Home Sports Le Mars Girls Wrestling sends four to the state tournament this week

Le Mars Girls Wrestling sends four to the state tournament this week

The Le Mars Community girls wrestling team qualified four wrestlers to state as part of the regional tournament in Council Bluffs on Friday.

Brooklyn DeRocher scored the first qualification with a first-place finish in the 100-pound weight class. She was not even the top-seed despite her many accolades heading into the tournament. Head coach Greer Milledge says that makes her victory in the weight class even more impressive.

The Bulldogs earned another qualification at 105 pounds with Keira Hessenius giving up a takedown late in the third period of her championship bout to finish runner-up. Despite that loss in the championship bout, Coach Milledge says that was one of her better matches of the season.

At 130 pounds, Marilyn Roller fought her way through many things to finish runner-up and advance to state. Her biggest fight came against herself while battling a shoulder injury for this last part of the season. Coach Milledge says she is the embodiment of toughness.

A mainstay for the Bulldogs at the state tournament the last few years has been Kerene Panya. She is back again after being the champion at 140 pounds in Council Bluffs on Friday. Coach Milledge says she is determined to get a win in Coralville for the first time in her three trips.

This is now the third year of sanctioned girls wrestling at the state tournament, so the newness is starting to wear off a bit for the Bulldogs. Coach Milledge says that allows his team to treat this like a regular tournament while also understanding the magnitude of it.

The state tournament in Coralville at Xtream Arena begins at 10:00 AM on Thursday, February 6.