(Massena) With five wrestlers in the field the Southwest Area Team (SWAT) will have a busy week at the girls state tourney.
The Valkyrie are sending Ady Lundquist, Ellen Gerlock, and Haley Armstrong to state as regional champions. Advancing with runner-up finishes in Sioux City last week are Jazz Christensen and Grace Britten. Here’s coach Tiffany South, “It was a mix of emotions all over the place. We had six girls qualify and go on to state, but then those other five girls that didn’t make it it was heart breaking. One of them being a senior, Rio Johnson. We just really wanted her to push through, so that was heart breaking, but overall I think our performance was very impressive.”
Lundquist takes a 30-1 mark to state. Despite placing 3rd at state last year, she’s the #4 seed at 110 pounds. “A good reason for that is because she hasn’t wrestled very many matches at 110. She didn’t have a lot of things to go in her favor, but that’s ok. She’s going to go out and wrestle her best matches and I really think she has a very good chance of taking that state championship.”
Ellen Gerlock was the super regional champ at 190. Gerlock is 29-4. “Ellen has been just amazing to watch. Last year she struggled. Her hips were all over the place and her balance was all over the place, but this year she has done a complete 180 and is a dominant wrestler on the mat.”
Another rapidly improving wrestler has been Haley Armstong at 235. She won by fall in each of her regional matches, improving to 25-2. She’s a #4 seed. “Haley has confidence. She’s a freshman so she still has a lot of time on the mat, but every single match she comes out and does moves that girls don’t expect to see at the 235 pound weight class. She just goes all out. Her heart is so big and she just does an amazing job out there. She is a huge asset to the team.”
Regional runner-up Jazz Christensen at 100 pounds takes an 18-9 record to Coralville. “She actually is coming back from an injury, but she has pushed through. She made it to state and she has just been on point with her wrestling. She’s been improving every single tournament. She’s picking up her technique and gaining confidence.”
At 170 Grace Britten is 35-1 and heads to state with high expectations. “She does. It was disappointing for her at the regionals. She had her first loss of the season. It wasn’t anything, but she got caught. It happens to the best of them and you live and you learn. I think personally it may have been a blessing in disguise to get that pressure of being undefeated off, but not in Grace’s eyes. I really think she too has a very good chance of taking that championship.”
Evy Marlin qualified for state at 130 as a regional runner-up, but will not be able to compete at state due to an injury. She finishes her sophomore season with a 20-4 record.
A send off pep rally will be held at CAM high school in Anita at 1:00 on Wednesday. It is open to the public.
SWAT coach Tiffany South:
