Knights wrestlers Austin Kirby (second from left) and Mya Ellsworth (second from right) pictured alongside their head coach, Kirk Crawford (left), and assistant coach, John Simon (right), while wearing their third-place regional medals on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, following the conclusion of the Class 1A Region 4 qualifying meet in Denver. PHOTO BY REBECCA LYN DAVIS

DENVER – The Union/Gladbrook-Reinbeck girls’ wrestling team ended the 2025-26 season in Denver on Friday, Jan. 30, coming up short at the Class 1A Region 4 qualifying meet of advancing any individual wrestlers to the state tournament set for this week.

The closest Union came was freshman Austin Kirby at 105 pounds and senior Mya Ellsworth at 170 pounds — both wrestlers just missed the cut to qualify by placing third.

Kirby (24-20) won by pinfall in the quarterfinal over North Butler-Clarksville’s Ahna Ayers. She was then pinned in the semis by seventh-ranked (IAwrestle) North Fayette Valley’s Brielle Starkweather. In the consolation rounds, Kirby roared back, pinning South Winneshiek’s Helen Maldonado before doing the same to Janesville’s Kendall Kerker in the third-place bout. There was no wrestleback at 105 pounds for true second.

In the 170-pound bracket, Ellsworth (28-12) also prevailed in the quarterfinals where she won by pinfall over Nashua-Plainfield’s Hailey Wilkens. In the semifinal round, she was pinned by Hampton-Dumont-CAL’s Elsie Kuper. On the backside, Ellsworth won her consolation semifinal round, pinning Aplington-Parkersburg/Grundy Center’s Delaney Schafer in one minute, 39 seconds. For third place, she defeated South Winneshiek’s Avery Busch by pinfall. There was no wrestleback at 170 pounds for true second.

Also wrestling at Denver for the Knights, Mia Michael (100) went 1-2, Jasmine Bassett (110) went 1-2, Brooklyn Garcia (115) went 1-2, Alexus Umbaugh (120) went 0-2, Willa Wolff (130) went 1-2, Lorelei Hinebaugh (140) went 0-2, and Ella Wagner (155) went 0-2.

Union freshman Austin Kirby (far right) pictured on the 105-pound podium after taking third place at the Class 1A Region 4 qualifying meet in Denver last Friday. PHOTO BY REBECCA LYN DAVIS

Union/G-R scored 63.5 total points for 11th place out of 17 teams. Humboldt took first with 184 points; Sumner-Fredericksburg second with 143 points; and Class 1A No. 1 Denver (IAwrestle) third with 134 points.

Union senior Mya Ellsworth (second from right) pictured on the 170-pound podium after taking third place at the Class 1A Region 4 qualifying meet in Denver last Friday. PHOTO BY REBECCA LYN DAVIS

The 2025-26 Union/Gladbrook-Reinbeck girls’ wrestling team pictured on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, during the Class 1A Region 4 qualifying meet at Denver High School. PHOTO BY REBECCA LYN DAVIS