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. PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

Pageantry and history were ever-present Thursday night in the South Tama County Roundhouse, as the inaugural STC girls’ wrestling invite took place and made history for area schools such as the Trojans, North Tama and BCLUW-SH with their first ever sanctioned girls’ wrestling event. A nearly-packed house and large crowd reactions to every match made for an atmosphere akin to a state tournament.

The South Tama season-opening event featured 17 teams and well over 100 wrestlers with some solid finishers along the way.

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

“It was a lot of fun tonight,” the coaching staff, helmed by head coach Andrew Knaack, posted on the team’s Facebook page following the meet. “The girls went out, competed and learned some valuable things going forward. These three girls rocked tonight! … Jade Rausch with the first ever win and pin for the North Tama Girls Wrestling team. … Addy with two pins on the night!! Briar had a state placer from a year ago almost pinned!! This with only a week and half of practice!!!”

Senior 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 then 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.

North Tama freshman Addy Hochstetler, top, awaits the referee’s slap of the mat during the Trojans’ home tournament Thursday night in Tama. Hochstetler went 2-1 with a pair of pins before before herself getting pinned against Grace Schlak of Iowa Valley. PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

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.”

Redhawk freshman 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.

Sophomore Redhawk Briar Blake also finished in second place 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.

The Redhawks are next set to compete in the BGM Girls’ Tournament at the high school in Brooklyn on Saturday, Nov. 19 beginning at 10:00 a.m. More than a dozen area teams are scheduled to compete including Belle Plaine, Colfax-Mingo, Iowa Valley, and Williamsburg.

PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING

PHOTO BY NOAH ROHLFING