Cedar Rapids Jefferson goes 3-0 in home girls’ wrestling quad full of excitement

CEDAR RAPIDS — There were open weights and double forfeits.

But, there wasn’t a shortage of one thing during Tuesday’s girls’ wrestling quad at Cedar Rapids Jefferson — excitement.

When the J-Hawks scored a takedown or pinned their opponents, you knew. The crowd and wrestlers were on their feet and loud, too.

Jefferson Coach Vicki Hlubek attributes the environment to the overall support of the J-Hawks’ program.

“That’s something we’ve been building,” Hlubek said. “Our community, whether they are teachers or parents of the girls, they’ve been more than supportive to us. It has honestly been the best feeling ever.”

Likewise, Jefferson’s lone returning state qualifier, Josephine Budederi, feeds off the noise from the crowd and her J-Hawk teammates.

“It really does help me,” Budederi said. “When I hear someone yell for me, I know I can do it. My team has got me.”

The J-Hawks were dominant in their own gym, going 3-0 during the quad, winning over Western Dubuque, 54-24; Marion, 60-21 and Cedar Rapids Washington, 60-9.

In the two matches she wrestled, Budederi made quick work of her opponents, getting falls over Marion’s Tarriel White in 2:55 and Western Dubuque’s Alexis Howell in 34 seconds.

“At the beginning, I did great and got her legs right away,” Budederi said. “In my second match, my coach told me how to do a cradle, and I went and did it.”

Marion went 2-1, defeating Cedar Rapids Washington, 48-24, and Western Dubuque, 37-30. The Bobcats went 1-2, getting a win over Cedar Rapids Washington, 48-18.

The Wolves used Tuesday’s quad as a chance to focus on improvement and not the wins and losses.

“We improved every match we went out and wrestled,” Coach Jason Haag said. “We don’t really focus on the wins and losses. We just tell the girls we want to get better each time we go out. I think we did that tonight.”

Cedar Rapids Washington had six wrestlers competing Tuesday night. Warriors Coach Ken Klein was impressed with the performance of his small, but mighty team.

“Everybody wrestled to their ability, which is what you are looking for,” Klein said. “Wins and losses don’t matter so much, as long as you put out the effort you want.”

One of the Warriors, Sarah Novak — at 145 pounds — made a statement during her first outing as a wrestler. Her coach was proud of her performance during her first go-around on the mat.

“Sarah Novak wrestled her first two matches ever,” Klein said. “She went out and got two falls. I’m excited to keep working with her and the rest of the team.”

Similarly, Hlubek also noted the quad was the first competition for four of five J-Hawk wrestlers. She knows her team has bought into the program and is looking forward to continuing to get better.

“Some girls were nervous tonight, but they got after it,” Hlubek said. “We are super proud of our girls. Every day, they come into that wrestling room and are hustling, building each other up, and holding partners accountable. Our fight is not done, and they know that.

“We are going to keep grinding away.”