‘Look out for the Nanooks’ this sporting season

_{With interview assist from Francisco Martinezcuello of KYUK}

A total of 131 high school wrestlers gathered at Bethel Regional High School (BRHS) last week (Oct. 13-14) for the first wrestling tournament of the season. Several Nome Nanooks competed in their respective weight classes at the Bethel Scramble.

A total of 350 matches were wrestled.

Corey Erickson is the Nanooks wrestling coach. He says this tournament is a good start to the season and their goal is to get better each week.

“Look out for the Nanooks, all of us. You know, we’re a team that works together.”

This is Nome-Beltz athlete Lacey Sherman’s third year wrestling for the team. She won against St. Mary’s competitors Henrietta Kelly (2-0) and Maisyn Westdahl (4-0), Dillingham’s Gisa Reigh (2-0), and Bethel’s Ashlynn Lonewolf (2-1).

Sherman wrestled a state champion at this meet, Bethel’s Isabel Lieb. While she didn’t win at this tournament, Erickson said they have another shot in the future.

“Lacey Sherman, she just wrestled a state champ. And we got a shot at that coming after her again.”

All results from the Bethel Scramble can be found online.

Two boys and two girls were recognized as “Outstanding Wrestlers” by the wrestling coaches.

Gusty Tunguing IV of Koliganek, boys weight class 103-138
Graelin Chaney of Dillingham, boys weight class 145-285
Laney Green of Chevak, girls weight class 100-132
Isabel Lieb of Bethel, girls weight class 138-235

That’s not all for the Nome athletes. Last weekend Nome-Beltz hosted the 2023 Arctic Pinkies Volleyball Tournament. Both JV and varsity teams competed but two schools swept the competition.

For varsity teams, the Barrow Whalers placed first, with Nome-Beltz trailing in second place. The results for JV were the same.

Nome garnered the most all-tournament selections of the tournament. Taylor Gorn, Benny Lie, Brooklyn Crowe, and Harmony Martinson were selected to compete in the varsity bracket. Kailey Hensley, Kive Shannon, and Angela Omedelina competed in the JV all tournament meet.

Nome-Beltz Volleyball will compete on Friday (Oct. 20) in Galena to compete against Galena and Monroe-Catholic.

_{Photo at top: Nanook Lucas Marvin wrestling at Grace Christian Tournament. Photo from Joshua Marble, used with permission (2019).}