Valdez and Powers Bring Home State Titles

Jay Barrett/KMXT
Kodiak wrestlers came back from the 4-A state championship tournament in Anchorage with two titleholders and a fourth place overall finish. The Wasilla Warriors won the team title.
Kodiak Junior Joel Valdez won the 113-pound weight class after his opponent, Matt Glover of South Anchorage went out with a leg injury in the second round. In the 195-pound class, Kodiak’s Kerry Powers edged Palmer’s Caleb Deemer 1-to-0.
At 120 pounds Kodiak’s Andrew Caballa was second after losing 10-3 to East’s Brennan Giard. Jay-Ar Small was pinned with just seconds left in the match by winner Paul Steffensen of Kenai in the 126-pound finals.
In the 285-pound class, Kodiak’s Leo Sega was upset 3-to-2 in sudden death overtime by North Pole’s Ben Davis.
Yuto Ohki was fourth at 106 pounds, Aaron Rohr was sixth at 132 pounds as was Josh Yavorsky at 170 pounds.

In basketball, the Kodiak boys swept the Colony Knights up in the Valley over the weekend. On Friday, the Bears overcame a double-digit deficit in the third period to win 63-to-61. On Saturday, Kodiak scored just as many points, but their defense was tougher, winning 63-to-48.
Kodiak will be making up two games that were postponed due to weather against the Palmer Moose today and tomorrow. Tonight’s game is at 7 p.m., with the teams facing off in a 1:30 matinee tomorrow.