels of Palmer won by a fall over Hiembold in 1:44.

• 138 pounds: Hunter Harrington’s place is unknown and scored 2 team points. In the championship round no. 1, Baker Hensley of Nikiski won by a fall over Harrington in 3:29. In the consolation round no. 1, Harrington won by a fall over Brandon Drew of Palmer in 1:16. In consolation round no. 2, David Sanarov of Voznesenka won by a fall over Harrington in 2:14. 

• 145 pounds: Kyle Wells placed third and scored 13.00 team points. In the quarterfinal, Dustin Mullins of Nikiski won by a fall over Kyle Wells of Chapman in 2:38. In the consolation semifinal, Wells won by a fall over Quincy Miller of Soldotna in 1:46. In the third-place match, Wells won by a fall over Mullins in 1:23.

Homer Middle

• 80 pounds: Ian Stovall placed second. In round no. 2, Stovall won by a decision over Michael Hatch of Glen Allen. In round no. 3, Logan Craig of Soldotna won by fall over Stovall in 4:07.

• 85 pounds: Dexter Lowe placed fourth and scored 4 team points. In the semifinal, Gabe Smith of Nikiski won by a major decision over Lowe. In the third-place match, Maxim Kuznetsov of Voznesenka won by a fall over Lowe in 2:04.

• 110 pounds: McKenzie Cook placed fourth and scored 11.00 team points. In the quarterfinal, Cook won by a fall over Jeffreyna Tubbs of Soldotna in 1:15. In the semifinal, Case Estes of Seward won by a major decision over Cook. In the consolation semifinal, Cook won by forfeit over Jeremy DeVries of Grace Christian. In the third-place match, Anthony Miley of Palmer won by a decision over Cook.

• 132 pounds: Teddy Croft placed second and scored 16 team points. In the quarterfinal, Croft won by a fall over Jonathan Miller of Glen Allen in 1:19. In the semifinal, Croft won by a decision over Bradley Samples of Kenai. In the first-place match, Brenan Powell of Palmer won by a fall over Croft in 0:48.

• 138 pounds: Tristan Cook placed first and scored 21.50 team points. In the quarterfinal, Cook won by a fall over Nikit Anufriev of Voznesenka in 1:29. In the semifinal, Cook won by a decision over Alex Binder of Grace Christian. In the first-place match, Cook won by a tech fall over Trayton Bird of Soldotna in 1.5.

• 155 pounds: Levi King placed third and scored 16.00 team points. In the quarterfinal, King won by a fall over Keith Rice of Kenai in 0:11. In the semifinal, Zion Rogers of Palmer won by a fall over King in 0:53. In the consolation semifinal, King won by a fall over Brandon Lynch Seward in 0:45. In the third-place match, King won by a fall over Sage Ferguson of Seward in 1:17.

• 167 pounds: Wyatt Alborn placed third and scored 12.00 team points. In the quarterfinal, Alborn won by a fall over Gage Hankins of Soldotna in 0:22. In the semifinal, Ian Johnson of Nikiski won by a fall over Alborn in 2:19. In the consolation semi, Alborn won by a decision over Lucas Johnson of Soldotna. In the third-place match, Alborn won by a decision over Chance Turvin of Soldotna.