Iowa high school girls’ wrestling regionals 2024: 5 Gazette area storylines to follow

Wrestlers on Friday will descend upon Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines, Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, the fieldhouse at Mason City High School and Tyson Arena in Sioux City in hopes of punching a ticket to next week’s Iowa high school girls’ state wrestling tournament, Feb. 1-2 at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

Each site will host two regional tournaments. The top four finishers at each weight class advance to state.

Here are five storylines you should watch:

Naomi Simon’s quest for 4 state titles

Decorah senior Naomi Simon is coming off an inaugural IGHSAU state title from a year ago. Pair that with her two Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials (IWCOA) titles and she can become the state’s first four-time girls’ wrestling state champion.

She enters the Region 8 tournament at Mason City with a 39-0 record at 170 pounds and knows the Vikings have put in hard work to get to the postseason.

“The work that my team and I have put in is going to pay off, and we are going to have an incredible tournament,” Simon said.

Repeat for Prairie’s Mackenzie Childers?

Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Mackenzie Childers is out to repeat her state title after knocking off the 2022 state champion, Hannah Rogers of Bettendorf, in last year’s postseason tournaments.

Her approach to defending her state title is to take it one match at a time.

“I’ve found that I perform better when I don’t make any tournament or match bigger than the others,” Childers said. “I’m excited to compete and hopefully watch many of my teammates qualify for the state tournament.”

Childers is coming off a Mississippi Valley Conference title and was named the tournament’s outstanding wrestler. She is ranked No. 1 at 130 pounds with a 30-2 record.

Prairie is in Region 5 at Cedar Rapids.

Alburnett’s Lyni Gusick is 40-1 and ready for the postseason

Reflecting on her first season in the purple and yellow, Alburnett’s Lyni Gusick is proud of the work she has put in to get to this level.

“I have worked really hard with Sebolt Women’s Wrestling Team and Coach Samantha Sebolt and my Alburnett team and coaches to get to where I am now,” Gusick said. “I am going to continue to work hard heading into super regionals and state.”

She will enter the Region 6 tournament at Cedar Rapids with a 40-1 record and is ranked No. 3 by the IWCOA at 130 pounds.

Cedar Rapids Xavier’s postseason debut

The Cedar Rapids Xavier girls’ wrestling team looks to make history yet again in the Region 5 tournament, hoping for its first state qualifier.

Head coach Henry Riecks said the Saints started the season with eight wrestlers and all eight have a chance to make it to state.

“I’m not counting anyone out,” Riecks said. “Any given day, any given athlete can rise to the occasion and do some pretty amazing things.”

Vinton-Shellsburg is sailing

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Vinton-Shellsburg was ranked No. 12 by the IWCOA at the beginning of the season. The Vikettes climbed the rankings all season and are currently at No. 5.

Head coach Brandt Corcran and the team wasn’t fazed by its preseason ranking.

“We knew that as long as the team works hard and trusts the process, everything will play out in the end,” Corcran said.

Vinton-Shellsburg is in Region 6, coming off its first Wamac Conference wrestling title since 1972.

The Vikettes’ postseason run will be led by returning state qualifiers Ellie Weets (ranked No. 3 at 115), Bree Swenson (No. 2 at 120), and Chloe Sanders (No. 2 at 130).