Cleveland, Thiele, Krebs set the pace at BC Invite

The Summerland girls wrestling team turned in a strong showing at the Battle Creek Invite on Jan. 20, placing third overall. Host Battle Creek took the team title, with Bon Homme finishing as runner-up. Summerland secured several medals and valuable team points with standout individual performances.

The Bobcats scored 119 points in the 33-team field.

Ava Cleveland (110 pounds) continued her dominant season, taking first place and earning 26 team points. She opened her run with a pin over Erica Chicaj Pol of Wakefield in 1:41 during the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Cleveland secured another fall, defeating Teegen Hasebroock of Elkhorn Valley in 2:18. She capped off her performance by pinning Isabelle Streff of Pierce in 5:59 to claim the championship.

At 140 pounds, Kaylee Thiele placed second, contributing 20 team points. After a first-round bye, she pinned Lainey Jensen of Pierce in just 45 seconds in the quarterfinals and followed up with a 1:04 fall over Pyper Daugherty of North Bend Central in the semifinals. Thiele’s championship run ended when she was pinned by Battle Creek’s Taylor Ahlman in 1:46 during the final.

Raina Krebs (235 pounds) also earned a silver medal, adding 20 points to Summerland’s total. She started with a bye, then pinned Lauren Ueding of Pierce in 25 seconds in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, she pinned Natalia Long of Canton in 5:38. Krebs faced Precious DeCora of Winnebago in the finals, falling in 2:51 to secure second place.

In junior varsity action, Gracie Mudloff (125 pounds) took second place and scored 14 points. She pinned MaKenna Blecher of Pierce in 1:58 in the opening round, but fell to Keirsten Heinrichs of Thayer Central in 2:44 in the second round. Mudloff rebounded with a 55-second fall over Miley Winer of West Holt in the final round.

Jadyn Hobbs (145 pounds, JV) finished third, contributing 13 points. After an early loss to Braylin Rudnick of Ainsworth, Hobbs bounced back with a 47-second fall over Lysbeth Quinones of West Point-Beemer in the consolation semifinals. She then avenged her earlier loss to Rudnick, pinning her in 1:47 to secure the bronze.

At 130 pounds (JV), Abby Arroyo placed third and scored 9 points. She dropped a decision to Breklyn Landauer of Boone Central in her opening round and later fell to Clair Baumann of Canton, 3-1, to close out her tournament.

Jaelyn Shaver (190 pounds) placed fourth and earned 11 points. After a first-round bye, she was pinned by Hope Kemnitz of Bon Homme in the quarterfinals. Shaver advanced through the consolation bracket with a pin over Candace Miller of Pierce in 1:53 and another fall against Izzy Baldwin of Canton in 1:54. She fell to Natalee Nelson of Wakefield in the third-place match.

Abbey Chipps (120 pounds) contributed 6 points but did not medal. After a first-round bye, she pinned Ruby Spann of Boone Central in 3:42 in the quarterfinals but fell to Finley Evjen of Canton by major decision in the semifinals. Chipps was eliminated by Harper Kracht of Bon Homme in the consolation semifinal, falling in 2:15.