Redhawk wrestler Briar Blake has her hand raised by the official after beating Raccoon River-Northwest’s Aleah Johnson on Friday, Feb. 2 and capturing bronze at 170 pounds during the 2024 IGHSAU girls state wrestling tournament in Coralville. This was Blake’s first state appearance and the first in North Tama school history for the girls wrestling program. PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

CORALVILLE – Heading into the first day of the 2024 IGHSAU girls state wrestling tournament last Thursday, only one girl had defeated South Tama sophomore Autumn Elsbury this season – Redhawk grappler Briar Blake who missed much of last year’s first sanctioned girls wrestling season due to injury only to return for the 2023-24 season as one of the best 170 pounds wrestlers in Iowa.

The pair’s first meeting this season took place back on Nov. 16, 2023, at South Tama’s home tournament where Blake pinned Elsbury to win the tournament title.

Blake kicked off her first appearance at the state tournament on Thursday by going 2-0 – defeating No. 26 Addaly Miller of MOC-Floyd Valley by pinfall in two minutes, 37 seconds and then doing the same to No. 10 Reagan Haynes of Algona in a smoking minute.

Elsbury also took her opening rounds by fall, leading to a highly anticipated rematch between the two accomplished Tama County wrestlers.

But in the end Thursday evening, Elsbury – seeded second ahead of the tournament – outlasted No. 7 Blake in a wild quarterfinal matchup, scoring a 6-5 decision to advance to the semifinals the next day.

North Tama wrestler Briar Blake, right, ties up with South Tama’s Autumn Elsbury on Thursday, Feb. 1 during the 170 pound quarterfinal at the 2024 IGHSAU girls state wrestling tournament in Coralville. Blake was the only wrestler to beat the No. 2 seed Elsbury during the regular season; she narrowly lost by decision 6-5 to the Trojan wrestler in the quarterfinal. While Elsbury would go on to place second in the tournament, Blake would work her way through the consolation bracket on Friday to earn a third place medal. PHOTO BY TODD STEWART/TODD STEWART PHOTOGRAPHY

In the second period, Blake reversed out of bottom position and a moment later nearly had Elsbury on her back, scoring three near-fall points for a 5-0 lead heading to the third period.

In the third period, Elsbury got to work.

Choosing bottom position, she scored a reversal of her own and tilted Blake twice for two back points each to take the lead.

The final minute saw an effort from Blake to try and tie the match with an escape, only for Elsbury to keep control and close out the victory.

“It’s a lot of pressure, because you never know what could happen in overtime if she got that point,” Elsbury said.

PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

On Friday Elsbury won her semifinal match before losing to Naomi Simon of Decorah in the final. Simon, a University of Iowa commit, ended the tournament as Iowa’s first four-time state champion with a 15-2 major decision over Elsbury.

Road to bronze

During Friday’s consolation rounds, Blake proved without a doubt that she belonged at the state tournament by working her way steadily up through the bracket to earn a podium finish – the first in North Tama school history for the girls wrestling program.

She took morning pinfall wins over both No. 19 Desiree Breuer of LeMars (1:23) and No. 3 Grace Britten of SWAT Valkyrie (3:44).

In the consolation semifinal, Blake had a breakthrough win over West Marshall’s Averie Wittkop – seeded fifth – with a second-period pin.

PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

Earlier in the season, Wittkop defeated Blake by an 8-7 decision at a West Marshall meet in a match where Wittkop had used Blake’s own offense against her.

“I made a mistake last time and didn’t make it again,” Blake told Tama-Grundy Publishing.

She then made North Tama wrestling history Friday evening by capturing bronze with a 3-1 decision over Raccoon River-Northwest’s Aleah Johnson who was seeded eighth.

Blake wanted a pin in the third-place match with Johnson but instead relied on her hand-fighting to get through the first two periods before getting two back points to start the third period and avoiding anything drastic from there.

“This tournament built my confidence a lot, because I didn’t know I had it in me to get third place,” Blake said. “It was fun, but it was a lot of work. My grandpa’s [Dave Nichol] been with me the whole way through. … I’m really grateful that he’s with me and that he’s a big supporter and helped me a lot in practice.”

North Tama wrestler Addison ‘Addy’ Hochstetler, left, ties up with Clear Creek Amana senior Halle Bormann during her first consolation match last week Thursday, Feb. 1 at the 2024 IGHSAU girls state wrestling tournament in Coralville. Hochsteler defeated Bormann in sudden victory, but lost her next match to end her first state appearance 1-2. PHOTO BY JULIA HANSEN/DES MOINES REGISTER

Both Blake and her teammate, sophomore Addy Hochstetler have been trailblazers for the Redhawks – going out last season as part of the school’s very first girls wrestling squad.

“They’re leaders on our team right now and will be expected to be going forward,” North Tama head coach Andrew Knaack said. “I could tell they came in yesterday scared, but with each round they had more confidence, more confidence. And Briar came in with a plan today of what she wanted to do, executed it and got third place.”

Blake ended the tournament 6-1, and 34-3 on the season, while Hochstetler – who was seeded No. 17 at 135 pounds entering the tournament – ended her season 28-8.

After losing in the opening round on Thursday, Hochstetler won her first consolation match in sudden victory before being narrowly defeated by Decorah’s Mckenzie Tollefson in a 2-0 decision.

Coach Knaack said both Blake and Hochstetler impressed him during the two-day tournament – and he expects that to continue next season.

Clear Creek-Amana’s Halle Bormann attempts to break the hold of North Tama’s Addision Hochstetler the IGHSAU girls state wrestling tournament Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024 at Xtream Arena in Coralville. PHOTO BY JULIA HANSEN/DES MOINES REGISTER

“Briar’s going to be expected next year to improve on her third place. … She’s gotta be looking for a state title. And Addy – it’s 32 girls in the whole state … you’re one of the best 32 girls in the whole state. It’s nothing to hang your head at. She won a match here. When she comes back next year, she’s going to know what it’s like and be ready to go.”

The trailblazing continues.