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Fairfield’s Lyons makes history
Trojan sophomore is 1st ever placewinner; Farrier and Nelson both Top-6
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
CORALVILLE — Out of 14 area state qualifiers, only were alive in the semifinals, and one of those was Fairfield sophomore Samantha Lyons.
Lyons, a returning qualifier from last year, left her mark on the Trojan record books by becoming the first state placewinner in program history, taking fourth in the Class 1A, 170-pound bracket.
“It gives me a lot of confidence,” Lyons said. “I moved up five spaces from last year.”
Lyons won her first round matchup via pin, planting Previous Kredit of Sioux Center in just 30 seconds. She then pulled off one of the upsets of the tournament, a 10-3 win over top-seeded Briar Blake of North Tama.
“I got very emotional because I haven't beaten her before,” Lyons said. “That's what I had been working on for the past week, was to beat her.”
Lyons fell twice on Friday, but her work on Thursday was enough to put her up on the podium as the highest finisher in Trojan girls’ wrestling history.
Also slipping into the Top-5 was Mid-Prairie’s Ashlee Farrier, who showed out in the 1A-130 pound bracket, taking fifth place.
Farrier, one of three Golden Hawks competing this weekend, won her first match over Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley’s Cameron Halbur by pinfall, in 2:55, and nearly upset top-seeded Kaydence Boorn of Wilton, before being pined in the final 15 seconds of the match.
The Golden Hawk senior wrestled four more times, beating Saydel’s Haylee Sherman and Central Elkader’s Mayleigh Medberry by pinfall in the consolation bracket before losing the consolation semifinal match on Friday against Lyni Gusick of Alburnett, who outlasted Farrier in a tiebreaker.
Farrier rolled through the fifth-place match, beating Jordan Buffum of Logan-Magnolia-Woodbine via a 13-5 major decision.
Pekin’s Lexa Nelson carried the banner for the newcomers, placing sixth in the Class 1A-105 pound bracket in her first ever trip to the state tournament.
“It's so insane,” said Nelson. “This is my first year at state, and I did not expect it to be this intense, fun and also intimidating at the same time.”
Nelson won three of her first four matches, beating Spirit Lake’s Audrina Bennett by pinfall in the opening round before winning two wild matches in the consolations, beating East Buchanan’s Valeria Torres 15-13, and Perry’s Mercedes Ponce 11-8.
Nelson was down seven points in the match against Torres before soaring back for an incredible comeback victory that sparked her run to the podium.
“There's definitely been some intense moments, and I did not think I would be able to make it this far,” Nelson said. “I'm so glad I was able to get here.”
Nelson would fall in her consolation match against Knoxville’s Serenity Turner, pitting her against Treynor’s Emma Miller in the fifth-place match. Miller would pin Nelson in the second period.
No other Union area wrestlers made the podium. Fairfield’s Kendra Allison went 2-1 at 235. Mt. Pleasant’s Zenlynn Lee was 0-2 at 145. Pekin’s Hailey Pedrick (140) went 1-2, while Lila Miller (135) and Rylee Frye (235) each went 0-2. Mid-Prairie’s Gabby Gingerich (115) went 1-2, while Layken Lee (140) was 0-2. Sigourney-Keota’s Kia Montgomery (125) went 1-2, while Karley Greiner (155) was 0-2. Columbus/Winfield-Mount Union’s Jada Moats (190) went 0-2.
