The Alberni District Secondary School (ADSS) gym was once again home to wrestling action last weekend as Port Alberni hosted the annual Alberni Armada Wrestling Invitational.

The 36th annual tournament ran Friday, Feb. 1 through Saturday, Feb. 2, drawing wrestlers from 50 schools across the province to battle it out for team titles in three different age divisions.

ADSS was led by gold medals from Kyle Parkar in the cadet division and Seth Price, Owen Spencer, Jayden Iverson, Scott Coulthart, Paige Maher and Miranda Barker in the juvenile division. Evan McLeod, Carter Duperron, Jayce Clayton, Mackenzie Boudreau and Jackie-Lynn Croft earned silver, while Bobby McKenzie and Mason Bodnar won bronze medals.

Cassie Campbell, Ezra Frost and Prateesh Giri each placed fourth. Rounding out the scoring was Noah Cloke, Brett Lehtonin, Cole Robinson, Darien Van Ingren and Conner Alexander in fifth, and Duncan Richardson placing sixth.

As a team, the ADSS Armada won the Juvenile Boys and Girls divisions.

The Alberni Junior Club also finished well at the tournament, with Grant Coulthart taking the silver medal and Momo Parzanishi, Oliver See, and Victoria Hall finishing with bronze. Nolan Cross, Grady Miller, Alex McKenzie, Kaden Thompson, Danika Currie and Janna Hiltz each finished in fourth place.

James Messenger, one of the invitational’s co-chairs, said he was impressed with the work both on and off the mat by ADSS atheletes.

“They all did tremendous,” he said after Saturday’s finals.

Organizers found themselves short on mat officials on Friday, so many of the ADSS competitors stepped up to spend time referreeing, scorekeeping and mat cleaning.

“They did a first class job on the floor and behind the scenes,” said Messenger. “It’s so appreciated and it makes it easy to do this when you see the kids giving back.”

MAT TALK…ADSS lost a very close dual meet match to the Vancouver College Fighting Irish for the McEvay Post on Friday, Feb. 1 by a score of 54-53.

Wrestling



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Dylan Villarroel of Vancouver College (in purple) topples Alberni’s Owen Spencer in the 66 kg final. Spencer was the eventual winner of the match. ELENA RARDON PHOTO

Miranda Barker (in red) attempts to pin Jackie-Lyn Croft in the all-Armada 90 kg final. Barker was the eventual winner of the match. ELENA RARDON PHOTO

Paiger Maher of ADSS (in red) battles it out with Kaitlyn Jinda of Carihi. Maher won gold in the close contest. ELENA RARDON PHOTO