The Pekin girls wrestling team traveled to Pella on Tuesday, January 20th, for a triangular meet against PCM and host Pella. The Lady Panthers fell in both duals but gained valuable experience against opponents they may face again at regionals.
Pekin vs. PCM: PCM Wins 36-30
The Lady Panthers came agonizingly close to defeating PCM, with the match coming down to the final bout at 235 pounds tied 30-30. At 105 pounds, Ryan DeVore of PCM defeated Bree Earnest by fall at 5:07 in the third period after a good contest that saw the score at 15-8. Lexa Nelson earned a forfeit win at 110 pounds. Autumn Coleman gave Pekin another victory at 120 pounds, pinning Addison Fry in just 32 seconds of the first period. Lila Miller added a forfeit win at 125 pounds.
PCM’s Hadley Millang defeated Reece Brisby by fall at 1:05 in the first period at 130 pounds. Hailey Pedrick dominated at 145 pounds, building a 12-3 advantage before pinning Macie Kain at 1:59 of the first period, winning right before the buzzer. Ella Rose won at 155 pounds, pinning Carly Wilkerson at 1:38 in the first period after the match was tied 3-3. Emma Beyers of PCM defeated Carly Clubb by fall at 4:00 in the second period at 170 pounds.
With the match tied 30-30, Rylee Frye took the mat at 235 pounds with a chance to give Pekin the dual victory. However, Lily Birkenholtz of PCM pinned Frye in just 10 seconds of the first period, giving PCM the 36-30 win. PCM also received forfeit wins at 115 and 190 pounds.
Pekin and PCM are both paired in the Williamsburg state wrestling qualifying site set for Friday, January 30th, meaning this dual provided a valuable preview of potential regional matchups.
Pekin vs. Pella: Pella Wins 53-24
In the second dual of the night, Pekin fell to host Pella 53-24. Bree Earnest and Lexa Nelson both earned forfeit wins at 105 and 110 pounds respectively. Jenna VanWyk of Pella defeated Autumn Coleman by fall at 49 seconds in the first period at 120 pounds. At 125 pounds, Danica VanBaale of Pella defeated Lila Miller by fall at 1:31 in the first period in a contested match that saw Miller leading 7-6 before she couldn’t hang on. Adelyn Smith of Pella pinned Reece Brisby in 50 seconds of the first period at 130 pounds.
Hailey Pedrick provided Pekin with a win at 145 pounds, pinning Emma Smith at 1:59 in the first period, once again finishing one second before the period ended after building a 7-0 lead. Abbi Lemke of Pella defeated Ella Rose by tech fall 17-1 at 2:35 in the second period at 155 pounds. Rylee Frye closed out Pekin’s scoring with a dominant 23-second first-period pin of Sam TeGrootenhuis at 235 pounds. Pella received forfeit wins at 100, 115, 135, 140, and 170 pounds.
Coach’s Perspective
Pekin girls wrestling head coach Jeff Follman reflected on the team’s overall performance at the triangular meet:
“The team turned in a strong performance last night in a three-team event featuring Pella, PCM, and our squad. The tri-meet format proved beneficial, providing valuable match opportunities without the intensity of a full tournament. Several athletes picked up forfeits, and the lighter format was especially helpful for girls still recovering from recent bumps and illnesses.”
Follman praised his wrestlers’ competitive effort:
“Our athletes competed well across the board. Hailey led the way with two wins, while Rylee finished 1-1 on the night. Lila also posted a 1-1 record, battling through a tough match and showing noticeable improvement despite coming up short. Overall, we continue to see positive growth throughout the lineup.”
Looking ahead to the conference tournament and regionals, Follman emphasized the team’s focus:
“The focus now shifts to the upcoming conference tournament on Monday, followed by continued preparation for regionals in Williamsburg. With three important practice days ahead, the team is committed to building on last night’s momentum and pushing to improve.”
When asked whether facing PCM in a dual before meeting them again at the same state qualifying site in Williamsburg was more of a benefit or challenge from a coaching perspective, Follman offered a thoughtful assessment:
“I would say it was more of a challenge last night. PCM had a couple of sick wrestlers, one being a 110 lb. wrestler, which we wanted to see for Lexa. Now I can also say it was a little bit of a benefit too with Rylee. She had a match along with a couple of other girls, so we did get to see those matches to see how we match up and what to look for if we run into any of them at regionals. So a few things we can work on with the girls that did get some matches against PCM.”
The Lady Panthers will return to action on Saturday, January 24th, at Louisa-Muscatine beginning at 10:00 a.m., before the conference meet at Wapello on Monday, January 26th.
Photography courtesy of Rylie Nelson.
