Soldotna senior Seth Hutchison is on the hunt for history this week at the Class 4A state wrestling tournament, where he is trying to become Alaska's ninth high school wrestler to win four state titles.
If he succeeds, he'll become the second four-time champ in his family.
Hutchison is part of Alaska wrestling's royal family. Mike and Mary Hutchison's children have combined for 10 individual state championships while setting new standards for the sport.
Seth's older brother Eli was the perfect wrestler, winning four state titles and never losing a high school match. Seth has captured three titles and Zeb, another older brother, owns two.
Older sisters Melina and Michaela broke barriers and made history during their high school days. Melina was the first girl in Alaska to place at the state tournament, and Michaela became the first girl in the United States to win a state championship while competing against boys.
Though he dominates on the mat — Friday at Chugiak High, he won his first match in a mere 38 seconds and his second in 78 seconds — Seth doesn't trumpet his success.
"There are definitely some kids in the room that don't even know he's a three-time state champion," Soldotna coach Neldon Gardner said. "He does not flaunt it. He doesn't say 'Hey, you wanna be like me?' He doesn't brag. He's a super humble kid."
Seth and his younger brother, freshman Gideon, are the last of this generation of Hutchisons, who have long been part of the wrestling picture on the Kenai Peninsula.
Their dad was a two-time state champion at Kenai Central during the mid-1970s, and most of the kids wrestled for Skyview High until that school became a middle school a couple of years ago, prompting Seth's move from Skyview to Soldotna after his sophomore year.
"The father grew up in the school of hard knocks and was looking to get his kids into being physically fit," Gardner said.
"He's as a good of a coach as most coaches out there in the state of Alaska."
Gardner coached many of the Hutchisons, first at Skyview and now at Soldotna. He sees the effort behind the family's bounty of championships.
"They've all been super hard workers," he said. "We do an early morning workout before school and the Hutchisons are there every single morning. That goes to show where the hard work pays off."
Van Williams is a freelance writer in Anchorage and a correspondent for the Alaska School Activities Association.
Alaska's four-time wrestling champions
Gary Steeby, Chugiak, 1970-74
Matt Matson, West Valley, 1989-94
Jed Wade, Wasilla, 2000-04
Eli Hutchison, Skyview, 2002-06
David Wiese, West Valley, 2002-06
Hollan Gravely, Colony, 2003-07
Nathan Hoffer, East, 2006-10
Matthew Malnoski, East, 2007-11