Bobcats show strong performance at EPPJ Girls' Invite, claim runner-up title

The Summerland girls' wrestling team put together a strong showing at the Elgin Public/Pope John Girls' Invitational on Friday, Dec. 20, finishing in second place with 136 points. Wayne took the top spot with 174 points. Despite the tough competition, the Summerland girls proved their mettle, with several athletes making a big impact on the scoreboard.

Leading the charge for Summerland were Ava Cleveland, Abbey Chipps, Kaylee Thiele and Raina Krebs, who captured first-place finishes in their respective weight classes.

Cleveland, now 6-1 on the season, dominated the 115 bracket with impressive victories. She received a bye in the opening round before securing a pinfall win over Schuyler's Ester Miranda (3:40). In the semifinals, Cleveland took down Edmy Balux of Wayne by fall (3:12). Cleveland's championship bout against Payton Fehringer of Newman Grove/St. Edward saw another dominant performance, as she pinned Fehringer in just 1:22 to claim first place.

Chipps, with a 9-1 record this season, also showcased her skill on the mat. She advanced to the 120 finals after earning three fall victories, including a quick 48-second pin in the semifinal against Caydence Liester of Elkhorn Valley. Chipps sealed her first-place finish by pinning Nevaeh Klemptner of Central Valley in just 21 seconds during the title match.

Junior Kaylee Thiele (140 lbs) also impressed with a first-place finish, remaining undefeated at 9-0. Thiele received a bye in the quarterfinals before securing a pin in the semifinals over Ashlyn Forbes, Plainview, at 1:07. In the championship round, Thiele pinned Jaiya Johnson of St. Mary's in 1:45 to take the gold.

In the 235 division, senior Raina Krebs showed her dominance, going a perfect 4-0 on the day to earn first place. Krebs began the tournament with a medical forfeit win and then went on to pin Jasmine Contreras, Wayne in 1:41, followed by another pin over Janelly Lucas, Wayne, in 1:16. Krebs' final match ended in a medical forfeit over Carleigh Jackson, West Holt, securing her title with a perfect record on the day.

Charlee Wagner (155 lbs) had a strong outing, ultimately finishing in second place. Wagner pinned Laura Ardiano, Schuyler, in the semifinals with a dominant 16-4 major decision before facing Grace Longsdorf, Neligh-Oakdale, in the championship match. Longsdorf defeated Wagner by fall in 3:42, but Wagner's second-place finish added valuable points to the Bobcats' team total.

In the 190-pound division, both Kyah Bruhn and Jaelyn Shaver battled through tough brackets. Bruhn finished in third place, going 2-2 for the day. After an opening win by fall, Bruhn lost to Libby Evans, EPPJ, but she rebounded with another fall victory over Addyson Jacob, NO, before losing to Shaver in the fourth round.

Shaver, with a 9-1 record, finished in second place after a solid day of wrestling. She earned three pin victories, including a win over her teammate, Bruhn, but was ultimately defeated in the finals by Evans, EPPJ, in 3:38.

Gracie Mudloff (125 lbs) and Abby Arroyo (130 lbs) showed their perseverance despite facing tough competition. Mudloff, who went 1-2, earned three team points with a fall victory in the second consolation round. Arroyo, with a 3-5 record, also finished with four team points after a win by fall in the second consolation round. She was eliminated by Josie Hemmingsen, CV, who pinned Arroyo in :49.

Jadyn Hobbs (145 lbs) struggled throughout the tournament. She dropped a quarterfinal match to Ivette Ozuna, Wayne, by fall in :48 before losing a 5-2 decision to Linda Sebastian, Schuyler, in the second consolation round.