Lady Jays Wrestling
Pierce Claims Runner-Up Honors
The Pierce girls make it look easy, gliding past two higher ranked teams to bring home the runner-up honors in the first ever Nebraska state girls wrestling dual, sponsored by the Nebraska Scholastic Wrestling Coaches Association (NSWCA).
This was a day of firsts–first for the girls state dual championship, first for the Pierce team to host, first for the runner-up team honors for Pierce.
Although the Pierce girls fell 46-30 to Grand Island, the Pierce wrestlers had a huge day, defeating Papillion-La Vista 60-24 in the quarterfinals and Norfolk 42-39 in the semifinals.
Winning all of the matches they wrestled in were seniors Icis Sackville and Maggie Painter, junior Hadleigh Collison and freshman Isabelle Streff.
“It’s huge for our team because we weren’t even ranked in the state for duals teams, and we were seeded sixth,” remarks Collison. “Ending up beating the second seed team and the number two team in the state in a dual was super, super good for our team. It really boosted our confidence going into that Grand Island dual. Even that just boosted our confidence even more knowing that we can hang with the number one team in the state.”
Head coach Les Painter concurred. “This was a huge accomplishment for our team. To be the six seed and end up in the championship and be in the lead for a lot of the dual is huge for momentum going into subs and district in the next couple weeks. I am so proud of this team. I cannot wait to see what the next couple weeks bring for this team.”
In the first match of the day versus Papillion-LaVista, Pierce won 60-24.
At 120, M. Painter pinned Jamelah Taylor.
Fellow senior Hayle DeBoer (130) also earned a pin, taking down Adriana Smiley.
Lainey Jensen, wrestling at 135, fell to Jenna Secord.
Senior Angeline Skrdla, who wrestled at 140, pinned Sophia Forman in the second period.
Falling to Emma Stice was Pierce’s Isabelle Kuehler (145).
In the 170 class, Candace Miller fell to Kirsten Clark.
Icis Sackville, Lauren Delka, Isabelle Streff, Collison, Samantha Painter, Jessa Kraft, all were unopposed.
Pierce was open at 235.
Winning this match pushed the Lady Jays into the semifinals match.
Pierce defeated Norfolk in a close 42-39 match to win the semifinals.
Beginning with the 100 weight class, I. Sackville pinned Danna Barrios Gonzalez.
At 105, Delka fell to Jazmin Haller.
Winning at 110, Streff pinned Chloe Boyer.
Wrestling in her first match of the day, Collison (115) pinned Caidence Bethards.
Falling to at 120 was S. Painter, who fell to Kennedy Werner.
Winning her second dual match of the day at 125, M. Painter pinned Dacy Cleveland.
In her second dual of the day, DeBoer pinned Mariah Ham.
Again at 135, Jensen fell to Laila Cuevas.
Skrdla lost to Kayla Bobeldyke in a 7-0 decision.
Pierce was open at 145.
This time wrestling at 155, Kuehler pinned Rylee Bauer.
At 170, Shaylee Gardner fell to Beverly Bobeldyke.
Candace Miller, this time wrestling at 190, fell to Raegan Mangelsen.
Lauren Ueding, wrestling at 235 was again unopposed.
The final dual of the entire day was Pierce facing off against Grand Island.
The Pierce girls lost 46-30, but still managed to claim runner-up honors.
Starting at 110, Streff won with a close 10-9 score over Jasmine Morales.
With their third wins of the day, Collison (110) pinned Jordan Williams and M. Painter (120) pinned Kim Gonzalez.
In a tight match with lots of crowd noise, which is what Pierce had in the final dual, Collison remarks on keeping her focus, saying, “When you’re in a big meet, it all depends on what you hear, but on the mat you try to drown everything; sometimes I can’t even hear my coaches because everything is echoing so much. But you just try to silence everything.”
At 125, S. Painter fell to Fernanda Perea.
Wrestling at 130, Briannah Kutschkau defeated DeBoer 15-6.
Jensen fell to Bella Arrants at 135.
Winning 5-0, Skrdla pinned Carmen Chacon at 140.
This time wrestling at 145, Kuehler pinned Cladis Lucas-Escobar.
Pierce was open in two classes during this dual, 155 and 190.
Miller, who wrestled at 170, fell to Fabiola Cortez Carcamo.
Claiming her third win of the day, I. Sackville pinned Sandra Ren Jose.
Delka (105) fell to Addisyn Gates in the final match of the day.
Other teams in the dual tournament included Grand Island Senior High, who claimed first place, Norfolk High School, who finished third, South Sioux City, who ended fourth, as well as Minden, North Platte, Millard South, and Papillion-La Vista.
Pierce girls start subdistricts this Friday at Battle Creek.
Lady Jays Hit the Mats
By Chloe Bernhardt
On Saturday, January 27, the Lady Jay wrestlers traveled to Norfolk for the Norfolk Varsity Invitational. Pierce had three wrestlers medal.
Wrestling at 115, Evelyn Skrdla placed fourth and scored 7 team points. In the quarterfinal match Skrdla received a bye. Then in the semifinal round, Skrdla fell to Caidence Bethards of Norfolk. In the constellation semifinal match, Skrdla pinned Montse Huisman of Fremont. The final match, Skrdla fell to Hailee Cox from Norfolk.
Karina Willits, wrestling at 125, placed third and scored 12 team points. In the quarterfinal match, Willits pinned Hsakmwee Eh of Omaha Benson. Then in the semifinal match Willits fell to Dacy Cleveland of Norfolk. Willits won by a 3-1 decision over Miley Hale of Norfolk in the consolation semifinal match. In the third place match Willits won by decision over Ryleigh Eckles from Millard North, 6-4.
Cailynn Gardner at 135 in the quarterfinal match fell to Ahnika Ficken from Millard North. Then in the consolation round one Gardner fell to Caroline Soderlin of Millard North.
Overall the Lady Jays placed seventh as a team and scored 19 team points.
Head coach Les Painter states, “Our girls had a great week of practice that led into a great day of wrestling on Saturday. This next week we have sub-districts. We need to have another great week of practice, and I think we will like the results this week.”
The Lady Jay wrestlers will hit the mat on Friday, February 2.
Lady Jays Dominate at Bon Homme
By Chloe Bernhardt
On Tuesday, January 23, the Lady Jay wrestlers traveled to Bon Homme, South Dakota, to compete in a triangular. During the triangular, senior Maggie Painter, was the first girl wrestler from Pierce to get 100 career wins.
Pierce had a successful night, first defeating Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon 48-24, then defeating Crofton-Bloomfield 60-18.
Head coach Les Painter states, “Our girls had a great week of practice that led into a great day of wrestling on Tuesday.”
Wrestling at 110 was Isabelle Streff, who pinned Alexa Suing of Crofton-Bloomfield in 0:26.
In the 120 weight class, Hadleigh Collison won by fall over Hadlee Kracht of Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon. Then Collison pinned Pamela Dennis from Crofton-Bloomfield.
Maggie Painter also won by fall in the 132 weight class over Bailey Kemnitz of Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon.
Wrestling at 138, senior Hayle DeBoer pinned Leah Whittington from Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon.
Angeline Skrdla, wrestling at 140, fell to Rylie Arens of Crofton-Bloomfield. Then wrestling at 145 Skrdla fell to Peyton Hellmann of Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon.
Also wrestling at 145, Isabelle Kuehler pinned Chelbi Pruitt from Crofton-Bloomfield in 0:31.
In the 165 weight class, Candace Miller fell to Ashley Tolsma of Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon.
At 170, Candace Miller lost to Annabelle Poppe from Crofton-Bloomfield.
Shaylee Gardner (185) fell to Hope Kemnitz of Bon Homme/Scotland/Avon.
In the 190 pound weight class, Lauren Ueding pinned Linkin Rahn from Crofton-Bloomfield.
The Lady Jays will wrestle on Friday, February 2, in subdistricts, at Boone Central.
