Spratt, Hawkins advance to day two

CORALVILLE — Williamsburg’s Keston Spratt and Iowa Valley’s Raelene Hawkins advanced to day two of the IGHSAU State Girls’ Wrestling Tournament after winning their second-round consolations Thursday night at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

Making day two clinched a medal for both Spratt and Hawkins, as the field was cut in half, from 16 to eight.

Spratt ground out a 13-10 win by decision over Creston’s Alainah Galanakis before falling to West Liberty’s Silvia Garcia-Vasquez in the Class 1A 120-pound quarterfinals, a regional final rematch.

“I tried to go out and compete hard in that first one,” Spratt said. “I didn’t want to deal with going to consolations right away.”

Spratt accomplished that, jumping out to a quick lead and holding on until the end.

“I knew my next match was going to be tough, so I just had to keep my head straightforward and do my best,” said Spratt.

The quarterfinals loss sent Spratt to the final round of the night, the second-round consolations.

Spratt pinned her opponents in the second period.

“Knowing I was going to place if I won got me through that,” Spratt said of her third match of the night.

Spratt qualified for State last season but did not make the medal rounds.

With a medal clinched, Spratt headed into Friday with a chance to place as high as third.

“It feels really nice that all my hard work paid off,” Spratt said. “Last year I got the experience of it, and not placing really boosted my ego to push through this year.”

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Hawkins traveled a different road in the 1A 170-pound bracket.

Hawkins dropped a tough, low-scoring first-round match to Mount Vernon’s Gracie Pinckney 3-1. The loss sent her straight to the first elimination round in the first-round consolations.

But that first loss was not going to stand in the way of Hawkins’ goals this time around at State.

“Last year I went 2-2 at State and didn’t make it to the second day,” Hawkins said. “It was devastating.”

A win by major decision over Southeast Warren’s Glorious Fridley sent the Tigers’ junior to the final elimination round of the night.

Hawkins won by fall in the third period, sending her to the second day.

“This year is just such a big accomplishment to make it to the second day and be able to place,” said Hawkins. “I’ve worked my butt off all year for this.”

Hawkins cited improvement for what helped her make the leap this season.

“It feels really great,” Hawkins said on advancing to day two. “I’m confident and ready to go tomorrow.”

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Four area wrestlers’ seasons concluded Thursday night.

Williamsburg’s Cecelia Gryp, at 135, and Lilly Ness, at 155, notched first-round victories as higher seeds, advancing to the quarterfinals.

Gryp won 7-0 over South Winneshiek’s Maddy Jansen, while Ness pinned Atlantic’s Leiah Thomas.

Both 11 seeds fell in the quarterfinals, sending them to the second-round consolations.

Gryp lost by fall to Woodward-Granger’s Sunshine Casey, and Ness lost by sudden-victory to Manson-NW Webster’s Lucy Kohnen, 7-4.

Gryp finished the season with a record of 34-14, Ness 28-20.

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Williamsburg’s Hayden Wade and Iowa Valley’s Skyler Hoyt both dropped their two matches Thursday night.

Wade, at 115, finished her junior campaign with a 32-16 record.

Hoyt, now a two-time qualifier, finishes 29-13.

All six area qualifiers will return next season.

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Area results

115: Hayden Wade

First round — Kate Krause (EBF) pinned Hayden Wade (WBURG), 3:43; First round consolation — Brianna Kiger (Carroll) dec. Hayden Wade (WBURG), 8-4

120: Keston Spratt

First round — Keston Spratt (WBURG) dec. Alainah Galanakis (Creston), 13-10; Quarterfinals — Silvia Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) pinned Keston Spratt (WBURG),: 49; Second round consolation — Keston Spratt (WBURG) pinned Saidee Hamilton (Tipton), 2:13

130: Skyler Hoyt

First round — Lyni Gusick (Alburnett) pinned Skyler Hoyt (IV), 1:50; First round consolation — Willow Ray (WCV) major dec. Skyler Hoyt (IV), 14-0

135: Cecelia Gryp

First round — Cecelia Gryp (WBURG) dec. Maddy Jansen (SW), 7-0; Quarterfinals — Reece Logan (Spirit Lake) pinned Cecelia Gryp (WBURG), 1:21; Second round consolation — Sunshine Casey (Woodward-Granger) major dec. Cecelia Gryp (WBURG), 12-2

155: Lilly Ness

First round — Lilly Ness (WBURG) pinned Leiah Thomas (Atlantic), 2:20; Quarterfinals — Lizzy Wolf (Benton) tech fall Lilly Ness (WBURG), 17-1; Second round consolation — Lucy Kohnen (Manson-NW Webster) SV-1 Lilly Ness (WBURG), 7-4

170: Raelene Hawkins

First round — Gracie Pinckney (MV) dec. Raelene Hawkins (IV); First round consolation — Raelene Hawkins (Iowa Valley) major dec. Glorious Fridley (SE Warren), 12-3; Second round consolation — Raelene Hawkins (Iowa Valley) pinned Fernanda Ramirez (West Fork), 4:59

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