Four Alaska youth wrestlers claim national titles, continuing to bolster the state’s reputation on the mat
- Anchorage Daily News
- Jul 9, 2024
- 2 min read
By Josh Reed, Anchorage Daily News
Published: July 9, 2024
Coaches for Team Alaska at the USA Wrestling Kids National Tournament often field a throng of questions about the 49th state from competitors and other coaches, ranging from climate to wildlife interactions.
However, last month when the team finished second overall in the Greco-Roman portion of the event on the first day, the line of questioning shifted on day two when the freestyle tournament took place.
“They came back that second day and it was all about ‘How do you have so many good kids coming all the way from Alaska?’ ” Mat-Su Matmen coach Daniel Graham said.
Four Alaskans from Anchorage and Mat-Su were crowned national champions by the end of the tournament, held from June 27-30 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
On the first day during the Greco-Roman portion, Kanin Kumfer finished first in the 14U division at 71 pounds, as did Manny Novelli in 14U at 87 pounds and Shane Ostermiller in 14U at 125 pounds. The only champion crowned on the second day for the freestyle portion was Cadan McPeck in the 8U division at 53 pounds.
When the tournament was last held in Farmington, Utah, in 2022, Team Alaska took a record 29 kids. Even though their numbers weren’t as great, the Alaska contingent of wrestlers was still strong with nine other top eight placers in addition to the quartet of title winners.
“It was good placing that many kids,” Graham said. “It was a lot tougher this year than it was in Utah the last couple of years.”
He was impressed by the effort and performance all of the Alaska wrestlers put forth over the course of the tournament and was especially proud of the four who made it to the top of their respective podiums and disciplines.
“A lot of those guys are the same age and same general weight class so they’re wrestling each other half the time in the state of Alaska and then to all go and win national titles is pretty cool,” Graham said.
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