By Becky Walz,
Over 400 girls started the 2024 IGHSAU state wrestling tournament, hoping to claim a title, or at least some hardware and Decorah will have two vying for the gold later tonight in the finals.
With 132 points already accumulated, two wrestlers in the finals and three others earning a medal, Decorah all but has the title wrapped up over East Buchanan who has moved into second with 94 points, just ahead of Raccoon River-Northwest with 92.
In the finals
In match of ranked NEIC opponents, Decorah’s Chloe Sheffield eventually recorded the fall over Mia Kurth of Waukon in 5:57 to punch a ticket to the 100-pound finals. Sheffield will go up against the top-seeded and returning champion Katie Biscoglia (49-0) of Racoon Rapids-Northwest.
N. Simon is looking to become the first female four-time champion in Iowa later tonight. In the semifinals at 170 pounds, the Viking pinned No. 5 Averie Wittkop of West Marshall in 1:09. The Decorah senior will face third-ranked Autumn Elsbury (37-1) of South Tama in the championship bout.
Medalists
At 145 pounds, No. 3 Ana Simon started Friday with an 11-3 major decision over No. 4 Dana Cleveland of Ankeny in round four the consolation bracket as she is guaranteed at least fourth place. After her win in round four, she collected a 13-4 major decision over Layna Demoss of Benton. In the consolation semifinals, the sophomore received a medical forfeit from Wahlert’s Eve Skrocki, who was ranked second. As a result, A. Simon, who is 42-3 so far this season, will wrestle for third and fourth place tonight against East Buchanan’s Tayla Stiefel who is 49-5 on the season and entered the tournament ranked No. 6.
No. 6 Lauren Luzum (155) began with a fall Friday in the consolation fourth round. The sophomore pinned Muscatine’s Elsie Lewis in 5:44. In the fifth round of the consolation bracket, Luzum suffered a 6-4 decision loss to No. 7 Kyleigh James of Mason City to enter the match for seventh place. There Luzum was leading 5-4 in the third period, when she gave up a late escape to eighth-ranked Tatum Wolford of Wapello and eventually Wolford got the sudden victory takedown on Luzum to get the 7-5 overtime win and give the Viking eighth place.
Kamryn Steines (190) will wrestle tonight for fifth place at 190 pounds after recording a fall over Gretchen Gorham of Algona in 3:36 during the fourth-round consolation match. In round five, the junior pinned Elaine Babcock of Pella in 1:30; however, in the consolation semifinals, Steines faced No. 2 Bella Porcelli of Southeast Polk and was turned in 1:16. Steines now has a rematch with No. 7 Leah Stewart of Charles City who bumped the Viking out of the quarterfinals yesterday.
Falling short
McKenzie Tollefson finished her trip to state in the 135-pound fourth round of the consolation bracket as she came up on the short side of the 3-1 decision against Southeast Polk’s Cece Scarff. She finishes the season with a 38-11 overall record.
At 140 pounds, Amelia Wadsworth saw her season end on the back side of the bracket in round four, falling to Andelyn Cabalka of East Buchanan in 1:19. The junior concludes the season 39-13.
Meyer finishes eighth
Meyer’s minimum goal of climbing the podium at 120 pounds came true with a win Friday morning. The SW wrestler defeated Jaymie Anderson of Eagle Grove 8-4 to guarantee herself a medal at the 2024 IGHSAU state wrestling tournament. Meyer got caught off guard in the fifth round of consolations to fall in 1:12 to Alexis Winkey of Ames. That loss dropped the South Winn wrestler into the match for seventh place against Lily Stough of Waverly-Shell Rock. With a battle for the control, Meyer was able score on Stough, but it wasn’t enough as the Go-Hawks came out on the winning side of the 4-2 decision. Meyer finished the tournament with a 38-10 overall record in eighth place.
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