Area boasts two 100-pound semifinalists
By Kristi Nixon
CORALVILLE — For the second year in a row, the area boasts the same two 100-pound state semifinalists in the girls’ state wrestling tournament.
Mariah Michels, now wrestling for the North Central Trailblazers, and Osage’s Gable Hemann, are into the semis, although the two are facing different opponents rather than each other like in 2022.
Michels has the tougher task of the two, facing off against top-ranked and undefeated (48-0) freshman Katie Biscoglia of Raccoon River Valley. Biscoglia is also one of only two wrestlers to hand Hemann losses this season.
Neither Michels nor Hemann would admit that they had nerves involved in their quarterfinal wins. Michels worked a 9-2 decision against Ames’ Greta Goodman while Hemann needed just 32 seconds to pin Mid-Prairie’s Gabi Robertson.
“I don’t really come out here nervous,” Michels said. “I know what I’m capable of, I guess. But, it’s definitely exciting to be a part of this (sanctioned meet) for the first time.”
Hemann added, “It’s more of an excitement thing than a nervous thing for me this year. I’m a lot more confident, I think.”
Although Michels has seen Biscoglia on video, she hasn’t seen her live since both were wrestling at the same time on Thursday.
“I’ll have a good match going against first-ranked Katie Biscoglia,” Michels said. “It should be a good match; I’ve got to fight it out for that one. I’ve never wrestled her, but I’ve seen her wrestle a couple of times, just on video. She’ll definitely be a good-fought match for me, I’ll be able to see what I’m capable of on her. It will be a good match for me.”
She added that she thought she was capable of better than what she did against Goodman.
“I don’t want to say she wasn’t hard (to wrestle),” Michels said, “and I worked hard on that one, but it could have gone a little better.”
Hemann has a more familiar opponent, Waukon’s Mia Kurth (34-5), she said she has defeated twice so far this season.
“I just have to use my stuff, offensive,” Hemann said. “That’s what I like to focus on. I have wrestled her at Osage and another time this year. I try (to be confident) that’s my strategy.”
The support for the two from both schools/programs have been tremendous in different ways.
“We have (teammate and friend) Emma’s (Hall) family and also my family here to support us,” Michels said. “Some other Trailblazers who came down to support us, so that was really exciting.”
Hemann also has her father and assistant coach Nick Hemann in her corner.
“He’s very supportive,” Gable said. “For sure (he is vocal). He definitely has been working on separating coach from dad, so that has helped us a lot: at home, we try to focus on family and then in the wrestling room, he’s not my dad, he’s my coach. I don’t know where I’d be without him, he’s a big part of my success. I really love him.”
