The IGHSAU Wrestling State Tournament will begin Thursday inside Xtream Arena, with six area wrestlers competing.
All local wrestlers will compete in Class 1A tournaments in the first season of the sport having multiple enrollment classes. AP/GC will have three competitors, including Grace Storjohann, the 3-seed at 120, Zoey Uhlenhopp, the 12-seed at 145, and Kira Cox, the 7-seed at 170. West Fork’s Fernanda Ramirez is the 5-seed at 170, Hampton-Dumont-CAL’s Maren Subbert is the 8-seed at 190, and Iowa Falls-Alden’s Rylee Robison is the 16-seed at 235.
Cox on handling the pressure of the tournament.
“I just think I need to keep my head in the game, and just remember rankings mean nothing,” Cox says. “People always tell me this person is ranked first, this person is ranked whatever. Rankings don’t matter, and I need to remember that God has brought me to where I am for a reason and a purpose.”
Robison describes how she can put together her best possible tournament run.
“I try to go for the head as often as possible, because in heavyweight, you don’t want to shoot, because you’re just going to get sprawled on,” Robison says. “So my goal is to try to go for the head. My favorite move is probably an arm drag or a slide by. It’s just go for the head and then break them down and put a half on them. It’s going to take a lot because I know the girls down there will be really good, but I feel like if I commit to it, it’s going to be great.”
Ramirez hopes to perfect her best skills to use them to their greatest advantage.
“I am excited for it,” Ramirez says. “I’m just practicing, just going through what I know and making all those moves better and definitely going into it with an open mind.”
The first round, quarterfinals, and two consolation rounds will take place Thursday beginning at 4:30 p.m., with coverage airing on 99 The Wave.
Fernanda Ramirez, West Fork – Regional Champion at 170:
Maren Subbert, Hampton-Dumont-CAL – 2nd at 190:
