Many happy returns

Area sends several back to girls state wrestling

By Kristi Nixon

MASON CITY — Among the nine area girls state wrestling qualifiers, six of them are making a return trip to Xtream Arena in Coralville after state qualifying on Friday, Jan. 26 at Mason City High School.

Six Osage girls, among them four returnees, and three Saints, two back for more, represent the Enterprise Journal area seeking hardware at the second girls sanctioned state meet.

The lone four-time state participant, two-time qualifier (previous state meets allowed all girls who wanted to take part), is St. Ansgar senior Emma Hall, who rebounded from a semifinal loss to finish third with a pin of Urbandale’s Sofiya Pollard in 1 minute, 13 seconds at 115 pounds.

“It’s pretty cool to go back for a fourth time,” Hall said. “I was scared for a little bit, not going to lie. It’s very exciting that I made it.”

The other Saint going back with experience, junior Mariah Michels, who is a two-time fourth place finisher at 100 pounds, medically forfeited to familiar foe, fellow junior Gable Hemann, a two-time state runner-up, also at 100, in the 110-pound final.

When asked if the medical forfeit was a serious issue – Michels didn’t wrestle at the Mason City tournament last week after conference – Saint head coach Katie Walk said it was not.

“We’ve seen her twice now (this season),” Walk said, “and we really didn’t have anything to gain or lose by wrestling again, and we’ll (hopefully) see (her) at state.”

The full story, plus several more photos, are available in the Jan. 31 print and e-editions of the Enterprise Journal.

Note: Due to space restraints in the print edition, the first-round matches for state are posted online only. First-round matches were updated (one area match changed) on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

2024 Girls state wrestling first round match-ups

100 — (13) Kylie Adams, Fr., Newton (28-8) vs. (20) Alexis Kolbet, So., Osage (31-20)

105 — (19) Lakin Evans, Fr., St. Ansgar (31-18) vs. (14) Serenity Turner, So., Pella (36-5)

110 — (3) Mariah Michels, Jr., St. Ansgar (34-4) vs. (30) Audrina Bennet, So., Spirit Lake Park (19-17); (2) Gable Hemann, Jr., Osage (43-1) vs. (31) Madeline Cornish, Fr., Mason City (29-18)

115 — (21) Emma Hall, Sr., St. Ansgar (40-17) vs. (12) Cora Schut, So., Sioux Center (25-3)

120 — (13) Maddie Swenson, Jr., Osage (37-11) vs. (20) Chyann Bullerman-Yu, Crestwood, Cresco (31-9)

125 — (31) Melanie Bruesewitz, So., Osage (28-20) vs. (2) Jillian Worthen, Jr., Union, LaPorte City (24-0)

135 — (9) Annaliese Arciniega, Jr., Osage (37-10) vs. (24) Brooklyn Lange, Sr., Missouri Valley (36-9)

145 — (23) Aubrey Chapman, Jr., Osage (34-11) vs. (10) Tayla Stiefel, So., East Buchanan (45-4)