Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – As the final matches were coming to a close at the Class 1A, Region 7 wrestling tournament at Solon last Friday Solon senior Olivia Bonnema approached the table where meet workers were busy filling out the oversized commemorative brackets presented to regional champs.

With a smile Bonnema watched as the names were written in the championship spots on the brackets.

“I’ve never gotten one of those before,” Bonnema said. “I’ve never won a tournament.”
Bonnema couldn’t have picked a better time to be doing the best wrestling of her career.

Class 1A No. 10-ranked Bonnema picked up her first tournament title of the season on Friday with an impressive run through the 140-pound bracket at the 1A, Region 7 meet.

Bonnema (22-6) pinned her way to the 140-pound title at the Region 7 tournament to match teammates McKenna Rogers and Kara VeDepo as three-time state qualifiers for the Spartans.

“It’s a really proud moment for me from seeing how far we’ve come and seeing this whole thing happen,” Bonnema said. “Seeing girls that were part of my middle school team get to do this with me it’s something that I am really happy to share.”

A three-time state qualifier, Bonnema enters the 1A state tournament February 6-7 at Xtream Arena in Coralville as a regional champion for the first time.

Bonnema dominated on her way to her first career regional title posting two fist period pins that required a combined total of two minutes and six seconds of mat time to reach the final.

In the title match Bonnema pinned Benton Community sophomore Jordan Voelkel in 3:01.

“Olivia has been our vocal leader really for five years, since she wrestled in middle school for us,” Solon coach Jake Munson said. “She is two-year captain and has really helped lead our program vocally and by example so I am thrilled for her. She’s been such a big part of everything that we’ve been able to do.”

Bonnema had been close to titles in three previous tournaments this season.

She was runner-up at the South Tama Invitational and the WAMAC Conference meet with losses in the finals of both tournaments to top-ranked Chloe Sanders of Vinton-Shellsburg.

Bonnema was also fourth at the Bubba Randles Winter Classic at Cedar Rapids Prairie in December.

With her career coming to a closer Bonnema wrestled her best last Friday.

“It’s always really special to wrestle in our home gym with everyone that is around us and just having that sort of support. It makes it feel even more special when you get to have a win like that at home.”

Bonnema trailed 3-0 after the opening period in the regional title against Voelkel after giving up a takedown in the final seconds.

She responded with a takedown 30 seconds into the second period that ultimately turned into a fall.

“I was working with one of our coaches and we went over that move in practice this week, it was just a last resort neck wrench and it was there for me,” Bonnema said. “I am glad that I have such a great coaching staff with so much experience and so much different perspective that I can intake all of that and perform it to the best of my ability.”

Bonnema was one of four Spartans to secure a spot at the state meet and joined VeDepo and sophomore Tess Richards as regional champs.

“Especially for myself and Kara both of us in our senior seasons it’s a lot of emotion and I was just super happy with how all of my teammates did,” Bonnema said. “I had a real sense of pride for everyone.”

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