Area wrestlers shine as champions crowned at the Big Mountain Girls Invitational
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BURLEY – This weekend’s Big Mountain Girls Invitational wrestling tournament had a little bit of everything.
There were defending state champions sharpening their skills for a repeat run at the state podium.
There were freshmen starting to make a name for themselves.
There were 40 teams competing from around the state, including IdahoSports.com No.1 Rocky Mountain.
When it was finally settled, eight area wrestlers reached Saturday’s finals and six brought home titles.
“There’s more pressure,” Blackfoot’s Keanna Conrad said of holding the title of defending state champion. “The girls are working to beat me … I just have to work harder.”
Conrad, just a sophomore, improved to 28-0 this season with a 17-0 tech fall over Buhl’s Jasmin Carpenter in the 132 final.
Salmon state champ Raelynn O’Connor won her third Big Mountain Invitational title, beating Rocky Mountain’s Kiera Hersel 16-2 in a major decision.
Others champions included Kathryn Christensen of West Side at 107, Zuri Tavarez of South Fremont at 120, Kate Allred of Preston at 152, and Molly Olague of Skyline at 165.
“It’s been good,” Tavarez said of her freshman experience.
She broke her nose earlier in the season, but that hasn’t slowed her down. She has to wear a mask for her matches, which impacts her peripheral vision.
That wasn’t a problem Saturday as she pinned Emmett’s Krysta Alder in 1:08 to add to her pin total. She set an ambitious goal of 25 pins her freshman year and has already surpassed that mark, she said, after improving to 30-4.
Tavarez, who comes from a wrestling family, started competing in third grade and has transitioned onto the Cougars’ varsity squad rather easily. She was ranked fifth in the state at 120 by IdahoSports.com.
“I like proving people wrong,” she said. “Girls can wrestle.”
Skyline’s Olague got a late start to the season after suffering an ankle injury.
Saturday’s 165 final was just her 12th match of the season, but the sophomore picked up her 10th win with a first-round pin over Canyon Ridge’s Riana Walter.
“I’m just coming back with a vengeance,” Olague said. “I’m super pumped to win that one. (Walter) had beaten me two weeks ago at a dual … So I’m super happy to get the win.”
Preston’s Mia Peery made the 138 final and Bella Smith of Malad reached the 235 championship match.
No. 1 Rocky Mountain won the team title with 172 points and Malad was second with 142. Preston placed fourth.
BIG MOUNTAIN GIRLS INVITATIONAL
100
1st Place – Raelynn O`Connor of Salmon
2nd Place – Kiera Hersel of Rocky Mountain
3rd Place – Alena Messerli of West Jefferson
4th Place – Catherine Montalvan of West Jefferson
5th Place – Eva Finley of Buhl
6th Place – Brooklyn Pena of Canyon Ridge
107
1st Place – Kathryn Christensen of West Side
2nd Place – Kyra Cobb of Timberline
3rd Place – Mya Bolander of Idaho Falls
4th Place – Vanessa Ortiz of Glenns Ferry
5th Place – Jasmin Fedaie of Canyon Ridge
6th Place – Braylee Price of Malad
114
1st Place – Talea Nichols of Rocky Mountain
2nd Place – Ali Svancara of Buhl
3rd Place – Lydia Townsend of Marsh Valley
4th Place – Aideliz Salas of Minico
5th Place – Josie Reed of Challis
6th Place – Xoey Zollinger of Skyline
120
1st Place – Zuri Tavarez of South Fremont
2nd Place – Krysta Alder of Emmett
3rd Place – Kayzha Vail of Bonneville
4th Place – Bella McCullough of Malad
5th Place – Malayna Campbell of Canyon Ridge
6th Place – Natalie Purser of Preston
126
1st Place – Kasia Hanks of Burley
2nd Place – Elyse Asaro of Rocky Mountain
3rd Place – Alexa Allen of Rocky Mountain
4th Place – Elazae Flores of Columbia
5th Place – Rylee Neilson of Malad
6th Place – Nea Padron of Burley
132
1st Place – Keanna Conrad of Blackfoot
2nd Place – Jasmin Carpenter of Buhl
3rd Place – Leah Westover of West Side
4th Place – Madeline Hatchett of Glenns Ferry
5th Place – Sabina Bennetts of Challis
6th Place – Lexeigh Dowd of Twin Falls
138
1st Place – Kylie Fowler of Middleton
2nd Place – Mia Peery of Preston
3rd Place – Aubrey Shulz of Malad
4th Place – Marisol Bueno of Wendell
5th Place – Kaylee Apodaca of Columbia
6th Place – Ava Savage of Blackfoot
145
1st Place – Roxy Sheen of Buhl
2nd Place – Gracin Dennis of Emmett
3rd Place – Katelyn Fowler of Middleton
4th Place – Cashlin Volkel of Kimberly
5th Place – Heather Byrne of Bonneville
6th Place – Julia Banks of Challis
152
1st Place – Kate Allred of Preston
2nd Place – AJ Moe of Rocky Mountain
3rd Place – Samantha Harper of Bear Lake
4th Place – Emi Wynne Stokes of Madison
5th Place – Lily Bottcher of Idaho Falls
6th Place – Grace Chen of Minico
165
1st Place – Molly Olague of Skyline
2nd Place – Riana Walter of Canyon Ridge
3rd Place – Gavin Brown of Rocky Mountain
4th Place – Sarah Toribau of Oakley
5th Place – Presleigh Bennett of Preston
6th Place – Ellli Hansen of Madison
185
1st Place – Sage Larson of Twin Falls
2nd Place – Rebecka Vail of Minico
3rd Place – Margaret Hutchings of Filer
4th Place – Hallie Spackman of Preston
5th Place – Cale Carter of Malad
6th Place – Aubrie Evans of Sugar Salem
235
1st Place – Reece Moody of Rocky Mountain
2nd Place – Bella Smith of Malad
3rd Place – Charlie Robinson of Rigby
4th Place – Chloe Wadsworth of Snake River
5th Place – Saydie Lindsay of Bonneville
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