Homer girls place 9th, boys 12th at Lancer Smith

The wrestling tournament brings together the bulk of the Division I and Division II schools

Both the Soldotna girls and Soldotna boys wrestling teams led the Kenai Peninsula by finishing third at the Lancer Smith Memorial Tournament on Friday and Saturday at Palmer High School.

The tournament is regarded as the toughest of the season because it brings together the bulk of the Division I and Division II schools.

The boys of the Student Wrestling Development Program won with 256 points, while South was second with 241.5 and the Stars were third with 197.

Also from the peninsula, Seward, the defending Division II state champ, was eighth and the top Division II team with 74.

Homer was 12th with 55.5, Nikiski was 20th with 20 and Kenai was 28th with 17.

The Stars received championships from Sam Henry at 103 pounds, Titus Watts at 125, Jacob Strausbaugh at 140 and Michael Dickinson at 152.

Also for SoHi, Carson Cobb was second at 130, Hunter Bras was second at 152, Trevor Michael was second at 160 and Anthony Payne was fifth at 171.

Hunter Forshee-Kurtz led the way for Seward by taking the title at 135.

Also for the Seahawks, Tommy Jarnig was fifth at 103 and Ridge Conant was fourth at 119.

For Homer, Brayden Woods was third at 160 and Paul Minke was fifth at 145.

For Nikiski, Rex Wittmer was fifth at 215.

For Kenai Central, Daniel Steffensen was fifth at 152.

In the girls tournament, the Student Wrestling Development Program won with 190 points, while Colony was second with 151 and Soldotna was third with 150.5.

Also, Homer was ninth at 67.5, Seward was 17th at 40, Nikiski was 27th at 19.5 and Kenai was 32nd at 12.

Mia Hannevold led the Stars by taking a title at 114.

Also for SoHi, Valarie McAnelly was second at 107, Rowan Peck was sixth at 126, Daisy Hannevold was third at 145, Carrisa Heistuman was fourth at 145, Bella Byrd was fifth at 152 and Infinity-Ann Asiata-Haga was third at 165.

Saoirse Cook nabbed a title for the Mariners at 132, while Christabelle Minke also finished second at 114.

For the Seahawks, Sobina Clendaniel was second at 126.

Braylynn Young was fifth for the Bulldogs at 132.