Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

It is postseason time for girls wrestling in Iowa and this year’s postseason has a little twist.

For the first time girls wrestling features two classes with regional meets being held in both classes on Friday at host schools across the state.

Eight regionals will be held in both Class 2A and 1A on Friday with the top two qualifier at each weight advancing to the state tournament.

The state tournament is scheduled for February 6 and 7 at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

Before the action gets rolling on Friday Your Prep Sports takes a quick look at the Class 1A regional meets featuring area teams.

Solon Regional

When: Friday, 4 p.m.

Where: Solon High School

Teams: Solon; West Branch; Benton Community; Camanche; Cascade; Central DeWitt; Durant; Lisbon; Louisa-Muscatine; Maquoketa; Mid-Prairie; Mount Vernon; North Cedar; Northeast; Tipton; Tri-County; Union; Cedar Rapids Xavier

What to watch: Solon had three state qualifiers two seasons ago and bumped that number to four last season.

The Spartans will attempt to once again add to their state qualifier totals on Friday as they play host to a Class 1A regional.

All four of Solon’s state qualifiers from last season return this year led by two-time qualifiers Kara Vedepo, McKenna Rogers and Olivia Bonnema.

Junior Alannah Mahoney is seeking a second consecutive trip to the state meet.

Mahoney (16-8) is ranked fifth at 125 pounds and Bonnema (19-6) is ranked No. 10 at 140 pounds.

West Branch senior Teagyn Hartz is also a two-time state qualifier seeking a third trip to the state meet.

Hartz (31-2) enters ranked seventh at 190 pounds and is coming off a River Valley Conference title last Friday.

Keep an eye on West Branch 155-pound sophomore Gisele Gross (26-11) who placed third at the RVC tournament last week and junior 235-pounder Saylee Gingerich (12-6).

Who to watch: Solon senior Kara VeDepo is already a two-time state qualifier and a state medalist but it seeking a big time breakthrough with a state title in her final prep season.

VeDepo (34-3) enters the postseason ranked No. 1 at 105 pounds after finishing fourth at 100 pounds last season.

VeDepo brings a 19-match winning streak into the postseason and has just one loss to in-state competition this season to 110-pound second ranked Violet Diaz of Denver.

Weight class to watch: The 110-pound title match sets up as one of the most anticipated regional championship matches in Clas 1A

Solon senior McKenna Rogers (25-5) and Mount Vernon junior Kiersten Swart (33-4) appear on a collision course for a third matchup in just over a week.

Third-ranked Swart won the last two meetings, pinning fourth-ranked Rogers in a dual on January 23 and earning a 1-0 decision in the WAMAC title match last Friday.

Rogers is seeking a third consecutive state medal this season after finishing fifth at 105 pounds each of the past two seasons.

Swart finished third at state last season at 110 pounds.

Ranked wrestlers

100: No. 12 Koda Fogg, Sr., Tipton

105: No. 1 Kara Vedepo, Sr., Solon

110: No. 3 Kiersten Swart, Jr., Mount Vernon

110: No. 4 McKenna Rogers, Jr. Solon

120: No. 6 Saidee Hamilton, Sr., Tipton

125: No. 5 Alannah Mahoney, Jr. Solon

125: No. 10 Ava Streeter, Jr. Durant

130: No. 4 Ashlee Farrier, Sr., Mid-Prairie

135: No. 2 Jillian Worthen, Sr., Union

140: No. 10 Olivia Bonnema, Sr., Solon

145: No. 4 Lizzy Wolf, Jr., Benton

170: No. 2 Gracie Pinckney, Jr., Mount Vernon

170: No. 4 Layna DeMoss, Soph., Benton

170: No. 8 Ellie Callahan, Jr. Mid-Prairie

190: No. 1 Libby Dix, Sr., Mount Vernon

190: No. 7 Teagyn Hartz, Sr., West Branch

235: No. 9 Skylar Wegener, Jr., Northeast

235: No. 12 Averie Gale, Soph., Benton

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