The Mariner boys wrestling team took home the state championship this weekend, taking first place in Division II. About 45 teams competed in the division and the team toppled Glennallan to win the top spot.
Chris Perk is the assistant coach for the team. He said there was more of a level playing field this year and the team has a few top-notch wrestlers that helped drive them to the win.
“Wrestlers who've committed basically their life to the sport the last eight years of their young careers and they want to go wrestle at college, many of them," he said. "I think that that dedication, working out twice a day, wrestling in the spring, just fosters a level of excellence."
Homer High Seniors Seth Inama, Luciano Fasulo, Wayne Newman and Jadin Mann won individual championships. Perk says they really showed their progression during their matches.
“Like Seth Inama tech-falled a guy, beat him by 15 points in the finals and it was an opponent who he was only beating like four to two a month ago,” Perk said.
The boys team came in second the last couple of years. The last time it won the state championship was in 2015.
The girls wrestling team came in seventh this year. Team member McKenzie Cook won her fourth individual state championship, and won the award for outstanding wrestler in the girls division.
