by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
Thief River Falls had four wrestlers reach the medal stand at the combined Girls Section 7/8 super section tournament held Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-89 at Brainerd High School.
The Minnesota State High School League has four super sections for girls wrestling. The top-two finishers at each weight class from each of the four super section meets qualify for the state tournament.
The Section 7/8 super section had 230 wrestlers from 53 high schools competing for 26 spots in the state tournament. Section 1/2 had 59 teams with 193 wrestlers. Section 3/4 had 38 teams and 193 wrestlers; and Section 5/6 had 59 teams with 190 participating wrestlers.
Senior Samantha Zoller was the top finisher for the Prowlers with a third place finish at 170 pounds. After losing in the semifinals, Zoller won back-to-back matches to secure third place. She had one last chance at state but lost the true second match to Maya Schmidt of Bemidji. Zoller ends her career with a pair of third place finishes in the section tournament.
“Samantha Zoller went throughout the season being ranked as one of the top wrestlers in the state at the 170 pound weight class,” said Head Coach Dale Rystad. “The problem is that two of the other girls at her weight in our super section were also ranked all year long as well. Sam knew she’d have to wrestle her best if she wanted to make it to the state tournament. Unfortunately, Sam fractured her elbow in her semifinals match. She wrestled through the pain but was unable to fully use one of her arms and lost her semifinals match. After winning another grueling match with an injury Sam gave herself a chance to earn a trip to the state tournament by winning a true second match. Sam came up short and finished in third place but most likely lost to the top two wrestlers in the state at her weight.”
Also placing for the Prowlers were junior Maddie Poissant with a fifth place finish at 124 pounds; eighth grader Janaya Albers, sixth at 130; and eighth grader Molly Ferguson, sixth at 136.
“Eighth graders Molly Ferguson and Janaya Albers finished in sixth place, which is quite impressive at their age, and for Janaya, it was her first year of wrestling,” Rystad said. “Maddie Poissant had a great tournament getting fifth place in a very solid bracket.”
Another state tournament hopeful for the Prowlers was freshman Natalia Zoller. Zoller went 2-2 and was eliminated in the blood round.
“Natalia Zoller, who has had an outstanding year, also missed the medals stand, suffering a tough ankle injury in an overtime quarterfinals match,” Rystad said. “She was able to wrestle on Saturday, but her mobility was limited and she was definitely wrestling through a lot of pain.”
“In all, I couldn’t be more proud of how the girls wrestled at this tournament and how much they’ve progressed throughout the year. I’m already excited for what the future holds for this team.”
Section 7/8 Tournament
100 – Ellie Nelson (5-15) place is unknown. Champ. Round 1 – Ellie Nelson (Thief River Falls) 5-15received a bye; Champ. Round 2 – Madi Remer (Mille Lacs Raiders) 18-10 won by fall over Ellie Nelson (Thief River Falls) 5-15 (Fall 3:07); Cons. Round 2 – Ellie Nelson (Thief River Falls) 5-15 received a bye; Cons. Round 3 – Willow Albrecht (Grand Rapids) 15-10 won by fall over Ellie Nelson (Thief River Falls) 5-15 (Fall 1:31).
118 – Alora Green (15-18) place is unknown. Champ. Round 1 – Maya Olson (Royalton-Upsala) 22-8 won by fall over Alora Green (Thief River Falls) 15-18 (Fall 1:52); Cons. Round 1 – Ava Ness (Barnesville) 22-23 won by fall over Alora Green (Thief River Falls) 15-18 (Fall 1:25).
124 – Maddie Poissant (22-15) placed 5th. Champ. Round 1 – Maddie Poissant (Thief River Falls) 22-15 received a bye; Champ. Round 2 – Maddie Poissant (Thief River Falls) 22-15 won by fall over Isabella Kapinos (Mille Lacs Raiders) 17-17 (Fall 3:22); Quarterfinal – Maddie Poissant (Thief River Falls) 22-15 won by fall over Kayla Virnig (Pierz) 21-15 (Fall 4:48); Semifinal – Ariana Pickar (Brainerd) 35-4 won by fall over Maddie Poissant (Thief River Falls) 22-15 (Fall 2:59); Cons. Semi – Taitum Kostecka (Cambridge-Isanti) 12-3 won by fall over Maddie Poissant (Thief River Falls) 22-15 (Fall 1:31); 5th Place Match – Maddie Poissant (Thief River Falls) 22-15 won by fall over Dawnie Hobrecht (United North Central Warriors) 14-10 (Fall 1:08).
130 – Janaya Albers (22-15) placed 6th. Champ. Round 1 – Janaya Albers (Thief River Falls) 22-15 received a bye; Champ. Round 2 – Janaya Albers (Thief River Falls) 22-15 won by decision over Destiny Verrett (Monticello) 19-12 (Dec 11-7); Quarterfinal – Chloe Wehry (Sartell-Saint Stephen) 29-1 won by fall over Janaya Albers (Thief River Falls) 22-15 (Fall 1:26); Cons. Round 4 – Janaya Albers (Thief River Falls) 22-15 won by fall over Hannah Arika (Elk River) 10-18 (Fall 5:02); Cons. Round 5 – Janaya Albers (Thief River Falls) 22-15 won by fall over Layla Counts (Moorhead) 16-17 (Fall 3:58); Cons. Semi – Georgia Anderson (Sauk Centre-Melrose) 29-13 won by fall over Janaya Albers (Thief River Falls) 22-15 (Fall 2:36); 5th Place Match – Natalie Olson (Mora) 29-11 won by decision over Janaya Albers (Thief River Falls) 22-15 (Dec 9-5).
136 – Molly Ferguson (24-11) placed 6th. Champ. Round 1 – Molly Ferguson (Thief River Falls) 24-11 won by fall over Isabel Cole (Staples Motley) 7-10 (Fall 3:40); Champ. Round 2 – Molly Ferguson (Thief River Falls) 24-11 won by decision over Taya Gysberg (Sauk Centre-Melrose) 15-14 (Dec 12-10); Quarterfinal – Ava Phillips (Pierz) 34-9 won by fall over Molly Ferguson (Thief River Falls) 24-11 (Fall 1:39); Cons. Round 4 – Molly Ferguson (Thief River Falls) 24-11 won by decision over Kimber Senlycki (Cambridge-Isanti) 20-17 (Dec 9-5); Cons. Round 5 – Molly Ferguson (Thief River Falls) 24-11 won by fall over Cailey Williams (Moorhead) 20-8 (Fall 1:21); Cons. Semi – Addison Blaiser (Pine City-Hinckley-Finlayson) 20-9 won by fall over Molly Ferguson (Thief River Falls) 24-11 (Fall 3:13); 5th Place Match – Imrie Mistic (Bemidji) 15-18 won by decision over Molly Ferguson (Thief River Falls) 24-11 (Dec 10-9).
142 – Gabrielle Zoller (15-20) placed 12th. Champ. Round 1 – Jamie Peterson (Forest Lake) 36-10 won by major decision over Gabrielle Zoller (Thief River Falls) 15-20 (MD 15-7); Cons. Round 1 – Gabrielle Zoller (Thief River Falls) 15-20 received a bye; Cons. Round 2 – Gabrielle Zoller (Thief River Falls) 15-20 won by fall over Ebony Hanna (Proctor-Hermantown) 10-19 (Fall 3:35); Cons. Round 3 – Gabrielle Zoller (Thief River Falls) 15-20 won by fall over Hattie Hanninen (United North Central Warriors) 6-9 (Fall 3:46); Cons. Round 4 – Bri Voight (Champlin Park) 33-11 won by fall over Gabrielle Zoller (Thief River Falls) 15-20 (Fall 2:45).
148 – Natalia Zoller (36-8) placed 8th. Champ. Round 1 – Natalia Zoller (Thief River Falls) 36-8 received a bye; Champ. Round 2 – Natalia Zoller (Thief River Falls) 36-8 won by fall over Eryka Moran (C-E-C Lumberjacks) 6-7 (Fall 0:49); Quarterfinal – Courtney Kotish (Buffalo) 19-7 won in sudden victory – 1 over Natalia Zoller (Thief River Falls) 36-8 (SV-1 12-5); Cons. Round 4 – Natalia Zoller (Thief River Falls) 36-8 won by fall over Victoria Calunga (Roseau) 11-21 (Fall 0:36); Cons. Round 5 – Tabytha Lee (Mora) 26-14 won by decision over Natalia Zoller (Thief River Falls) 36-8 (Dec 7-2).
155 – Daphne Lundberg-Cameron (8-15) place is unknown. Champ. Round 1 – Daphne Lundberg-Cameron (Thief River Falls) 8-15 received a bye; Champ. Round 2 – Natasha Severson (Bemidji) 18-10 won by fall over Daphne Lundberg-Cameron (Thief River Falls) 8-15 (Fall 1:17); Cons. Round 2 – Daphne Lundberg-Cameron (Thief River Falls) 8-15 received a bye; Cons. Round 3 – Skye Wofford (United North Central Warriors) 7-8 won by decision over Daphne Lundberg-Cameron (Thief River Falls) 8-15 (Dec 7-1).
170 – Samantha Zoller (29-8) placed 3rd. Champ. Round 1 – Samantha Zoller (Thief River Falls) 29-8 received a bye; Champ. Round 2 – Samantha Zoller (Thief River Falls) 29-8 won by fall over Alivia Johnson (Saint Cloud Tech) 1-8 (Fall 0:27); Quarterfinal – Samantha Zoller (Thief River Falls) 29-8 won by fall over Alexis Fahey (Forest Lake) 22-15 (Fall 1:03); Semifinal – Makaya Gotchie (Deer River) 22-6 won by fall over Samantha Zoller (Thief River Falls) 29-8 (Fall 5:47); Cons. Semi – Samantha Zoller (Thief River Falls) 29-8 won by fall over Anika Tureson (Staples Motley) 14-10 (Fall 3:49); 3rd Place Match – Samantha Zoller (Thief River Falls) 29-8 won by decision over Shelby Strandlund (Mora) 32-7 (Dec 8-5); 2nd Place Match – Maya Schmidt (Bemidji) 30-6 won by fall over Samantha Zoller (Thief River Falls) 29-8 (Fall 2:37).