Girls wrestlers battle at state

CORALVILLE — Xtreme Arena in Coralville was host to a historic 2023 Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union state wrestling championship over the weekend. The first ever sanctioned girls state tournament filled the arena so fast, that a sell out was announced less than in hour into Thursday’s action.

The Union coverage area had 13 wrestlers in action, and although only one placed, over half of them now know what it’s like to win a match in the state tournament.

The lone placewinner for the area was Mid-Prairie’s Gabi Robertson, who made an eighth-place run in the 100-pound bracket.

Robertson won her first two matches, pinning Marion’s Wynter Morgan and beating Cedar Falls’ Natalie Blake by decision before falling in the quarterfinals.

Robertson went 1-2 in the consolation bracket to settle into an eighth-place finish after losing the seventh-place match by pinfall against Lewis Central’s Ava McNeal.

Mid-Prairie’s 140-pounder, Grace Conway, went 2-2 on the day, picking up a first-round pin and a pin in the consolation bracket. Ellie Brenneman (135), Mia Garvey (145) and Ellie Callahan (170) all went 2-1.

Washington’s Teegan Sulentich had an all-Southeast Conference opening round win over Keokuk’s Jalyiah Gardner in the 155-pound bracket. Sulentich won via a 14-2 major decision, but fell to the consolations after a second-round defeat by pinfall.

Sulentich wasn’t done, however, putting together two pins in the consolation round. Her weekend was eventually ended with a sudden victory loss in the fourth consolation round.

Mt. Pleasant 105-pounder Ella McNamee collected three wins on the weekend. She pinned Kuemper Catholic’s Grace Hoffman on a second-period pin in the first round. After falling in the second round, she had two more pins in the consolation bracket before getting knocked out on a major decision.

Fairfield freshman Alyvia Abbott began her high school wrestling career with a state berth, also at 105 pounds, but her weekend was ended prematurely. After getting pinned by Liv Halfpap of Racoon River-Northwest in the first round, Abbott had to forfeit her consolation match due to an upper-body injury.

WACO sent three wrestlers to state, and Braylyn Wagler led the way with two wins in the 235-pound bracket.

Wagler picked up a 2-1 win over Dubuque Hempstead’s Katelyn Brokus in the first round of the tournament. After falling in the second round, Wagler went 1-1 in the consolation bracket, including a third-period pin against Denver’s McKenna Broadhead.

Both Rylee Rice (110) and Grace Fort (190) went 1-1 for the Warriors. Both had one win in the consolation rounds, as Rice pinned Iowa Falls-Alden’s Emma Ites in 3 minutes, and 2 seconds, and Fort pinned AGWSR’s Kylie Willems in 1:08.

Highland’s Angelina Roling (115) and Pekin’s Lila Miller (135) each went 0-2.

Winning the first-ever team title was Waverly-Shell Rock, which scored 123 points. Mid-Prairie was the top area team with 25 points, which tied them for 47th. WACO scored 11 points, which put them in a tie for 77th. Mt. Pleasant tied in 85th, with 10 points, and Washington tied for 90th, with nine.