Wrangell High School’s wrestling team made program history at one of Alaska’s toughest tournaments, bringing home two individual titles from the Lancer Smith Memorial in Wasilla.

With more than 1,100 wrestlers and only 24 championships up for grabs, Wrangell entered just 11 athletes — and two of them came back as champions.

“This is, without a doubt, the biggest tournament,” coach Jack Carney said. “Pretty much every school in the state was there. It was massive. And it’s really cool to think that our little school took 1/12th of the titles.”

Kourtney Barnes won the girls 126-pound division, and Jackson Carney stayed unbeaten on the season by taking first at 145 pounds. It was the first time Wrangell wrestlers had captured two titles at the event.

In his title match, Jackson gave up his first offensive points of the year, the coach said, but still finished on top of the podium. The team also got a third-place finish from Curtis Harriger at 119 pounds and a fourth-place medal from Cody Barnes at 215.

“There is a lot to be proud of,” the coach said of the two-day event Thursday and Friday, Nov. 14-15.

The size and depth of the Lancer Smith tournament made Wrangell’s performance stand out even more. Few competitors received byes, so most had to wrestle every round.

“There were some state champs at the tournament that were in and out,” the coach said. “There were some really high-level wrestlers that wrestled only two matches and were finished. So, for our kids to go out there and perform at such a high level really let everyone in the state know who we are and what we’re about.”

This was Wrangell’s first trip to the tournament with Carney. In the past, he said, the cost and size of the event kept the program home. This year felt different.

“I really feel like we’re seeing something special this year with so many of the wrestlers,” he said. “Both the upperclassmen and the younger students have such a disciplined work ethic. They’re all some talented wrestlers.”

That confidence was tested before the first whistle. When tournament seeds were announced, the coach overheard some doubts about the high rankings given to Wrangell athletes.

“Some of them were like, ‘What? What’s Wrangell?’” he said. “Those who knew about us basically told them, ‘Wait and see.’ By the end of the tournament, they knew who we were.”

The coach praised Barnes for her focus and preparation on the way to her title.

“Kourtney is such a special athlete,” he said. “She always has a game plan and she sticks with it. She’s wonderful to coach because she listens and she is so intense with her work ethic.”

He said Jackson’s calm style on the mat continues to impress both fans and coaches.

“So many people, and myself, marvel at how he can just always stay so calm,” the coach said. “Nothing seems to get to him.”

With Lancer Smith in the books, Wrangell now turns its attention to the Bill Weiss Tournament in Ketchikan, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22.

“We’ll be taking 20 wrestlers to Ketchikan and I have a good feeling about that one, too,” the coach said.

After Ketchikan, the team plans to ease up during Thanksgiving week with fewer and lighter practices. Then the focus will shift to Wrangell’s home tournament the first weekend of December.

“We just hope to compete really well and continue to let the region know who we are, every step of the way,” the coach said.