Linn-Mar’s Chloe Adamson, Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Emelia Reyes parlay into girls state wrestling medal

CORALVILLE – Linn-Mar’s Chloe Adamson has reaped the rewards of her hard work.

In a year, she went from an early exit to a place on the state awards stand.

Adamson posted consecutive bonus-point victories and advanced to the 120-pound semifinals at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union Class 2A state wrestling tournament Thursday night at Xtream Arena. She secured a top-six finish and her first medal in two appearances.

“It feels great to be able to come back even stronger than last year and show people that I have what it takes to be on that podium,” Adamson said. “This sport means a lot to me and I'm ready to take my stand on it.”

Linn-Mar Coach Kelly Seery has watched Adamson make big gains thanks to her devotion in the offseason, training all summer long. Adamson said she has benefited from mental training and learned from her losses.

“She’s done everything asked of her and more,” Seery said. “She started (wrestling) late and has really come into her own this year.”

Adamson was a light 125-pounder, wrestling up with teammate Kate Seery at 115 and former Lion Ally Jelinek at 120. She went 0-2 here a year ago but was dominant on Day 1. Fourth-seeded Adamson opened with a n 11-0 major decision over Perry’s Amelie Canales and followed with a pin over Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Piper Zamastil in 1:37 of the quarterfinal.

“I felt iffy on the first one, but that was just to get my jitters out,” Adamson said. “I feel really good and going into that second match, I was really ready for it.”

Adamson started the second match in an odd 1-0 deficit before it even started. She forgot to take her sweatshirt off when she checked in at the scorer’s table, which is a technical violation. It didn’t faze her, taking control early with a takedown and turn.

I was like, “OK, I guess now all I have to do is get my points and that's all that I’ve got to do,’” Adamson said. “I really just focused on getting my first point and then from there, working for the pin.”

Adamson was joined in the semifinals by Seery at 115. The pair wrestle together in practice, battling with 130-pound quarterfinalist Brielle Parke and Caroline Pohlman, who qualified at 125.

“Being together as a team and all of us having such a good skill levels,” Adamson said. “Kate has made me such a better wrestler with all the different moves. She's quick and she's been in this sport for a long time – both around it and in it – definitely makes me better overall.”

Prairie’s Emelia Reyes is the No. 1 seed at 235. She continued the dominance that has highlighted her entire junior campaign. Reyes opened with a first-period pin over Southeast Polk’s Addyson Hall in 1:41 and followed with a 10-1 major decision over Decorah’s Mady Lippe in the quarterfinal, securing her first medal.

“It feels like all the hard work was really worth it,” Reyes said. “It has really paid off. All the times I went in over the summer in the offseason. All the open rooms. All the camps. It really feels like it was all for something.”

Reyes reached the quarterfinal round last season but fell a win shy of the podium. The sting of just missing a medal propelled her between seasons and drove her through all extra work.

“I really really wanted it last year but it just didn’t happen,” Reyes said. “I put in the work in the offseason. Thanks to my coaches and teammates for pushing me. I really need it. Now, I get to place. I get to climb that podium.”

She faces Fort Dodge’s No. 4 Ava Potter in the semifinals. Reyes (41-1) will reset and refocus for a chance to compete for a title.

“Rest and being a little selfish,” Reyes said. “If that means I can’t watch all my teammates’ matches tonight, so be it. If it means I may have to close myself off tonight or tomorrow, that’s how it’s going to have to be.”

Iowa City West’s Eva Jara provided one of the biggest upsets of the first day. Jara used a takedown and three nearfall in the final period to knock off Cedar Falls’ top-seeded Briar Ludeman, 6-4, in the 190-pound quarterfinal.

“I knew I needed a big move,” Jara said. “In practice, we always discuss that we need to have a big move ready. I wasn’t really planning to have that but I saw an opportunity and I knew I had to take it.”

Jara (26-9) lost two Ludeman in two previous meetings. She remained confident she could get a victory, receiving encouragement from West coaches. Jara stuck to the game plan they created and third time was a charm.

“My coaches said statistically winning against a person three times in a row isn’t very high,” Jara said. “I just kept that mentality.”

Jara suffered through injury most of her freshman season and part of this year as well. She has persevered and is ready to parlay that toughness into a high finish.

“I’m back,” Jara said. “I’m fresh and I’m ready to win some more.”

South Tama had three semifinalists. Maylee Rucker (140), Autumn Elsbury (170) and 235-pounder Kinley Jimenez earned top-six finishes.

Benton Community and Decorah each had two semifinalists. Lauren Luzum (145) and Ana Simon (170) are alive for the Vikings. Top-seeded Lizzy Wolf (145) and No. 3 Layna Demoss (155) won quarterfinals. Iowa City High 155-pound Shaona Emmanual and Western Dubuque’s 170-pounder Ava Pfab also reached the semifinals.

Top 170-pounders open with pins

The 170-pound bracket in 2A was considered one of the toughest fields. Waverly-Shell Rock’s top-seeded Amalia Djoumessi and South Tama’s third-seeded Elsbury have won state titles, while Simon, the No. 2 seed from Decorah, is a returning state finalist.

All three have faced each other this season with Djoumessi and Simon splitting and Simon beating Elsbury. The trio dominated their way into the quarterfinal to stay on a collision course with each other.

Djoumessi pinned Cedar Rapids Jefferson’s Sakina Anuna in 1:40. Simon pinned Olivia White, of Des Moines Public Schools, in 1:39. Elsbury needed 1:54 to pin Spencer’s Abigail Young in the first round.

All three had quarterfinal pins, including a 10-second fall by Djoumessi and a 57-second fall from Simon.

Vinton-Shellsburg duo advances

Vinton-Shellsburg duo of Chloe Sanders and Kaelynn Roster moved into the 1A semifinals Thursday. Sanders earned her fourth straight medal, looking to return to the state finals for the first time since her runner-up finish as a freshman. Sanders placed third each of the last two seasons.

Sanders (135) posted two pins to improve to 56-0 this season. She became the first female wrestler in state history to surpass 200 career wins earlier this season. She pinned South Winneshiek’s Maddy Jensen in 2:00 of the quarterfinal, giving her 218 career wins. It matches the total of Lisbon’s Cael Happel, who ranks third on the Iowa High School Athletic Association all-time wins list.

Roster (54-9) also recorded two falls, decking Charles City’s Emma Schmitt in 1:42 to reach the 115 semifinal.

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