More than 500 students from 16 Yukon elementary schools hit the mats at the Canada Games Centre yesterday during the Yukon Schools' Athletic Association wrestling tournament.

About 1,300 bouts took place on 18 mats as competitors wrestled five times within their designated pool or weight class.

The Yukon Montessori School was named the top performing team – a coveted title for competing teams.

Finishing behind the Montessori Mafia were the Kluane Lake Bulldozers, second, and the Jack Hulland Hawks, third.

The Christ the King Wolverines took home the top overall team award, edging the Holy Family Hurricanes and Elijah Smith Eagles.

Student athletes travelled in from communities across Yukon, including Ross River, Teslin, Watson Lake, Carcross and Burwash Landing.

"This tournament is a great example of Yukon schools bringing students from different communities together,” Minister of Education Elaine Taylor said in a press release.

"Education Week is a time to celebrate the diverse learning opportunities available to Yukon students. This friendly competition showcases how students are developing their physical literacy skills and personal well-being through sport.”

Dominic Bradford, the head teacher of Yukon Montessori School, said his team of 16 wrestlers began wrestling in January, spending one day each week at the Canada Games Centre training with former university wrestler David Eikelboom.

"He volunteered his time on a weekly basis and would teach us a lot,” Bradford said. "We would go and ski for an hour and then wrestle for an hour. We sort of jammed all our gym into that one day. That was a good thing for the kids. It was really impressive to see them take on all of that.”

Bradford said he appreciated wrestling's aspects such as equality, and the effort the young athletes needed to put forth to be successful.

Ted Hupé, principal of Holy Family Elementary School, was the mastermind behind the wrestling tournament for the seventh straight year.

Taylor called his continued leadership "impressive.”

She also praised the hundreds of competing athletes.

"The athletes deserve congratulations for their participation and for exemplifying the spirit of sport,” she stated. "Kudos must also go to the coaches, teachers, families and communities for their support.”