North Tama’s Briar Blake, top, looks to the official as she attempts to close out her semifinal match with Kynnedy Gunderson of Iowa Falls-Alden on Dec. 19 during the Trojan Tangle tournament. Blake took runner-up in the 170-pound bracket. Heading into the holiday break, Blake has notched three individual tournament titles plus two runners-up for an impressive first half of her junior season. PHOTO BY JAKE RYDER

STATE CENTER — Redhawk wrestler Briar Blake closed out 2023 on the mats by taking runner-up at the Trojan Tangle tournament hosted on Dec. 19 by West Marshall.

Blake’s final match against Trojan Averie Wittkop for the 170 pound title was one of the marquee matchups of the tournament – a battle of two grapplers ranked by the IWCOA with Wittkop at No. 5 and Blake at No. 9.

Trailing in the third period, Blake got Wittkop down with a headlock for a takedown and three back points. Wittkop was able to reverse out to tie the match at 6-all, but Blake wriggled free to retake the lead.

With time whittling down, Wittkop scored a takedown with 18 seconds and kept Blake from escaping to squeak out the 8-7 decision.

“The headlock is an equalizer,” West Marshall head coach Jacy Large said. “It’s been a battle with [Wittkop] for two years now. They’re pretty tough girls and we’d love to see them again at the state tournament this year.”

Ahead of the final, Blake received a bye in the opening round, followed by two pinfall wins – taking down Waterloo West’s Kennedee Dunning in 50 seconds in the quarterfinal and Iowa Falls-Alden’s Kynnedy Gunderson in 2:38 for the semifinal win.

In addition to the runner-up finish from Blake, the Redhawks got a 3rd-place showing from Grace Dvorak at 110 pounds, finishing 3-1 on the day; and a fourth-place finish from Faith Dvorak at 135.

The Trojans scored 199 points as champions, outscoring Woodward-Granger (123) and Waterloo West (98) for the top honor.

North Tama was 12th with 47 points.