Returning letter winners on the Decorah girls’ wrestling team this season are (front, l-r) Cassie Wilkins, Chloe Sheffield, Ana Simon; (back) McKenzie Tollefson, Ellie Adams, Kamryn Steines, Amelia Wadsworth and Lauren Luzum. (Photo courtesy of Tami Bohr)
As memorable as the 2023-24 season was, head coach Gene Adams believes this season will be just as noteworthy with eight returning letter winners — all of whom were state qualifiers on the title team last season.
Adams, who has coached wrestling for 25 years, enters his second as the Decorah girls’ head coach with a 12-2 dual record last season. Assisting him are Casey Kohls, Matt Simon, Bob Holkesvik and Bruce Sacquitne.
Remarkable season
Seven letter winners led the Viking team into the 2023-24 season that finished as the runner-up in the Northeast Iowa Conference in duals.
It was the Region 8 qualifier where everything came together for Decorah it won the regional title and saw nine Vikings punch tickets to state.
When the final match was complete in Coralville, the Vikings tallied 141 points, leaps and bounds ahead of second place teams East Buchanan and Raccoon River-Northwest with 96 points apiece. The Vikes also boasts the first four-time state champion in girls’ wrestling history in Iowa as senior Naomi Simon pinned her way to the finals at 170 pounds. In her only non-fall action of the state tournament, she defeated Autumn Elsbury of South Tama County in the finals by a 15-2 major decision.
Chloe Sheffield was also in the finals but fell to returning champion Katie Biscoglia of Raccoon River-Northwest by a 5-1 decision giving the junior a silver medal at 100 pounds.
Also competing in the placing rounds was Ana Simon, who recorded a fall in 44 seconds to claim bronze at 145 pounds. Kamryn Steines (190) took sixth while Lauren Luzum (155) earned eighth.
Others competing in the limelight at state for the Vikes were Ellie Adams (115), McKenzie Tollefson (135), Amelia Wadsworth (140) and Madysen Lippe (235).
Hungry to do it again
At the top of Coach Adams’ list is his eight returning letter winners — Sheffield (100), Adams (115), Tollefson (135), Wadsworth (140), Simon (145), Luzum (155) and Lippe (235).
“The girls are determined to be the Class 1A State Champions this year in the new two-class system as we have a number of high level talent returning this season,” said Coach Adams. “These girls have many matches of experience, including state tournament experience. There are a number of wrestlers who are returning place winners and have been practicing/competing in wrestling since last February. A nice freshman class should allow us to fill all 14 weight classes, which we couldn’t do last season.”
Joining the returning letter winners this season is junior Izabel Alley; sophomore Cassie Wilkins; and freshmen Simone Downing, Bristol Parker, Audrey Feuerhelm, Izabella Kos, Brandi Nehls, Liv Anderson and Esme Cuevas.
“We will need our freshmen to be able to contribute to the success of the team immediately,” noted the veteran coach. “Also, with the two-class system in wrestling there will be many schools in Class 1A and now only the top two individuals at each weight will qualify for the state tournament.”
Coach Adams doesn’t doubt the competition will be stiff this season in the NEIC with Charles City and Crestwood; however, he still foresees the Vikes claiming the league and state title.
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