Here are the highlights of Friday’s first day of the Alaska state wrestling tournament and what to watch for in Saturday’s finals

The championship round of the 2022 Alaska state wrestling tournament will take place on Saturday at the Alaska Airlines Center and will begin at 4 p.m. The first day of action Friday featured several exciting matches and set the table for a great finish to the season with compelling matchups and storylines, including some rematches from last year’s title round.

Division I Boys

Freshmen sensation Max Francisco of Bettye Davis East will look to keep up his family tradition of winning state titles when he faces Wasilla’s Elijah Allen for the crown at the 103-pound weight class a year after his older brother Elyle Fransisco won a title at 112-pounds.

The 112-pound weight class division will feature a rematch of last year’s 103-pound state title match between Kael Salisbury of Palmer and Jacob Strusbaugh of Soldotna. Salisbury came out on top in 2021 and Strusbaugh will certainly be looking make sure history doesn’t repeat itself now that they are one year older and around nine pounds heavier.

The 130-pound finals match is also a rematch from last year between two wrestlers that bumped up in weight as Matthew Mitchell of Colony and Kenton Cooke of East will face off for the second year in a row as well. Mitchell beat Cooke for the 125-pound title in 2021 and they appeared to have been on a collision course to do it again all season.

South’s Dylan Shaw will be looking to not just complete an undefeated season on Saturday but he’ll also be seeking to claim a second straight title. This year, he’s wrestling at 135 as opposed to 130 last year.

His teammate, Aaron Concepcion was last year’s champion at 135 pounds but bumped up two weight classes and will have the same goal in mind but standing in his way is the reigning champion at 145 pounds, Elijah Larsen of Colony. The two face each other earlier in the season at the Monster Bash Duals and Larsen, who is undefeated on the year, got the best of Concepcion. Just like last year, Concepcion will be looking to avenge his lone loss of the season with a state title on the line.

Wasilla’s Deshawn Campbell will be looking to complete an undefeated season by claiming his first state title when he faces Aaron Johnson of Lathrop in the 160-pound weight class.

Service’s Zachary Priebe will be on the exact same mission as Campbell when he faces Jacob Johnson in the 171-pound weight class.

The 189-pound weight class will feature a rematch of last year’s title bout with Hunter Richardson of Soldotna and James Shivers of South competing at the exact same weight with the same stakes on the line.

The 215-pound weight class will feature the exact same scenario with Liam Babitt of Soldotna and Peter Macchione of West Valley vying for the title as the same weight they were competing at last year. Babitt will be looking to claim a third straight title and complete an undefeated season.

Lathrop’s Noah Curtis will also be looking complete an undefeated season and claim his third straight title in the 285-pound weight class when he faces East two-sport star Puni Pa`u.

Division II boys

Seward’s Aiden Schilling will be looking to claim a state title for the second year in a row when he faces Alvino Vasquez of Bethel in the 112-pound weight class.

After finishing as the runner-up in the 130-pound weight class in 2021, Tristan Goodell of Koliganek bumped down a weight class and will be going for a title at the 125-pound weight class when he faces Jake Stockhausen of Glennallen who finished in fourth place at 119 last year.

This year’s 130-pound title match will be between a pair of 2021 state champions when Redington’s Myles Campbell who finished first at 112 and Paul Dyment Bethel who finished first at 125 faceoff.

After finishing as the runner-up in the 152-pound weight class last year, Andrew Gaethle of Kenai Central, will be looking to finish on top this time around when he takes on Leo Wald of Haines.

Ethan Blatchley of Wrangell will be on the same mission at the 171-pound weight class when he takes on Wyatt Milnes of Redington, who finished in fourth place last year.

Uatahouse Tuifua of Barrow will be looking repeat as the champion of the 285-pound weight division when he takes on 2021 third-place finisher Mayaac Schmit of Nikiski.

Girls

Megan Spencer of Lathrop will be aiming to claim a title for the second straight year after winning it all 103-pounds in 2021. She’ll attempt to do the same at 107-pounds when she faces Jaelynn Colby of North Pole.

Amaya Coon of Lathrop will be looking to cap off an undefeated season with her first state title when she faces her teammate Kaylana Nations in the finals.

At the 132-pound weight class, last year’s state champions at 125 and 130 will faceoff for the title when Natallie Tobuk of Nome and two-time defending champion Aileen Lester of Newhalen take the mat.

Soldotna’s Trinity Donovan will be looking to join the rare club of prep wrestlers to claim state titles in four straight years and finish the year with a perfect record when she takes on Payton Boney of Bethel for the 145-pound crown.

North Pole’s Emily Bellant will be seeking her third straight title and a perfect season when she faces Jahzara O`Neil of Dimond for the 152-pound title.

Jessailah Thammavongsa of South will be looking to claim her first state title and finish her first undefeated season when she takes the mat with Kiley Clouse of Dillingham for the 162-pound crown.

Roane Cook of Homer is on the brink of accomplishing the same feat at the 185-pound weight division with Lylah Murrah of North Pole standing in her way.

The 235-pound weight class title tilt will feature a rematch from last last year’s championship match with Alice Bent of West Valley looking to repeat as champion and Manusiu Muti of Barrow hoping to avoid runner-up status for the second year in a row.