Champions Reflect on Tourney, Season

Jay Barrett/KMXT

On Saturday a coach and Kodiak’s state wrestling champion were on KMXT’s Jock of the Rock with Derek Clarkston and Nick Sandin. Northern Lights Conference Coach of the Year Shawn Costello and sophomore Andrew Caballa recently returned from the state championships in Anchorage.

Caballa, who won the state title at 106 pounds, said he approached the championships as he does every match.

— (Wrestling 1 18 sec "I just wrestled like it was another … in the finals with me.")

Costello agreed that Caballa’s path to the state title was harder than the championship match itself:

— (Wrestling 2 31 sec "Andrew had a great tournament … and he deserved it.")

Overall, Costello says the team as a whole did well in finishing third:

— (Wrestling 3 27 sec "There’s a website called … really happy with them.")

Costello, who coaches along side his father, long time coach Pat Costello, said the whole season went well for the Bears:

— (Wrestling 4 55 sec "We had a great season from … they wrestled really good.")

Kodiak had more wrestlers qualify for state than any other school, with 22 making the trip. They had nine place over all, with four making the championship round. Two of those wrestlers only lost in overtime to the eventual state champs.

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