Lady Hounds out of gate 2-0

A softer side

I think a lot of them would agree that I’ve taken a softer side this year. You’re a product of your environment and that’s wrestling with (Ryan) Smith for four years. It’s that a little bit, but it also goes hand-in-hand with them being that much more mature in wrestling IQ and it’s easier for me to go in and do what I need to do instead of breaking everything down.”

Kyle Doherty, FMHS head coach

URBANDALE – The Fort Madison girls' wrestling team is sending a quick message this year. They could be one of the best in the area, if not the state.
The girls have won their first two events, the first being a dual at Cardinal last week, and then this Saturday they won the loaded 16-team Urbandale Girls' Wrestling Invitational with 173 points, six points ahead of Benton Community.
At Thursday’s winter media event at Fort Madison High School, head coach Kyle Doherty said he’s taking a softer approach this year, his third with the team.
“I think a lot of them would agree that I’ve taken a softer side this year,” Doherty said. “You’re a product of your environment and that’s wrestling with (Ryan) Smith for four years. It’s that a little bit, but it also goes hand-in-hand with them being that much more mature in wrestling IQ and it’s easier for me to go in and do what I need to do instead of breaking everything down.
“We roll into practice and they know exactly what to do and we’ve had a really good first two weeks.”
Those first two weeks have certainly produced results.
Junior Mara Smith is back after qualifying for state last year and has started right where she left off with a title at Cardinal and then a first-place finish Saturday at Urbandale wrestling at 130 lbs.
Smith recorded four pins on her way to the championship in Urbandale with a third period pin over Indianola’s Callie Chapman at 5:54 and was up 13-3 when she secured the pin.
Kat DiPrima also recorded a first place finish for the Lady Hounds. DiPrima also had four pins at 140 lbs., getting a second period pin over Creston’s Grace Keeler with a 10-0 lead at 3:55.
Fort Madison got a couple of third-place finishes from Iris Arevalo at 120 and Briena Fenton at 125 lbs. The rest of the Hound contingency all placed in the meet.
Doherty said varsity has 10 wrestlers this year with a couple newcomers in Aubree Bunnell from Central Lee and McKayla Schinstock, a Fort Madison sophomore. Bunnell picked up her first career win with a pin Monday in Cardinal.
Fort Madison also returns Tatum Peters at 155 and Sadie Brandon, wrestling now at 135. Brandon wrestled at about 20 pounds higher last season after battling an illness over the summer. Lucille Zimmerman is wrestling again at 100, filling in for Hailey Kemper who graduated early.
“Obviously, we have Mara back as a state qualifier and Tatum Peters is at 155 and she looks good. Lucille at 100 looks good. We lost Hailey there, but Lucille has filled in nicely. Sadie is down about 30 lbs. and she looked really good at Cardinal. She wrestled about two minutes there total and that was all business,” Doherty said.
DiPrima had 30 wins last year and Doherty said she’s been fun to watch.
He said the philosophy in the room is be in the top two at the end of the year.
“Whether that’s regionals or advancing into the state tournament. They train hard. I’m a firm believer that our room is one of the hardest to train.
Doherty will have Janelle Cresswell and Ryan Peters back as assistants, but is also getting some notable help from state champion Russell Weakley and former Bloodhound Coach Ryan Smith.
Complete results from Saturday’s match at Urbandale are below.

100 lbs - Lucille Zimmerman (5-2) placed 5th and scored 13.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Lucille Zimmerman (Fort Madison) 5-2 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal - Lucille Zimmerman (Fort Madison) 5-2 won by fall over Sophia Ramirez (Ames) 1-5 (Fall 0:49); Semifinal - Nora Ohnemus (Indianola) 3-0 won by fall over Lucille Zimmerman (Fort Madison) 5-2 (Fall 0:25); Cons. Round 3 - Georgia Edwards (Dallas Center-Grimes) 2-2 won by fall over Lucille Zimmerman (Fort Madison) 5-2 (Fall 2:00); 5th Place Match - Lucille Zimmerman (Fort Madison) 5-2 won by fall over Natalie Nickey.
115 lbs - McKayla Schinstock (4-4) placed 7th and scored 11.0 team points.Champ. Round 1 - McKayla Schinstock (Fort Madison) 4-4 won by fall over Allanna Robinson (Marshalltown) 1-4 (Fall 0:55); Quarterfinal - Maribelle Geist-Rochau (Des Moines Hoover) 6-2 won by fall over McKayla Schinstock (Fort Madison) 4-4 (Fall 1:26); Cons. Round 2 - Isabella Smith (Pella) 3-1 won by fall over McKayla Schinstock (Fort Madison) 4-4 (Fall 0:51); Cons. Round 3 - McKayla Schinstock (Fort Madison) 4-4 won by fall over Delanee Smith (Dallas Center-Grimes) 0-2 (Fall 1:34); 7th Place Match - McKayla Schinstock (Fort Madison) 4-4 won by fall over Savannah Halstead (Norwalk) 1-3 (Fall 2:30).
120 lbs - Iris Arevalo (5-2) placed 3rd and scored 20.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Iris Arevalo (Fort Madison) 5-2 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal - Iris Arevalo (Fort Madison) 5-2 won by fall over Josie Hill (Central Decatur) 1-3 (Fall 3:22); Semifinal - Kaitlyn Bonewitz (Benton Community) 2-3 won by fall over Iris Arevalo (Fort Madison) 5-2 (Fall 2:34); Cons. Round 3 - Iris Arevalo (Fort Madison) 5-2 won by fall over Audrey Lucas (Ankeny) 2-2 (Fall 2:01); 3rd Place Match - Iris Arevalo (Fort Madison) 5-2 won by fall over Hannah Smith (Norwalk) 2-2 (Fall 0:26).
125 lbs. - Briena Fenton (7-1) placed 3rd and scored 22.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Briena Fenton (Fort Madison) 7-1 won by fall over Maya Wojtowicz (Norwalk) 3-1 (Fall 0:48); Quarterfinal - Briena Fenton (Fort Madison) 7-1 won by fall over Kate Badding (Ames) 2-5 (Fall 0:45); Semifinal - Alainah Galanakis (Creston) 5-1 won by tech fall over Briena Fenton (Fort Madison) 7-1 (TF-1.5 4:37 (18-1)); Cons. Round 3 - Briena Fenton (Fort Madison) 7-1 won by fall over Ari Clinton (Ankeny) 6-3 (Fall 2:00); 3rd Place Match - Briena Fenton (Fort Madison) 7-1 won by fall over Josephine Bond (Dallas Center-Grimes) 2-2 (Fall 5:44).
130 lbs. - Mara Smith (7-0) placed 1st and scored 30.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Mara Smith (Fort Madison) 7-0 won by fall over Sofiya Pollard (Urbandale) 4-1 (Fall 1:39); Quarterfinal - Mara Smith (Fort Madison) 7-0 won by fall over Baylie Van Der Molen (Dallas Center-Grimes) 2-3 (Fall 0:55); Semifinal - Mara Smith (Fort Madison) 7-0 won by fall over Kenadi Montgomery (Pella) 3-2 (Fall 1:36). 1st Place Match - Mara Smith (Fort Madison) 7-0 won by fall over Callie Chapman (Indianola) 3-1 (Fall 5:54).
135 lbs. - Sadie Brandon (5-2) placed 6th and scored 11.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Sadie Brandon (Fort Madison) 5-2 won by fall over Madelyn Carroll (Norwalk) 0-2 (Fall 1:15); Quarterfinal - Sadie Brandon (Fort Madison) 5-2 won by fall over Brianna Freerksen (Colfax-Mingo) 4-5 (Fall 0:10); Semifinal - Evy Marlin (Creston) 5-1 won by fall over Sadie Brandon (Fort Madison) 5-2 (Fall 2:34); Cons. Round 3 - Lexa Rozevink (Ames) 7-1 won by medical forfeit over Sadie Brandon (Fort Madison) 5-2 (M. For.); 5th Place Match - Andrea Taylor (Indianola) 3-2 won by forfeit over Sadie Brandon (Fort Madison) 5-2 (For.).
140 lbs. - Kat Diprima (7-0) placed 1st and scored 30.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Kat Diprima (Fort Madison) 7-0 won by fall over Summer Wolff (Indianola) 4-1 (Fall 3:03); Quarterfinal - Kat Diprima (Fort Madison) 7-0 won by fall over Haley Togba (Ankeny) 4-4 (Fall 2:53); Semifinal - Kat Diprima (Fort Madison) 7-0 won by fall over Izzy Schoettmer (Benton Community) 5-3 (Fall 1:38); 1st Place Match - Kat Diprima (Fort Madison) 7-0 won by fall over Grace Keeler (Creston) 4-2 (Fall 3:55)>
145 lbs. - Aubree Bunnell (3-4) placed 6th and scored 9.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Aubree Bunnell (Fort Madison) 3-4 received a bye () (Bye); Quarterfinal - Aubree Bunnell (Fort Madison) 3-4 won by fall over Addyson Lovelace (Marshalltown) 4-3 (Fall 2:32); Semifinal - Kamryn Faas (Ames) 6-1 won by fall over Aubree Bunnell (Fort Madison) 3-4 (Fall 0:37); Cons. Round 3 - Hadley Millang (Colfax-Mingo) 7-3 won by fall over Aubree Bunnell (Fort Madison) 3-4 (Fall 2:30); 5th Place Match - Jordan Voelkel (Benton Community) 5-5 won by fall over Aubree Bunnell (Fort Madison) 3-4 (Fall 3:05).
155 lbs. - Tatum Peters (6-2) placed 5th and scored 14.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Tatum Peters (Fort Madison) 6-2 won by fall over AK Nolin (Ames) 1-2 (Fall 3:31); Quarterfinal - Elizabeth Briggs (Urbandale) 2-2 won by fall over Tatum Peters (Fort Madison) 6-2 (Fall 1:22); Cons. Round 2 - Tatum Peters (Fort Madison) 6-2 won by fall over Genevieve Lantigua (Marshalltown) 5-2 (Fall 1:43); Cons. Round 3 - Allie Van Der Molen (Dallas Center-Grimes) 3-1 won by fall over Tatum Peters (Fort Madison) 6-2 (Fall 3:56); 5th Place Match - Tatum Peters (Fort Madison) 6-2 won by fall over Abbi Lemke (Pella) 1-3 (Fall 4:58).
170 lbs. - Mady Emmett (7-1) placed 7th and scored 13.0 team points.
Champ. Round 1 - Ashtyn Jahangir (Dallas Center-Grimes) 3-2 won by fall over Mady Emmett (Fort Madison) 7-1 (Fall 0:32); Cons. Round 1 - Mady Emmett (Fort Madison) 7-1 won by fall over Julia Hard (Ames) 0-5 (Fall 1:02); Cons. Round 2 - Mady Emmett (Fort Madison) 7-1 won by fall over Emma Beyer (Colfax-Mingo) 0-2 (Fall 1:08); Cons. Round 3 - Mady Emmett (Fort Madison) 7-1 won by fall over Miranda Ross (Ames) 1-3 (Fall 0:58); 7th Place Match - Mady Emmett (Fort Madison) 7-1 won by fall over Liana Krell (Valley, West Des Moines) 2-2 (Fall 1:57)