SP - Panthers earn two wins at Belle Plaine

BELLE PLAINE - A shortened week of practice didn’t slow down the Pekin girls wrestling team. 

Just two days after Thanksgiving the Pekin girls wrestled at the Belle Plaine Invitational where two of their wrestlers won their bracket. Overall the Panthers finished seventh overall. 

The Panthers scored 70 total points. Aplington-Parkersburg won the tournament with 159 total points. 

One of the two bracket wins was turned in by Hailey Pedrick, who was able to win the 140-pound bracket on Saturday. 

Pedrick started her journey to the win with a pin over a West Branch wrestler in 1:37. She would need just 39 seconds to win the semi-final match. 

In the championship match Pedrick completed a perfect tournament with a 44 second pin over her Columbus Catholic opponent. The three wins improve Pedrick to 13-0 overall on the season. 

Rylee Frye was able to win the 235-pound bracket. 

Frye started off her day with a bye in the first round. In the second round Frye would need just 56 seconds to best her Waterloo West opponent. 

The final match featured Frye wrestling another Waterloo West opponent. This time Frye earned a pin in 1:12, lifting her to a first place finish. 

Makena Martin was third overall in the 100-pound division. Martin had a first round bye. In the second round Martin was pinned in 1:21 by a Grinnell opponent. In the third round Martin was pinned by a Waterloo West opponent. 

Ivory Small was fifth overall in the 130-pound division. 

Small started off her day in the quarterfinal round where she was pinned in the third period. She recovered with a first period pin in the first round of the consolation bracket. After being pinned in the second round of the consolation bracket, Small was in the fifth place match. 

There she was able to earn a pin in 5:28 over a North Tama opponent to gain the victory. 

Ella Rose was sixth overall in the 145-pound bracket. Rose’s first match was a 24 second win by pin over a Waterloo West opponent. In the semifinals Rose was pinned in 1:24. In the consolation semifinals Rose was pinned in 1:34. 

Rose would be pinned in the first period of the fifth place match.