Six wrestlers from Chapman School particpated in the Middle School State Tournament at Tanana Middle School in Fairbanks last weekend. Three of them came home as first-place champions.
Luciano Fasulo, Chapman’s 114-pounder, went undefeated this season taking gold in every tournament in which he competed. Luciano went to the tournament unseated and dominated his competition.
He walked through his bracket, upsetting the No. 4-seated wrestler in his second match with a pin in 36 seconds. He faced the No. 1-seated wrestler and showed his skills by pinning Marqus McNeil of North Pole Middle School, with a time of 2:08.
He made it to the finals where he met his toughest competition of the tournament — Cameron Jacob of Napaskiak Middle. Luciano came out on top as a champion and pinned the wrestler in the third period with a time of 4:09.
Wayne Newman at 98 pounds had a fantastic tournament with five wins the first day and taking out the No. 2-seated wrestler, Hunter Hayes of Wasilla. He made it to the semi-finals and lost to the No. 3-seat Warren Williams of Valdez who took the tournament.
Wayne was sent to the back side of the bracket where he faced Patrick Rauwolf of Ketchikan. He wrestled a flawless match where Patrick did not score on him and won by decision 6-0. Wayne took fourth losing to Hunter Hayes of Wasilla.
Hunter Harrington, at 148 pounds, came to the tournament looking to better himself from his last year’s performance. He improved and had two wins in the tournament.
This year was the first year where the Middle School State had an all girls tournament. Allison Wells at 113 pounds dominated her bracket and pinned her first two wrestlers in the second period. In the finals match she dominated the No. 1-seat Maddie Knott of North Pole Middle and won by fall at 2:59, to become the first 113 Girls State Champion.
Mina Cavasos, also a 113-pounder, won her first match with textbook performance pinning the number four seated wrestler in the first round. She lost her next match to the number one seated wrestler. Mina won one more match taking fifth in the tournament.
McKenzie Cook, wrestling at 128 pounds, took home gold this weekend and Best Female Wrestler of the Tournament. In her first match, she upset the favored number-two seat, Sydney Carr of Eielson Junior High, with a fall time of 2:31.
In the finals where she dominated the number one seat Taryn Plunk of North Pole Middle. McKenzie went out and showed her skills by pinning her in the second period with a time of 2:36.
There were more than 30 teams and Chapman was the smallest team in the tournament taking 18th place for the boys team and fourth for the girls team.
