By Becky Walz,
The masses came to watch the over 400 girls compete at the inaugural Iowa High School Athletic Union state wrestling tournament last week at Xtream Arena in Coralville. And Winneshiek County was well represented on and off the mats as fans packed the venue as wrestlers from Decorah, South Winn and Turkey Valley (New Hampton/Turkey Valley squad) had punched their tickets.
The masses came to watch the over 400 girls compete at the inaugural Iowa High School Athletic Union state wrestling tournament last week at Xtream Arena in Coralville. And Winneshiek County was well represented on and off the mats as fans packed the venue as wrestlers from Decorah, South Winn and Turkey Valley (New Hampton/Turkey Valley squad) had punched their tickets.
Dynamic team effort
Decorah finished session one in third place Thursday with 42 points. A key component for Vikings was the performance of 20th-seeded Kaitlyn Bjork, a freshman. Bjork pinned her first opponent in the 115-pound class and upset fourth-seeded Reese Berns of Central Elkader 10-9 to earn a spot in the quarterfinals.
Decorah’s wrestlers were making the most of their second chances and they helped put the Vikings at the top of the team standings after day one. Thanks to a strong performance in the wrestlebacks Thursday evening, Decorah headed into the final day of the tournament with 82 points. Waverly-Shell Rock is next with 74, followed by East Buchanan (72), Lewis Central (63) and Osage (55).
Decorah posted a 14-2 record with 10 pins in two rounds of wrestlebacks, leaving seven competitors with a chance to finish as high as third. The Vikings had only one semifinalist going in the championship round on Friday, but she is a good one – No. 1 Naomi Simon at 170 pounds.
As a team, Decorah finished third with 108 points, behind Waverly-Shell Rock who had 123 and East Buchanan with 113.
Viking medalists
The Vikes had three grapplers climb the podium Friday night, including champion N. Simon. Joining the junior was Lauren Luzum and Kamryn Steines.
Entering the state tournament as the top ranked 170-pounder, N. Simon defended her state title and kept her record unblemished, finishing the season 37-0. While it’s the first sanctioned tournament by the IGHSAU, it’s the junior’s third title. On her way to the top of the podium she pinned Nicole Williams of Tripoli in 53 seconds and Karissa Oldenburger of Waverly-Shell Rock in 1:25. Advancing to the quarterfinals, N. Simon picked up a 10-0 major decision over Autumn Elsburg of South Tama County. The junior defeated Brooklyn Graham of East Buchanan by a 4-0 decision in the semifinal match to be the lone Viking in the finals. There she faced third-seed Libby Dix of Mount Vernon, a sophomore who boasted a 41-1 record. Taking centerstage Friday night, N. Simon needed 1:35 to pick up her third title of her career.
Luzum, a freshman, had a tough road and many matches to get to her sixth-place finish, going 5-3 at 145 pounds. As the eighth-seed, Luzum began her path with a throw of Anamosa’s Hadley Frater in 1:20, but then fell to Lauren Rodgers of Perry in 1:27 in round two. Pushed into the consolation bracket, Luzum began to make her run again with a 5-0 decision over Kallie Gibbons of Mason City, then a 6-0 decision over Leah Stagg of Ames. Keeping the momentum, the Viking threw Nancy Bowman of Logan-Magnolia in 2:31 and in the consolation fifth round defeated Espie Almazan of Lewis Central by a 5-0 decision. In the consolation semifinal, New Hampton/Turkey Valley’s Ali Russler, the two seed, got the better of Luzum, getting the fall in 1:16. Friday night, the freshman was in the limelight for fifth place, ultimately dropping the match by a 6-3 decision to Isabella Deeds of Ridge View. In her first season on the mats, Luzum finished with a 31-13 record.
At 190 pounds, Steines had to work her way back into medal contention as well after falling in the opening round to Elaine Babcock of Pella in 2:39. Then the 14th seed won four-straight matches, three by fall to keep her tournament alive. The sophomore pinned Grace Ellsbury of Southeast Polk in 1:58, then Leah Stewart of Charles City in 4:58 and Kalen Westerfield of Underwood in 4:44. It was a close 6-5 decision in Steines’ favor over Kaylee Nachtigal of Spencer in the fourth round of the consolation bracket. In the fifth round, Steines was edged 4-2 by Ella Brown of Cedar Rapids Kennedy. In the battle for seventh it was a Winneshiek County match-up with Steines taking on South Winn’s Izzy Kipp. Despite Steines’ best efforts, Kipp picked up the pin in 38 seconds. Steines finishes the season with a 27-8 mark.
Seven other wrestlers were on the mats for Decorah — Chloe Sheffield (105 lbs., 2-2 at state, 26-8 season record), Kaitlyn Bjork (115 lbs., 2-2, 24-12), Ashley Bjork (130lbs., 3-2, 33-8), Ana Simon (135 lbs., 3-2, 32-8), McKenzie Tollefson (140 lbs., 3-2, 27-11), Mairi Sessions (155 lbs., 3-2, 31-7) and Skyla Jevne (235 lbs., 2-2, 19-13).
SW placewinner
As a team, South Winn accumulated 25 points to finish 47th with one medalist.
Warrior senior Izzy Kipp became the first girls’ state medalist Friday, bringing home seventh place at 190 pounds. On the big stage, the seventh-seed Warrior faced Emmalee Sharar of Cedar Falls to open the tournament and picked up the fall in 1:24. Advancing to round two in the championship bracket, the Warrior threw Ellen Gerlock of S.W.A.T. in 2:20 to keep her dream of a medal alive. A tough quarterfinal match against Nevada’s Mackenzie Arends put Kipp on her back in the second period. Battling back, the senior defeated Sharidan Engelken of Epworth in the fourth round of the consolation bracket, then fell to Alyson Krum of East Buchanan in 4:36. Kipp earned her medal by pinning Decorah’s Kamryn Steines in 38 seconds. Kipp ended her career and the first year of girls’ sanctioned wrestling with a 35-7 record.
South Winn had three other grapplers on the mats at state including fellow senior Josie Hageman at 110 pounds. Hageman went 2-2 for the tournament and finished the season with a 35-14 record. Junior Kaydn Meyer was also 2-2 and went 33-13 for the season at 120 pounds. Maddy Jansen made her wrestling debut at state as the freshman went 2-2 and wrapped the season with a 28-19 mark.
Myers mark
Turkey Valley freshman Keira Myers was one of the over 400 girls who converged on Coralville last week, wrestling at 140 pounds. Myers had a short tournament, going 0-2, but still has nothing to hang her head about as she finished the season with a 29-18 record. The freshman opened the tournament against Kyleigh James of Mason City, getting turned in 1:28. In the first-round of the consolation bracket, Myers fell in 3:29 to Alyssa Schnoor of Sheldon/South O’Brien.
IGHSAU State team scores
(Top 10 plus South Winn)
1. Waverly-Shell Rock 123; 2. East Buchanan 113; 3. Decorah 108; 4. Lewis Central 102; 5. Osage 73; 6. Cedar Rapids Prairie 71; 7. Southeast Polk 69.5; 8. Vinton-Shellsburg 69; 9. Anamosa 68.5; 10. Ames 68; 47. South Winn 25
Individual results
105 – Chloe Sheffield, Decorah
Rd. 1 – WBF 4:19 over Macy Tiedt (W-SR); Rd. 2 – LBF 1:05 to Jillian Worthen (Union); Cons. Rd. 2 – WBF 0:38 over Emerson Kelderman (Central Lyon/George-Little Rock); Cons. rd. 3 – lost 6-3 dec. to Carissa Hersom (Southeast Polk)
110 – Josie Hageman, South Winn
Rd. 1 – won 7-5 dec. over Nora Bockes (Ankeny); Rd. 2 – won 6-4 sudden victory over Kacy Miller (Western Iowa); Quarterfinal – LBF 1:39 to Adyson Lundquist (SWAT); Cons. Rd. 4 – lost 3-2 dec. to Emmersen Thomas (West Branch)
115 – Kaitlyn Bjork, Decorah
Rd. 1 – WBF 0:50 over Kailee Spencer (Spencer); Rd. 2 – won 10-9 dec. over Reese Berns (Central Elkader); Quarterfinal – lost 11-4 dec. to Ellie Weets (Vinton-Shellsburg); Cons. rd. 4 – lost 6-0 dec. to Taylor Atwell (Perry)
120 – Kaydn Meyer, South Winn
Rd. 1 – WBF 2:22 over Cora Schut (Sioux Center); Rd. 2 – LBF 0:17 to Abigail Meyrer (Pleasant Valley); Cons. rd. 2 – won 9-2 dec. over Brinley Meier (W-SR); Cons. rd. 3 – LBF 1:15 to Carly Henderson (Riverside)
130 – Ashley Bjork, Decorah
Rd. 1 – WBF 3:50 over Lily Hans (Ankeny); Rd. 2 – lost 2-0 dec. to Lyni Gusick (CPU); Cons. rd. 2 – WBF 1:23 over Shy Steck (Colfax-Mingo); Cons. rd. 3 – WBF 3:29 over Gracie Leslie (Nevada); Cons. rd. 4 – lost 6-2 dec. to Lilly Stough (W-SR)
135 – Ana Simon, Decorah
Rd. 1 – lost 9-8 dec. to Maddy Jansen (SW); Cons. rd. 1 – WBF 2:35 to Summer Wolff (Indianola); Cons. rd. 2 – won 8-6 dec. over Ellie Brenneman (Mid-Prairie); Cons. Rd. 3 – WBF 4:56 over Eliana Kooi (West Lyon); cons. rd. 4 – lost 10-4 dec. to Dana Cleveland (Ankeny)
135 – Maddy Jansen, South Winn
Rd. 1 – won 9-8 dec. over Ana Simon (Decorah); Rd. 2 – lost 8-5 dec. to Lizzy Wolf (Benton); Cons. rd. 2 – won 3-1 dec. over Tyanna Teetzen (Denver); Cons. rd. 3 – lost 11-7 dec. to Ella Anliker (Urbandale)
140 – McKenzie Tollefson, Decorah
Rd. 1 – WBF 4:25 over Taya Hollingsworth (BCLUW-SH); Rd. 2 – lost 8-1 dec. to Clara Sapienza (Southwest Iowa); Cons. rd. 2 – won 3-1 dec. over Julie Maylum (Perry); Cons. rd. 3 – WBF 3:11 over Lucy Kohnen (Manson-Northwest Webster); Cons. rd. 4 – lost 5-2 dec. to Kyleigh James (Mason City)
140 – Keira Meyers, New Hampton/Turkey Valley
Rd. 1 – LBF 1:28 to Kyleigh James (Mason City); Cons. Rd. 1 – LBF 3:29 to Alyssa Schnoor (Sheldon/South O’Brien)
145 – Lauren Luzum, Decorah, 6th place
Rd. 1 – WBF 1:20 over Hadley Frater (Anamosa); Rd. 2 – LBF 1:27 to Lauren Rodgers (Perry); Cons. Rd. 2 – won 5-0 dec. over Kallie Gibbons (Mason City); Cons. rd. 3 – won 6-0 dec. over Leah Stagg (Ames); Cons. rd. 4 – WBF 2:31 over Nancy Bowman (Logan-Magnolia); Cons. rd. 5 – won 5-0 dec. over Espie Almazan (Lewis Central); Cons. semifinal – LBF 1:16 to Ali Russler (NH/TV); 5th place – lost 6-3 dec. to Isabella Deeds (Ridge View)
155 – Mairi Sessions, Decorah
Rd. 1 – WBF 3:17 over Leah Schwenker (Cascade); Rd. 2 – LBF 1:25 to Jorie Hanenburg (North Scott); Cons. rd. 2 – WBF 2:57 over Jalyiah Gardner (Keokuk); Cons. rd. 3 – WBF 2:46 over Kassidy Fiala (CBCSD); Cons. rd. 4 – lost 6-0 dec. to Haylee McGrew (Des Moines Public Schools)
170 – Naomi Simon, Decorah, 1st place
Rd. 1 – WBF 0:53 over Nicole Williams (Tripoli); Rd. 2 – WBF 1:25 over Karissa Oldenburger (W-SR); Quarterfinal – won 10-0 maj. dec. over Autumn Elsbury (South Tama County); Semifinal – won 4-0 dec. over Brooklyn Graham (East Buchanan); Final – WBF 1:35 over Libby Dix (Mount Vernon)
190 – Izzy Kipp, South Winn, 7th place
Rd. 1 – WBF 1:24 over Emmalee Sharar (Cedar Falls); Rd. 2 – WBF 2:20 over Ellen Gerlock (SWAT); Quarterfinal – LBF 3:05 to Mackenzie Arends (Nevada); Cons. rd. 4 – won 13-8 dec. over Sharidan Engelken (Epworth); Cons. rd. 5 – LBF 4:36 to Alyson Krum (East Buchanan); 7th place – WBF 0:38 over Kamryn Steines (Decorah)
190 – Kamryn Steines, Decorah, 8th place
Rd. 1 – LBF 2:39 to Elaine Babcock (Pella); Cons. rd. 1 – WBF 1:58 over Grace Ellsbury (Southeast Polk); Cons. rd. 2 – WBF 4:58 over Leah Stewart (Charles City); Cons. rd. 3 – WBF 4:44 over Kalen Westerfield (Underwood); Cons. rd. 4 – won 6-5 dec. over Kaylee Nachtigal (Spencer); Cons. rd. 5 – lost 4-2 dec. to Ella Brown (CR Kennedy); 7th place – LBF 0:38 to Izzy Kipp (SW)
235 – Skyla Jevne, Decorah
Rd. 1 – won 4-0 dec. over Emma Daniels (Carroll); Rd. 2 – LBF 0:42 to Haley Armstrong (SWAT); Cons. rd. 2 – WBF 1:26 over Cambrie Mcloyd (Clinton); Cons. rd. 3 – LBF 4:28 to Emma Cook (Colfax-Mingo)
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