Taking a Quick Look at the Girls Regional Wrestling Meets
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
The postseason for girls wrestling teams gets underway on Friday with Super Regionals being held at four locations across the state.
Eight separate regionals are held at four sites with HyVee Hall in Des Moines, Tyson Arena in Sioux City; Alliant Energy Power House in Cedar Rapids and Mason City High School serving as the Super Regional hosts.
Your Prep Sports area teams will compete across three regional meets in two locations.
City High is in Region 3 in Des Moines, West High is at Region 4 in Des Moines and Clear Creek Amana, Liberty High, Solon and West Branch are all at Region 6 in Cedar Rapids.
The prize for the top four finishers in every weight class at each regional is a spot at the second Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union state tournament which is scheduled for February 1-2 at Xtream Arena in Coralville.
As the postseason gets rolling Your Prep Sports takes a quick look at the regional meets involving area teams.
Region 3
When: Friday, 10 a.m.
Where: HyVee Hall, Des Moines
Teams: City High; Albia; Ames; Ankeny; Boone; Carlisle; Chariton; Dallas Center-Grimes; Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; English Valleys; Fairfield; City High; Iowa Valley; Johnston; Moravia; Nevada; Newton; North Mahaska; North Tama; Ottumwa; Pekin; Pella; Perry; Pleasantville; Sigourney-Keota; Winterset
What to watch: City High has three state qualifiers a year ago and will attempt to build on that success this season behind sophomores Molly Carlson and Shaona Emmanuel.
Carlson is the lone returning state qualifier for the Little Hawks after going 0-2 in her state meet debut at 155 pounds last season.
Carlson (31-7) has hit her stride of late and brings a seven-match winning streak into Super Regionals after winning the 170-pound title at the Mississippi Valley Conference meet last Saturday.
On her way to the MVC title Carlson posted a pair of pins including a third-period fall in the title match against Elizabeth Mills of Cedar Falls.
Who to watch: City High sophomore Shaona Emmanuel has been among the most improved wrestlers in the area this season.
Emmanuel was certainly solid last season, posting a 16-23 record as a freshman, but has emerged as a standout at 155 pounds in the Little Hawk lineup posting a 31-7 record.
Like her teammate Carlson, Emmanuel won a MVC title last week and enters the postseason doing her best wrestling.
Emmanuel has won six straight matches entering the postseason after going 4-0 with three pins on her way to the MVC title.
Weight class to watch: Five of the 14 weight classes at Region 3 feature multiple ranked wrestlers with the 110-pound bracket featuring three wrestlers ranked in the top 10. However, keep an eye on 105 pounds where City High freshman Eliza Mitchell will look to earn a spot at the state meet.
Mitchell (23-16) started the season at 115, competed a majority of the season at 110 but has gone dropped to but has gone 7-4 since making the drop to 105 early this month.
Mitchell finished third at 105 pounds at the Mississippi Valley Conference meet and will be in the mix with eighth-ranked Riley Gach of Carlisle and ninth-ranked Mercedes Ponce of Perry for state meet berths.
Ranked wrestlers
100: No. 6 Greta Goodman, Soph., Ames
105: No. 8 Riley Gach, Soph., Carlisle
105: No. 9 Mercedes Ponce, Jr., Perry
110: No. 1 Jasmine Luedtke, Sr., Ottumwa
110: No. 8 Ashlyn Leslie, Soph., Nevada
110: No. 10 Nora Bockes, Soph., Ankeny
115: No. 1 Reanah Utterback, Jr., Sigourney-Keota
120: No. 5 Lexa Rozevink, Soph., Ames
120: No. 6 Leah Chandler, Sr., Chariton
125: No. 5 Alexis Winkey, Sr., Ames
135: No. 9 Bella Mulder, Sr., Dallas Center-Grimes
140: No. 3 Hayden Bratland, Fr., Ankeny
140: No. 4 Cadence Bushong, Jr., Nevada
145: No. 5 Dana Cleveland, Sr., Ankeny
145: No. 8 Gracie Leslie, Sr., Nevada
155: No. 1 Haylee McGrew, Jr., Ankeny
170: No. 6 Briar Blake, Jr., North Tama
235: No. 3 Breanna Peach, Soph., Iowa Valley
Region 4
When: Friday, 10 a.m.
Where: HyVee Hall, Des Moines
Teams: West High; Anamosa; BGM; Cardinal; Centerville; Clarke; Colfax-Mingo; Des Moines Public Schools; Earlham; Gilbert; Indianola; Interstate 35; Martensdale-St. Marys; Mid-Prairie; Norwalk; Oskaloosa; Raccoon River; Saydel; Southeast Polk; Southeast Warren-Melcher Dallas; Southern Tier; Tipton; West Des Moines Valley; Waterloo East; West Marshall
What to watch: The lone state qualifier for West High last season was departed senior Jannell Avila who went on to become the first state medalist and first state finalist in West High history. Now it is up to the young talent on the West High roster to extend the streak of state qualifiers for the Trojans.
That list starts with junior Trinity Myers (22-12) who has been one of the best in the West High lineup all season.
Meyers finished third at the Mississippi Valley Conference tournament last Friday and should be a major factor in a 120-pound bracket that doesn’t have a ranked wrestler.
Who to watch: West High freshman 145-pounder Peyten Van Dyke has been impressive all season and a state tournament berth would be a perfect ending for a strong debut season.
Van Dyke (22-9) was third at the MVC tournament last Friday and enters the postseason having won 10 of her last 12 matches.
Weight class to watch: West High senior Helen Orszula (23-15) will attempt to secure a spot at state in her final prep season.
In order to do so Orszula will need to navigate a 125-pound bracket with a pair of ranked wrestlers.
Sixth-ranked Raccoon River-Northwest sophomore Calista Rodish and tenth-ranked Southeast Polk sophomore Addie Nelson are favorites to secure state meet spots.
The other two spots should be up for grabs and Orszula should be in the mix.
Like teammates Myers and Van Dyke Orszula was third at the Mississippi Valley Conference meet last week winning her final three matches following a quarterfinal loss.
Ranked wrestlers
100: No. 1 Katie Biscoglia, Soph., Raccoon River-Northwest
100: No. 5 Siera Becker, Fr., Indianola
105: No. 5 Carissa Hersom, Sr., Southeast Polk
105: No. 10 Quincy Cooper, Soph., Raccoon River-Northwest
125: No. 6 Calista Rodish, Soph., Raccoon River-Northwest
125: No. 10 Addie Nelson, Soph., Southeast Polk
130: No. 6 Adison Musser, Sr., Anamosa
130: No. 8 Cieanna Ficken, Sr., West Marshall
135: No. 10 Becca Hinderake, Sr., Tipton
140: No. 8 Diana Gaie, Jr., Des Moines Public Schools
145: No. 10 Haley Glade, Jr., Earlham
155: No. 1 Skylar Slade, Soph., Southeast Polk
170: No. 5 Averie Wittkop, Sr., West Marshall
190: No. 3 Bella Porcelli, Sr., Southeast Polk
190: No. 7 Ciera Hutton-Spieker, Sr., Interstate 35
235: No. 6 Reese Baxter, Jr., Raccoon River-Northwest
235: No. 7 Makenna Fetters, Sr., Martensdale-St. Marys
Region 6
When: Friday, 10 a.m.
Where: Alliant Energy Power House, Cedar Rapids
Teams: Clear Creek Amana; Liberty High; Solon; West Branch; Alburnett; Davenport Assumption; Benton Community; Bettendorf; Burlington; Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Davenport; Durant; Western Dubuque; Highland; Keokuk; Lone Tree; Maquoketa; Mediapolis; Mount Pleasant; Mount Vernon; Muscatine; North Scott; Vinton-Shellsburg; WACO; Wapello
What to watch: All Solon state qualifiers from last season return as the Spartans look to add to their state meet haul this season.
Juniors Kara VeDepo and Olivia Bonnema and sophomore McKenna Rogers were all qualifiers for the Spartans a year ago and are all expected to secure return trips on Friday.
VeDepo (30-6) is ranked 10th at 100 pounds while Bonnema (26-12) is seeking a trip to state at 140 pounds after going 1-2 at the state meet at 135 a year ago.
Solon will look to surpass its three qualifiers from last year as sophomore 120-pounder Alannah Mahoney (20-7) and junior 115-pounder Kate Richards (20-18) should also be in the mix for state meet spots.
Clear Creek Amana senior 115-pounder Marlie McBride (23-13) is seeking a second straight state tournament appearance while senior 135-pound Halle Bormann (12-16) is chasing a first trip to state for the Clippers.
Both of Liberty High’s state qualifiers from a year ago are back to make another run at state.
100-pound sophomore Taylor Cavanh (29-4) and 135-pound sophomore Evelyn Eggleston (29-5) are seeking return trips to state as the Lightning seek to improve on their two qualifiers from last season.
Senior Kensi Steele (170) is a contender at 170 pounds and sophomore Abigail Carr (17-16) should be a factor at 235.
Who to watch: Solon sophomore McKenna Rogers returns to the postseason seeking to build on what was an impressive debut season last year.
Rogers capped a 38-3 freshman campaign with a fifth-place finish at the state meet at 105 pounds.
This season Rogers has been better than ever.
The sophomore enters regional competition 15-0 on the season and ranked third at 105 pounds.
Rogers has 11 pins and four wins by forfeit this season and hasn’t had a match reach the third period.
Rogers appears poised to meet fourth-ranked Durant senior Lainey Shelangoski in the 105-pound title match on Friday.
Shelangoski finished eighth at 105 pounds last season.
Weight class to watch: With eight wrestlers ranked in the top three of their respective weight classes there is some serious firepower in Region 6.
West Branch junior 170-pounder Teagyn Hartz is a wrestler flying a bit under the radar but fully capable of changing that on Friday.
A state qualifier a year ago at 170 pounds, Hartz is 21-2 on the season with both of her losses coming at 190-pound this season including a setback to sixth-ranked 190-pounder Shariden Engelken of Western Dubuque.
Hartz has the experience to go with the strength and skill to make a run in the 170-pound bracket on Friday that features eighth-ranked Gracie Pinckney of Mount Vernon.
Ranked wrestlers
100: No. 9 Olivia Hernandez, Fr., Bettendorf
100: No. 10 Kara VeDepo, Jr., Solon
105: No. 3 McKenna Rogers, Soph., Solon
105: No. 4 Lainey Shelangoski, Sr., Durant
115: No. 4 Ellie Weets, Jr., Vinton-Shellsburg
115: No. 6 Taylor Strief, Soph., Bettendorf
120: No. 3 Bree Swenson, Sr., Vinton-Shellsburg
125: No. 3 Hannah Rogers, Sr., Bettendorf
130: No. 2 Chloe Sanders, Soph., Vinton-Shellsburg
130: No. 4 Alexys Petersen, Sr., Bettendorf
135: No. 3 Lyni Gusick, Soph., Alburnett
140: No. 2 Lizzy Wolf, Soph., Benton Community
145: No. 7 Greta Brus, Soph., Davenport
155: No. 8 Tatum Wolford, Sr., Wapello
170: No. 8 Gracie Pinckney, Soph., Mount Vernon
190: No. 2 Libby Dix, Jr., Mount Vernon
190: No. 6 Shariden Engelken, Sr., Western Dubuque
235: No. 2 Ella Brown, Jr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy
235: No. 10 Adriana Shepherd, Sr., Western Dubuque
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