Wrangell Sentinel -

The Wrangell Wolves wrestling squad finished their 2012 season at the 1A-3A state championships last weekend in Nikiski with Kurt Dingwall, Tanner Thomassen and Jeffrey Rooney, Jr. taking 4th place among the hundreds of wrestlers who traveled from across the state to compete.

The Wolves also landed a top-20 finish in the tournament, coming in at the No. 13 spot with a total mat time of 14:13 and five pins. Bethel’s varsity squad took the top spot at the competition.

Three Wolves wrestlers managed to complete the tournament while enduring the pain of injuries. Rooney battled through with a broken rib, with Dingwall also having a rib injury and Devon Miller plagued by a bad knee.

Head coach Jeff Rooney said that each of the Wolves who made the trip to Nikiski did their best.

“It was a tough tournament,” Rooney stated emphatically. “All the wrestlers, including and aside from our fourth place finalists, finished strong. Everybody at the tournament was looking for first place and when you meet that level of competition you have to come back from some of the losses you might experience. Each one of our wrestler’s did that.”

Looking ahead to the 2013 season, Rooney will lose five seniors but said he has a strong crop of returning athletes, as well as a group of freshmen hungry to wrestle at the high school level.

“We have probably half a dozen freshmen coming in next year and the middle school program they have been a part of has prepared them. We know we have some good numbers and strong wrestlers coming in,” Rooney said.

1A–3A ASAA State Wrestling Championships

Wrangell Wolves – Final Results

Jeffrey Rooney, Jr. 182lb 16.00 pts (4th) – broken rib

Tanner Thomassen 145lb 15.00 pts (4th)

Kurt Dingwall 138lb 14.00 pts (4th) – rib injury, bad knee all season

Roger Miller 132lb 5.00 pts (DNP)

Jordan Veelle 160lb 2.00 pts (DNP)

Alex Cano 113lb 1.00 pt (DNP)

Devon Miller 170lb 1.00 pt (DNP) – knee injury