Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – Girls wrestling as an official sport in the state of Iowa is brand new this winter.

The rivalry between Highway 1 neighbors Solon and Mount Vernon has been around for decades.

On Monday the two long-time rivals opened a new chapter with Solon winning the first girls wrestling dual with Mount Vernon 42-30 at the Corridor Dual Tournament at Solon Middle School.

“The whole rivalry with Mount Vernon is fun,” Solon senior Addison Burden said. “I hope as this sport grows to see it more in girls wrestling too because that is what makes it fun.”

The win over Mount Vernon capped a 3-1 performance for the Spartans who finished runner-up to Cedar Rapids Prairie at the five-team dual event.

Solon added dual wins over City High (42-27) and Liberty High (48-24) and dropped a dual to Cedar Rapids Prairie (58-24).

“I knew coming in that every dual was going to come down to a match or two that is just the teams that came her they came for a reason because they have good dual lineups and they are prepared to wrestle them,” Solon coach Jake Munson said. “We knew today was a day we could go 4-0 or we could go 0-4 and so 3-1 with a loss to a tough Prairie team I think we responded well and I was pleased with the effort they gave.”

The finale between Mount Vernon and Solon was for the runner-up finish and was exactly what was expected between the two rivals.

Solon won four of the seven contested matches in the dual getting pins from Eleanor Gnida, Kara VeDepo, Olivia Bonnema and Alex Anderson.

The Spartans won seven matches picked up a trio of forfeits in the 42-30 win.

“We just had a whole bunch of good moments as a team to go out and win that dual,” Bonnema said. “It felt really nice, the Solon and Mount Vernon thing is really cool so it was really fun to win that dual.”

Bonnema was one of four Spartans to go unbeaten on Monday but came up with her biggest win against the rival Mustangs.

The sophomore 135 pounder trailed 9-3 in the third quarter when she reversed Meika Neal onto her back for a pin just 45 seconds into the third period.

“If I’m being completely honest I don’t know exactly what I did,” Bonnema said. “It was just instinct, I just sat out and I saw her arm was up so I just went with a swim move.

Mount Vernon led 30-18 after back-to-back pins by Kiersten Swart at 115 and Audrey Tucker at 125 pounds.

Eleanor Gnida came up with a first-period pin at 130 pounds to cut the lead to 30-24.

Bonnema pulled the Spartans even with her pin at 135.

“In a dual there is a whole added element that it’s not just for me this is not just for me it’s for my teammates and my teammates needed that win so I had to go out and get that win for them,” Bonnema said. “It was just persistence.”

Neal rolled Bonnema onto her back late in the second quarter.

The Solon sophomore narrowly avoided being pinned just before time expired in the second period.

Bonnema returned the favor in the third period putting Neal onto her back early in the period before eventually getting the fall in 4:45.

“I knew that I had to do something big so I was just trying to get to a reversal and it was the cherry on top that I could get her right on to her back,” Bonnema said. “Once I had her on her back it was all the coaching and all the things I’ve had said to me in practice running through my head. That’s how I ended up finishing it.”

The win evened the dual at 30-30 and Alexis Anderson gave solon a 36-30 lead with a pin of Sarah Peterson in 54 seconds at 140 pounds.

Bonnema finished the evening 4-0 with four pins.

“That isn’t the first time that has come back, she is a kid that has a pretty good gas tank and believes in herself,” Munson said. “She is a an extremely hard work and a high-energy kid and is always going whistle to whistle.”

Freshman McKenna Rogers was 4-0 with a pair of pins at 105 pounds and Kara VeDepo was 4-0 with two pins at 110 pounds.

Gnida was 3-0 with three pins and Burden went 3-1 with two pins at 145.

“I think is a big boost for our confidence to see what we can do against these other teams,” Burden said. “We know we can compete with these good teams.”

Liberty High went 1-3 on Monday with a 42-30 win over City High while the Little Hawks finished 0-4.

Elizabeth Eggleston went 4-0 with three pins to lead Liberty High.

Solon 42, City High 27

100 – Hadassah Wolcott (ICH) won by forfeit

105 – McKenna Rogers (SOL) pinned Hazel Boerner :16

110 – Kara VeDepo (SOL) pinned Nina Yankey :56

115 – Nabitendelo Emmanuel (ICH) pinned Abby Gregory 1:53

120 – Sydney Wilkes (ICH) won by forfeit

125 – Erin Anderson (ICH) dec. Alannah Mahoney 8-4

130 – Eleanor Gnida (SOL) won by forfeit

135 – Olivia Bonnema (SOL) pinned Jeanica Mbuyi 1:47

140 – Alexis Anderson (SOL) pinned Ania Naso 2:26

145 – Addison Burden (SOL) pinned Annabelle Stelpflug 1:13

155 – Double forfeit

170 – Shaona Emmanuel (ICH) pinned Kendall Jensen 1:08

190 – Adlie Miller (SOL) pinned Kayla Moore :56

235 – Double forfeit

Mount Vernon 57, Liberty High 18

100 – Taylor Cavanh (ICL) won by forfeit

105 – Double forfeit

110 – Elizabeth Morf (MV) won by forfeit

115 – Kiersten Swart (MV) pinned Grace Philipp :26

120 – Elli Shebetka (MV) pinned Ruth Luyeye 3:06

125 – Audrey Tucker (MV) pinned Alex Sharp :40

130 – Ella Krob (MV) dec. Harper Johnson 6-3

135 – Meika Neal (MV) pinned Karen Ndombasi :33

140 – Elizabeth Eggleston (ICL) pinned Sarah Peterson 1:42

145 – Kaylee Kintzel (MV) pinned Evelyn Eggleston 3:07

155 – Eavenly Nielsen (ICL) won by forfeit

170 – Libby Dix (MV) pinned Kenzi Steele 2:41

190 – Mae Stoops (MV) pinned Abigial Carr 1:40

235 – Aly Lashley (MV) won by forfeit

Cedar Rapids Prairie 48, Liberty High 15

100 – Myah Rausch (CRP) pinned Taylor Cavanh 2:36

105 – Double forfeit

110 – Double forfeit

115 – Grace Philipp (ICL) pinned Ava Rodriguez 3:39

120 – Karsyn Roling (CRP) pinned Ruth Luyeye 2:39

125 – Mackenzie Childers (CRP) pinned Alex Sharp 1:08

130 – Lily Gearheart (CRP) pinned Harper Johnson 3:06

135 – Annalilia Vega (CRP) pinned Karen Ndombasi :38

140 – Elizabeth Eggleston (ICL) dec. Jade Hynek 5-4

145 – Evelyn Egleston (ICL) dec. Claire Hynek 5-3 SV-1

155 – Erika Brokovich (CRP) pinned Eavenly Nielsen 5:23

170 – Kenzi Steele (ICL) dec. Luisa Meade 7-4

190 – Chloe Heefner (CRP) pinned Abigial Carr :46

235 – Aliya Phillips (CRP) won by forfeit

Mount Vernon 42, City High 30

100 – Hadassah Wolcott (ICH) won by forfeit

105 – Hazel Boerner (ICH) won by forfeit

110 – Elizabeth Morf (MV) pinned Nina Yankey 1:51

115 – Nabitendelo Emmanuel (ICH) dec. Kiersten Swart 8-1

120 – Sydney Wilkes (ICH) won by forfeit

125 – Erin Anderson (ICH) dec. Audrey Tucker 7-2

130 – Ella Krob (MV) won by forfeit

135 – Meika Neal (MV) pinned Jeanica Mbuyi 2:49

140 – Sarah Peterson (MV) pinned Ania Naso 3:21

145 – Annabelle Stelpflug (ICH) pinned Kayle Kintzel 4:34

155 – Double forfeit

170 – Libby Dix (MV) pinned Shaona Emmanuel 1:27

190 – Gracie Pickney (MV) pinned Kayla Moore :32

235 – Aly Lashley (MV) won by forfeit

Solon 48, Liberty High 24

100 – Double forfeit

105 – McKenna Rogers (SOL) pinned Taylor Cavanh 1:10

110 – Kara VeDepo (SOL) won by forfeit

115 – Abby Gregory (SOL) pinned Grace Philipp :58

120 – Ruth Luyeye (ICL) won by forfeit

125 – Alannah Mahoney (SOL) pinned Alex Sharp :24

130 – Eleanor Gnida (SOL) pinned Harper Johnson :29

135 – Olivia Bonnema (SOL) pinned Karen Ndombasi :31

140 – Elizabeth Eggleston (ICL) pinned Alexis Anderson 4:22

145 – Addison Burden (SOL) pinned Evelyn Eggleston 1:54

155 – Eavenly Nielsen (ICL) won by forfeit

170 – Kenzi Steele (ICL) pinned Kendall Jensen 2:59

190 – Adlie Miller (SOL) pinned Abigial Carr 1:15

235 – Double forfeit

Cedar Rapids Prairie 57, Solon 24

100 – Myah Rausch (CRP) won by forfeit

105 – McKenna Rogers (SOL) won by forfeit

110 – Kara VeDepo (SOL) won by forfeit

115 – Abby Gregory (SOL) pinned Ava Rodriguez 3:09

120 – Karsyn Roling (CRP) won by forfeit

125 – Mackenzie Childers (CRP) won by forfeit

130 – Lily Gearheart (CRP) won by forfeit

135 – Olivia Bonnema (SOL) pinned Annalilia Vega 1:28

140 – Jade Hynek (CRP) pinned Alexis Anderson 1:10

145 – Claire Hynek (CRP) pinned Addison Burden 3:22

155 – Erika Brokovich (CRP) won by forfeit

170 – Luisa Meade (CRP) dec. Kendall Jensen 6-4 UTB

190 – Chloe Heefner (CRP) pinned Adlie Miller 1:13

235 – Aliya Phillips (CRP) won by forfeit

Liberty High 42, City High 30

100 – Taylor Cavanh (ICL) pinned Hadassah Wolcott 3:37

105 – Hazel Boerner (ICH) won by forfeit

110 – Double forfeit

115 – Grace Philipp (ICL) pinned Nina Yankey 5:05

120 – Nabitendelo Emmanuel (ICH) pinned Ruth Luyeye 5:43

125 – Sydney Wilkes (ICH) pinned Alex Sharp 1:22

130 – Erin Anderson (ICH) pinned Harper Johnson 1:22

135 – Jeanica Mbuyi (ICH) pinned Karen Ndombasi 1:53

140 – Elizabeth Eggleston (ICL) pinned Ania Nason 1:06

145 – Evelyn Eggleston (ICL) pinned Annabelle Stelpflug 2:32

155 – Eavenly Nielsen (ICL) won by forfeit

170 – Kenzi Steele (ICL) pinned Shaona Emmanuel 2:37

190 – Abigial Carr (ICL) pinned Kayla Moore 1:20

235 – Double forfeit

Cedar Rapids Prairie 60, City High 18

100 – Myah Rausch (CRP) pinned Hadassah Wolcott 2:55

105 – Hazel Boerner (ICH) won by forfeit

110 – Nina Yankey (ICH) won by forfeit

115 – Nabitendelo Emmanuel (ICH) pinned Ava Rodriguez :40

120 – Karsyn Roling (CRP) dec. Sydney Wilkes 10-8 SV-1

125 – Mackenzie Childers (CRP) pinned Erin Anderson 2:00

130 – Lily Gearheart (CRP) won by forfeit

135 – Annalilia Vega (CRP) pinned Jeanica Mbuyi 1:15

140 – Jade Hynek (CRP) pinned Ania Naso :24

145 – Claire Hynek (CRP) pinned Annabelle Stelpflug 4:48

155 – Erika Brokovich (CRP) won by forfeit

170 – Luisa Meade (CRP) dec. Shaona Emmanuel 7-5

190 – Chloe Heefner (CRP) pinned Kayla Moore :50

235 – Aliya Phillips (CRP) won by forfeit

Solon 42, Mount Vernon 30

100 – Double forfeit

105 – McKenna Rogers (SOL) won by forfeit

110 – Kara VeDepo (SOL) pinned Elizabeth Morf 3:04

115 – Kiersten Swart (MV) pinned Abby Gregory 1:37

120 – Double forfeit

125 – Audrey Tucker (MV) pinned Alannah Mahoney 2:30

130 – Eleanor Gnida (SOL) pinned Ella Krob 1:08

135 – Olivia Bonnema (SOL) pinned Meika Neal 4:45

140 – Alexis Anderson (SOL) pinned Sarah Peterson :54

145 – Addison Burden (SOL) won by forfeit

155 – Bailey Madura (SOL) won by forfeit

170 – Gracie Pickney (MV) won by forfeit

190 – Libby Dix (MV) pinned Adlie Miller :59

235 – Aly Lashley (MV) won by forfeit

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