Girls wrestling team keeps improving

by Marianne Gasaway

Clear Lake wrestlers started the new year by competing at the 19-team Osage Tournament Monday, Jan. 2. A pair of Lions earned placements.  Olivia Fausnaugh finished fifth at 155-pounds and Emma Allie was seventh at 140.

“The girls wrestled tough and gave it their all,” said Coach Ray McQueen.  “We worked a lot on technique over break and it’s helped them out to continue wrestling in all positions. We’ve been getting caught because we stop wrestling in different positions. Emma had a breakthrough and has improved a lot since the start of season. She’s starting to believe in her moves more and willing to take those opportunities to take those shots which is what I continue to tell all the girls. I can’t help you correct your shots if you don’t take them and Emma is starting to figure it out.”

The Lions were at Ames for a weekend tournament and finished eighth in the 10-team field.   Emery Hippen was impressive, finishing second in the 140-pound weight class.

“Emery made finals at her new weight, 140-pounds. She started the season at 155 and is wrestling at a weight class where she’s more comfortable at now,” said Coach McQueen.  Hippen wrestled Mason City’s Kyliegh James in the final and lost by pin. “She knows what she has to work on and it’s just a matter of time before she starts

to put it together,” added the coach.

Olivia Fausnaugh was fourth at 155 and She Ulrich (105), Piper Lester (115) and Aali Martinez (120) were all fifth at their weights. Rhi Youmans finished sixth at 125.

“Even though Ulrich took fifth, she had a great day with some technique she was finally able to use in her match. She was up in all her matches but got caught on her back and as time goes on that comes with mat awareness and understanding where you’re at in the middle of a match,” said Coach Johnson.

Osage Tournament

105 Champ. Round 1 Alexis Kolbet (O) over Shaelyn Ulrich (CL) (Fall 0:59); 115 Champ. Round 1  Jalynn Goodale (O) over Pieper Lester (CL) (Fall 1:25); 120 Cons. Round 3 Mackenzie Brown (O) over Aali Martinez (CL) (TB-1 7-6); 125 Kaylie Havig (O) over Rhi Youmans, Cons. Round 2 - Dakota Hastings (Nevada) over Youmans (CL) (Fall 0:27); 140 Champ. Round 1 - Katelynn Huebsch (O) over Zoe Koontz (CL) (Fall 4:12), Cons. Round 2 - Koontz (CL) over Paige Hodges (SE Polk) (Fall 0:44), Champ. Round 1 - Emma Allie (CL) over Aubree Becthold (SE Polk) (Fall 1:48), Quarterfinals - Kallie Gibbons (MC) over Allie (CL) (Fall 5:20), Cons. Round 2 - Mya Holdaway (SE Polk) over Allie (CL) (Fall 4:22), 7th Place Match - Allie (CL) over Aubree Becthold (SE Polk) (M. For.); 145 Quarterfinals - Lauren Rodgers (Perry) over Emery Hippen (CL) (Fall 4:45), Cons. Round 2 - Aubrey Chapman (O) over Emery Hippen (CL) (Fall 0:26); 155 Champ. Round 1 - Olivia Fausnaugh (CL) over Clara Shogren (SE Polk) (Fall 1:42), Quarterfinals - Skylar Slade (SE Polk) over Fausnaugh (CL) (Fall 2:37), 5th Place Match - Fausnaugh (CL) over Joslyn Bordwell (West Fork) (M. For.); 170 Cons. Round 1 - Macey Brant (CL) over Kyle Sulley (O) (Fall 2:47), Cons. Round 2 - Harmoney Fessler (West Fork) over Brant (CL) (Fall 2:27), Champ. Round 1 - Brooklyn Graham (East Buchanan) over Missy Jones (CL) (Fall 0:33)