Eddie Buffington may be considered the second-best 189-pounder in the state by akmat.org, but the Skyview senior has done his fair share of heavy lifting this season, too.
Buffington improved to 4-0 on the year at 215 pounds with a pin of Soldotna's Matthew Strieby on Tuesday and the visiting Panthers defeated the Stars, 48-21.
"Usually (coach Neldon) Gardner bumps me up when he wants me to have a better challenge," Buffington explained. "I just use my speed. All those guys are big but they don't got speed."
If the season were not condensed this year, the 188-pounder believes he could compete at the heavyweight level as well.
"I think I could do a heavyweight if I wanted to," Buffington said. "Quickness is everything."
Gardner sounded as if he thought he'd have a chance.
"There's some heavyweights he could beat, some he couldn't," he said. "I've seen small kids go up and wrestle heavyweight and do OK, but if you get a strong heavyweight that can move, they usually win on that one."
For the time being, though, Buffington will concentrate on making a state championship run at 189 pounds even if that does entail a few more matches at 215 pounds.
"We're 99 percent sure he'll be an 89-pounder at state. We're looking at just getting him good matches, the strongest competitors at a school that we can. When there's a kid that isn't 220 pounds and dropping down and super big, we'll bump him up," Gardner said. "Anytime you can wrestle tough competition, it's going to help you at the state tournament. He's ranked top two in the state but nothing's for sure. You've got to practice hard and wrestle the best kids in the state."
He certainly did on Tuesday.
Strieby, a senior who's also ranked second by akmat.org, trailed 2-1 in the first before Buffington took him down once more and again let him escape, making it 4-2 after two minutes.
Following a Buffington reversal which extended his lead to five, Strieby had his hands locked behind him and was subsequently rolled onto his back as Buffington finished him off, pinning him in 3:47.
"Wrestling bigger guys makes it easier at 89. Definitely," Buffington said.
Even Soldotna coach Bill Carlson was impressed.
"Matt had Buffington on his back and Buffington's a class act," he said. "He bumped up just so he could wrestle him."
That wasn't the only great match, though.
Soldotna's Steven Burlison (145) edged Jared Thomas, 1-0, after fighting hard for an escape with 28 seconds left in the second period. He then controlled Thomas in the third, never letting him knot the match with an escape of his own.
"He's been looking better all season," Carlson said of Burlison, a senior seeking his fourth straight trip to the state tournament.
Also battling it out was Edward Vanvelzor (160) and Skyview's Jeremiah Berzanski, who claimed an exciting, 10-8 decision in overtime.
Vanvelzor, who scored a takedown just before the buzzer and led by one entering the second period, surrendered a takedown but escaped with 10 seconds remaining in the middle frame, knotting it at four after four minutes.
A reversal by Vanvelzor staked him to a 6-4 lead halfway through the third, but Berzanski answered with a reversal of his own to tie it at six.
The back-and-forth match continued as Berzanski jumped in front 8-7 on a takedown with two seconds left, but the referee ruled he later locked his hands, sending the match to overtime at 8-8.
Berzanski then wasted no time, getting behind Vanvelzor just 19.8 seconds into the extra session in sealing the 10-8 victory.
"There were about five matches, on paper, they could go either way," Gardner said. "But our kids just looked one step ahead (Tuesday)."
Despite the loss, getting a chance to wrestle one of the top teams in the state is beneficial to the Stars.
"It's nice to have a local team that we get to see so often. And it's a motivation hopefully," Carlson said. "It was evident some of the things we need to work on. Skyview did a great job of leg control top position, scooping the ankles. We need to work on some of those things."
Other victories for the Panthers included Michaela Hutchison (125) pinning Tyler Powell in 3:28; Freddie Pollard (152) pinning Jesse Carlson in 5:06; Pat Sheridan (171) pinning Jeremy Dooley in 3:08; Adam Byrne (189) pinning Dakota Elsey in 4:17; and Bryce Wilson (103) earning a 9-2 decision over Taylor Hanley.
Wes Mills (135), also ranked No. 2 by akmat.org, had little trouble with Skyview's Nathan Orloff, pinning him in 1:40.
"He's a powerhouse," Bill Carlson said.
DUAL
At Soldotna High School
Skyview 48, Soldotna 21
103 Wilson, Sky, dec. Hanley, Sol, 9-2
112 Mon. Hutchison, Sky, won by forfeit
119 M. Janorschke, Sky, won by forfeit
125 Mic. Hutchison, Sky, p. Tyler Powell, Sol, 3:28
130 double forfeit
135 Mills, Sol, p. Orloff, Sky, 1:40
140 Warfield, Sol, won by forfeit
145 Burlison, Sol, dec. Thomas, Sky, 1-0
152 Pollard, Sky, p. Carlson, Sol, 5:06
160 Berzanski, Sky, dec. Vanvelzor, Sol, 10-8, OT
171 Sheridan, Sky, p. Dooley, Sol, 3:08
189 Byrne, Sky, p. Elsey, Sol, 4:17
215 Buffington, Sky, p. M. Strieby, Sol, 3:47
HWT Baker, Sol, won by forfeit
Kenai edges Nikiski
Behind three pins and a pair of forfeits, the visiting Kardinals beat the Bulldogs, 38-25, on Tuesday.
Winning contested matches for Kenai was Chris Osbekoff (119), Joey Aho (125), Josh Hughes (135), Cody Booth (145) and Jaron Dambacher (171).
For Nikiski, Matt Parker (112), Chris Richter (130), Ancel Ware (140), Karl Buccholtz (152) and Chris Skura (160) all won contested matches.
DUAL
At Nikiski High School
Kenai 38, Nikiski 25
103 Nikiski won by forfeit
112 Parker, Nik, def. Pribbenow, Ken
119 Osbekoff, Ken, p. Stangel, Nik
125 Aho, Ken, T.F. Harbick, Nik
130 Richter, Nik, p. Agosti, Ken
135 Hughes, Ken, p. Peek, Nik
140 Ware, Nik, p. Conner, Ken
145 Booth, Ken, p. Tuttle, Nik
152 Buccholtz, Nik, dec. Duniphin, Ken
160 Skura, Nik, dec. Cryer, Ken
171 Dambacher, Ken, dec. Vance, Nik
189 Rogers, Ken, won by forfeit
215 Wy. Quade, Ken, won by forfeit
HWT double forfeit
High School Sports