Lady Hounds take 4th at Highland Invite

HIGHLAND – Fort Madison High School’s girls' wrestling team took just six wrestlers to the Highland Invitational Friday evening, but captured 4^th place overall.
The Bloodhounds got three 2^nd place finished at 100 lbs., 120 lbs., and 130 lbs. when Hailey Kemper, Mara Smith, and Chloe Sokolik all advanced to the championship matches in their respective brackets.
Kemper went 2-1 on the night, scoring pinfalls over Muscatine senior Leah Hill and West Branch freshman Finley Rushton. The two wins put her in the title match against Wilton sophomore Audrey Cummings (24-3). Kemper scored a two-point takedown 25 seconds into the match and held control for about 45 seconds before Cummings scored a reversal to tie things up headed into the 2^nd period. Kemper received a caution on the restart and then scored a two-point nearfall from the top position 30 seconds into the period. But Cummings would execute another reversal and then record the pin out of move to hand the Bloodhound just her third loss against 20 wins.
At 120 lbs., sophomore Mara Smith recorded second place after getting pins in the quarters over Mt. Pleasant’s Katana Phangchanthong in just 30 seconds and then another first period pin over Columbus/W-MU’s Jana Isanta (8-19) to get into the title match with West Liberty’s Kiley Collins (24-4).
In an action packed rolling 1^st period, Smith gave up a takedown off the whistle, but escaped for a point. Collins scored another takedown a minute in and was given a stalling warning. Smith got the reversal after the warning and almost got the pin getting a 3-point near fall with :15 left in the first period. Collins would then score the reversal and get 3 points on her own nearfall as the horn sounded ending period one.
Smith took the top after Collins deferred to start period two to make it 8-9 with 20 seconds gone in the second period. But Collins would record a reversal again and convert that to a fall for the title.
Senior Chloe Sokolik scored a pin in the quarters over Iowa City West’s Lila Bihum and then earned an 11-2 major decision over West Liberty’s Mercedes Brockert to get to the title match against Mid-Prairie’s Ashlee Farrier (21-3).
Farrier took control quick and early in the first period getting a takedown and 3-point nearfall with 50 seconds left before converting the leverage to a fall leading 5-0 in the first period.
Tatum Peters captured 3^rd place at 140 lbs. with a win over West Branch’s Hanna Lacina by fall in the first period. She got moved to the consolation match after falling to Pekin’s Lisa Miller (20-2) in the semifinals.
Kat DiPrima captured 5^th place at 135 lbs. and Briena Fenton took sixth at 125 lbs.
The Lady Hounds amassed 104 points for fourth place overall behind Iowa City West (123.0), Mid-Prairie (151.0), and West Liberty (206).
Complete results are below.
100 lbs. - Hailey Kemper (20-3) placed 2nd and scored 20.0 team points.Quarterfinal - Hailey Kemper (Fort Madison) 20-3 won by fall over Leah Hill (Muscatine) 2-7 (Fall 0:48). Semifinal - Hailey Kemper (Fort Madison) 20-3 won by fall over Finley Rushton (West Branch) 15-6 (Fall 2:36). 1st Place Match - Audrey Cummings (Wilton) 24-3 won by fall over Hailey Kemper (Fort Madison) 20-3 (Fall 3:55)
120 lbs.- Mara Smith (26-4) placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Mara Smith (Fort Madison) 26-4 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Mara Smith (Fort Madison) 26-4 won by fall over Katana Phangchanthong (Mount Pleasant) 4-10 (Fall 0:31). Semifinal - Mara Smith (Fort Madison) 26-4 won by fall over Jana Isanta (Columbus/WMU) 8-19 (Fall 1:23). 1st Place Match - Kiley Collins (West Liberty) 24-4 won by fall over Mara Smith (Fort Madison) 26-4 (Fall 2:55)
125 lbs - Briena Fenton (12-10) placed 6th and scored 7.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Briena Fenton (Fort Madison) 12-10 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Kyra Nash (Burlington) 7-11 won by fall over Briena Fenton (Fort Madison) 12-10 (Fall 1:01). Cons. Round 2 - Briena Fenton (Fort Madison) 12-10 received a bye () (Bye). Cons. Semi - Briena Fenton (Fort Madison) 12-10 won by fall over Jessica Clark (Wilton) 5-17 (Fall 3:24). 5th Place Match - Taylie Brecht (English Valleys-Tri County) 4-5 won by fall over Briena Fenton (Fort Madison) 12-10 (Fall 1:31).
130 lbs. - Chloe Sokolik (22-6) placed 2nd and scored 21.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Chloe Sokolik (Fort Madison) 22-6 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Chloe Sokolik (Fort Madison) 22-6 won by fall over Lila Bihun (Iowa City, West) 2-15 (Fall 0:48). Semifinal - Chloe Sokolik (Fort Madison) 22-6 won by major decision over Mercedes Brockert (West Liberty) 17-14 (MD 11-2). 1st Place Match - Ashlee Farrier (Mid-Prairie) 21-3 won by fall over Chloe Sokolik (Fort Madison) 22-6 (Fall 1:11)
135 lbs. Kat Diprima (27-8) placed 5th and scored 17.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Kat Diprima (Fort Madison) 27-8 won by fall over Gemma Plummer (Burlington) 0-2 (Fall 0:31). Quarterfinal - Evelyn Eggleston (Iowa City, Liberty) 18-4 won by fall over Kat Diprima (Fort Madison) 27-8 (Fall 1:19). Cons. Round 2 - Kat Diprima (Fort Madison) 27-8 won by fall over Kayleigh Rundlett (Lone Tree) 4-16 (Fall 1:44). Cons. Semi - Kat Diprima (Fort Madison) 27-8 won by fall over Mallory Bruhn (Muscatine) 16-11 (Fall 3:10). 5th Place Match - Kat Diprima (Fort Madison) 27-8 won by fall over Hailey Pedrick (Pekin) 18-6 (Fall 1:31)
140 lbs. - Tatum Peters (18-10) placed 3rd and scored 17.0 team points.. Champ. Round 1 - Tatum Peters (Fort Madison) 18-10 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Tatum Peters (Fort Madison) 18-10 won by fall over Callum Wu (Iowa City, Liberty) 7-10 (Fall 2:19). Semifinal - Lila Miller (Pekin) 20-2 won by fall over Tatum Peters (Fort Madison) 18-10 (Fall 1:04). 3rd Place Match - Tatum Peters (Fort Madison) 18-10 won by fall over Hanna Lacina (West Branch) 13-11 (Fall 0:52).