South Tama has participated in girls’ wrestling at an sanctioned level for years, but now the events were official and in a season-opening event featuring 17 teams and well over 100 wrestlers, there were some solid finishers along the way.

Starting with the host Trojans, junior Maeley Elsbury — a two-time state medalist — went 3-0 and won her bracket at 133-to-139 pounds with three pins — two of them taking less than one minute.

Her experience is a key for the South Tama squad this year. She said it was a big moment to have a team around her in an official event and to win on a big day for wrestling in the state.

“It’s a whole tournament for girls and it sets the tone for the next few years,” Elsbury said. “It’s good to see so many getting success and getting out there and having fun. As much as it’s an individual sport, it’s a team too. We’re all there for each other.”

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING - North Tama senior Jadyn Rausch, top, puts the finishing touches on her first-period pin of Amanda Schnor from Benton Community during Thursday’s STC Girls Meet hosted by South Tama. Rausch went 2-1 in her wrestling debut.

Maeley’s younger sister Autumn finished second in her group at 155-165 pounds with a 2-1 record. Elsbury won with two pins and lost to Breanna Peach of Iowa Valley via a 6-5 decision.

Two other Trojans won their brackets — Addison Klenk at 106-108 pounds and Abagail Chyma at 155-165.

Klenk pinned all three of her opponents in her first-ever wrestling competition, just weeks after practice began.

She said it was a crazy experience and a positive start to the season.

“It feels amazing,” Klenk said. “This is the first time I’m actually on the mat, it’s just so incredible.

T-R PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING - South Tama County’s Autumn Elsbury, back, pulls South Hardin-BCLUW’s Kynnedy Gunderson to her back on the way to a first-period pin during the first round of wrestling Thursday in Tama. Elsbury pinned Gunderson in 1 minute, 36 seconds.

“It was really intense, but it feels so good to see what you have done.”

Chyma pinned her first two opponents of the night — Shelbi Nevers of Iowa Valley and Dakota Cornell of Vinton-Shellsburg — before defeating Mya Ellsworth of Union via disqualification.

North Tama had all three of its wrestlers finish in second place in their respective brackets. All three wrestlers who competed were also members of the Redhawks’ Class 1A state volleyball team.

Jadyn Rausch was second in her bracket at 125 pounds with a 2-1 mark. Pinning Amanda Schnor of Benton Community in her first-ever competitive wrestling match, Rausch took a fall while leading 11-4 to lose her second match against West Liberty’s Jacky Molina. She rebounded by defeating Cheyleigh Blankenship of BGM with a 5-3 decision to take runner-up honors.

She said the quick turnaround from volleyball made it a difficult challenge.

“It’s crazy how hard it is, so you kind of appreciate those who do it,” Rausch said. “It was a lot of conditioning and we only learned the basics. Tonight was a very good learning process for all of us wrestlers.”

Addison Hochstetler went 2-1 in her bracket at 140-142 pounds, pinning her first two opponents before herself getting pinned against Grace Schlak of Iowa Valley. Another Redhawks finishing second was Briar Blake at 170-176 in a 3-person bracket. She had a bye and won a match via medical forfeit before getting pinned in her second match of the night.

BCLUW-SH had two medalists on Thursday, with the Storm’s Alaynah Salazar and Kailan McEwen taking second place at 160-168 and 185-193 pounds, respectively.

Salazar picked up the Storm’s first win of the night in her opening match and bounced back from a defeat in match two to pin her final opponent in less than 90 seconds.

McEwen, in one of the last matches of a historic night, clinched second place with a 53-second pin over Mae Stoops of Mount Vernon.