Highland high school is the place to be for local wrestling in the next 24 hours. Friday, a field of 21 girls teams, including five from the KCII listening area, take the mat for the annual girls tourney.
The Columbus/Winfield-Mt. Union Wildcats bring their team to Riverside today. The Wildcats recently finished 15th at the Eddyville-Blakesburg tournament Saturday where they were led by fifth place finishes for Maritza Tovar and Rozlynn Garcia. Jalynn Phillips, Kalley Deese and Jada Moats lead the team with six wins each. Deese and Josie Nelson each won Southeast Iowa Superconference Tournament championships earlier this year.
Lone Tree will be at Highland Friday. They were recently on the mat at the BGM Holiday Brawl Saturday, finishing eighth, led by fourth place finishes each for Olivia Magruder, Kayleigh Rundlett and Ashlynn Sojka. Top tournament performances this year for Lone Tree include Superconference and Midland runner-up for Alex Dautremont, second for Carlee Sexton at Burlington and second for Magruder at Wapello.
Mid-Prairie will make their way to Highland Friday. The Hawks wrestled in a River Valley Conference quad Monday at Wilton, getting wins over Tipton and West Liberty but falling to the home Beavers. The Golden Hawks have a pair of ranked wrestlers in their lineup, according to the latest set of Class 1A rankings from Iawrestle.com, with Ashlee Farrier No. 5 at 130lbs with an undefeated 13-0 record and Ellie Callahan No. 6 at 170lbs with a 9-3 mark. Austyn Sexton holds the team lead with 14 victories. Others with double digits wins include Gabby Gingerich and Cassie Trimpe. The Golden Hawks won the team tournament title at Wilton earlier this season and four athletes have individual tournament titles including Farrier at North Scott, Wilton and West Liberty, Sexton at North Scott, Callahan at West Liberty and Mardie Berry at North Scott.
The WACO Warriors travel to Highland today. They last competed at the BGM Holiday tournament Saturday, finishing 10th overall, led by a runner-up performance for Addison Alliman. This season Elyssa Graber leads with way with 23 wins. Rylee Rice is also in double figures with 13. Graber was a Superconference Tournament champion to go with titles from Sigourney-Keota, BGM and Columbus. Rice captured the championship at Columbus.
The home Huskies last competed before Christmas at Cedar Rapids Prairie where they finished 25th as a team with Maiya Singbeil and Chloe Sexton competing. Sexton has compiled a 12-4 record in contested matches and Singbeil stands at 11 wins. Sexton won the Superconference championship along with titles at BGM, Columbus and Pekin.
Joining these teams today are Burlington, Denver, English Valleys, Fort Madison, Iowa City Liberty, Iowa City West, Louisa-Muscatine, Mediapolis, Mount Pleasant, Muscatine, Pekin, Cedar Rapids Prairie, Tri-County, Van Buren, West Liberty and Wilton. Action starts at 4p.m. And continues into the evening at Highland High School
The boys annual Gary Curtis Invitational for the Huskies is Saturday, with three local teams participating. The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks will attend. They were on the mat Thursday in an RVC quad at Northeast Goose Lake where they beat Camanche, but fell to Bellevue and the home Rebels. Going into the week, the Hawks have one ranked wrestler in their lineup according to the latest 2A poll from Iawrestle.com with Burke Berry No. 12 at 285lbs. Max Howe has a team best 11 wins. Berry has the lone tournament title this year, winning the championship at New London.
The WACO Warriors will be in Riverside Saturday. They last competed at last week’s BGM Tournament, placing sixth as a team. The Warriors have three ranked wrestlers in their line-up according to the latest 1A poll from Iawrestle.com with Louden Huisenga No. 1 at 190lbs, Ian Maize No. 4 at 160 and Gage Samo No. 6 at 120. That trio has combined to go 49-1 so far this season, each winning tournament championships at Wapello and Iowa City Regina.
The Highland Huskies will compete in front of the home crowd tomorrow. They dropped five duals at Saturday’s Lisbon tournament. Cash Cole is the wins leader this year with 16. Landon Bell, Jack Cave, Brock Thomann, Mason Lavely, Tyler Pierson and Jose Ramirez join him with double digit wins.
The Gary Curtis Invitational field also includes Alburnett, Durant, English Valleys, Fort Madison, Mount Pleasant, Muscatine, New London, Iowa City Regina, Oakland Riverside, Springville, West Branch and Wilton. Action starts Saturday at 10a.m. At Highland High School.