Jimmy Thomsen, 15, won four matches at the Southeast regional wrestling meet in Craig last weekend, securing a berth at this weekend’s state championship in Nikiski.
A sophomore who has wrestled only two years, Thomas is the youngest Haines wrestler to qualify for state since the wrestling program was resurrected here about five years ago. He was 4-1 at the competition.
Thomsen beat Wrangell sophomore Tanner Thomassen by a score of 12-5 to place third in the 145-pound weight division. “It was tough. He had a real tight waist,” Thomsen said. He won his first three matches with pins.
“I was expecting to go to state. I was keeping a good mental attitude,” Thomsen said. Thomassen had beaten Thomsen at the wrestling meet in Haines in October. “It was neat that Jimmy was able to come back and turn it around,” said coach Dennis Durr.
Senior Nathan Piper, 17, also will go to state after capturing an alternate position, placing fifth among wrestlers at 171 pounds with a 4-2 meet record. A rookie to the sport and transfer student from Massachusetts, Piper replaces a third-place Wrangell wrestler who can’t make the trip. Piper took that wrestler into overtime.
“It was just a battle. He’s definitely earned his place,” said Durr. “It wasn’t like he got a free ticket.”
Wrestlers this week were working on refining take-downs and on fixing mistakes caught by Durr last weekend. Durr said his message to Thomsen and Piper will be that anything can happen at state.
“You always have a chance, no matter what happened in the season. Stay positive. In a match like this, everybody’s real close, and you can turn things around match to match. You have to think about everything you learned, and try not to get nervous.”
Sophomore Caullen Taylor placed fifth, also an alternate seed to state. Taylor’s weight division, 135 pounds, was especially competitive, Durr said. “In his weight class, to get there as an alternate is an accomplishment. (Matches for) one through four were really tough.”
Due to a technical mistake, senior Nigel Duffy-Webb competed at 140 pounds, two weight classes above his normal weight of 130, but still managed to capture fifth place at that weight and qualify as a state alternate, Durr said.
Freshman Walker Blair finished fifth at 125 pounds, also qualifying as a state alternate.
Eight Haines boys competed including sophomore Corey Piper, senior Tyler Thomas, and junior Jerry Strong. “We did well. We’re proud of them,” Durr said.