Michels going for third state medal

By Kristi Nixon

CORALVILLE — It’s not the spot that St. Ansgar’s Mariah Michels was hoping for, but the junior 110-pounder for the Saints wrestles for fifth and her third state medal tonight, Feb. 2 at Xtream Arena.

Leading 1-0 after a seven-second escape in the second period, Michels gave up an escape to Lauren Whitt, the Cedar Falls wrestler who handed tonight’s 110-pound finalist from Osage, Gable Hemann, her only loss. With three seconds remaining, Whitt scored off of Michels’ shot for the 3-1 decision.

“I knew that if I were to win the match, I was going to have to put in all the work because she likes to use your shots to her advantage,” Michels said. “She’s really good at throwing, so I knew going into it, I had to be careful for her throws, be really strategic with how I take my shots.

“I knew that it was going to be tough, but I knew i had to keep as much pressure on her as I could. Didn’t know how it was going to go, I just had to try my best.”

Saint head coach Katie Walk added, “We knew she wasn’t going to take any shots. She was just going to try and capitalize on (ours). We tried to pace ourselves in the first period to be aware of that. And then, once she got an escape, we knew we had to take a shot.”

Walk said she wasn’t concerned about Michels bouncing back from the loss.

“Mariah is pretty sound mentally, so that is not an issue,” she said. “She’s ready for the next match, she’s ready to go. She doesn’t dwell on the last match.”

Michels also said, “Obviously, it is upsetting. I was hoping to fight for a little higher place, but I’ve just got to change my perspective from that and try to go for fifth, instead of sixth.”

One thing that is a concern is the health aspect of Michels at the moment.

“She’s wearing a brace (on her shoulder,” Walk said. “It has definitely been a concern, she’s not 100 percent.”

Michels will wrestle Linn-Mar’s Kate Seery (44-5) tonight.