The Pekin Girls Wrestling team turned in an impressive performance to open the season Tuesday, November 18th, finishing 3rd out of 23 teams at the Sigourney Girls Tournament.
Pekin was led by standout performances across the lineup, including a championship from Lexa Nelson at 110 pounds, who went undefeated with three victories by fall, including a hard-fought win in her final match to secure first place.
Several other Panthers earned podium finishes:
- 2nd Place: Lila Miller (130), Hailey Pedrick (140)
- 4th Place: Ella Rose (145)
- 5th Place: Reece Brisby (125), Carly Clubb (190), Rylee Frye (235)
- JV Champion: Bree Earnest (110)
Other notable efforts included strong matches from Makenda Martin, Alyvia Traner, Ivory Small, and Brinley Phillips, who all contributed valuable points and experience early in the season.
As a team, Pekin scored 128 points, finishing behind champion EBF (178) and runner-up West Liberty (131.5).
Head Coach Al Chapman said he was pleased with the team’s early results, especially considering a rocky start to the preseason.
“We went into our first competition not at the level we would’ve liked overall,” Chapman said, noting that early-season disruptions affected preparation. “Which we can build off of since we placed 3rd out of 23 teams and could’ve wrestled much better.”
Chapman highlighted the importance of the team’s senior leadership and praised the growth seen on day one.
“Having all of our first-year wrestlers gain their first win of the year was huge for the future,” he added.
With strong early momentum and plenty of room to grow, Pekin looks poised for another competitive season on the mats.
