North Tama freshman Alaney Sienknecht, top, grapples with Western Iowa’s Marlee Pittet in the 155-pound first-round during the 2026 IGHSAU State Wrestling Tournament at Xtream Arena in Coralville on Thursday morning, Feb. 5, 2026. PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE

CORALVILLE – Redhawk freshman Alaney Sienknecht made her state wrestling debut on Thursday, Feb. 5, in a first-round morning bout with the No. 1 seed at 155 pounds, Western Iowa’s Marlee Pittet. And while she was eventually pinned in the second period, Sienknecht more than held her own – scoring three points on the much-hyped West Monona High School senior and turning heads in the process.

“She wrestled really well. She has nothing to hang her head about,” North Tama head coach Andrew Knaack told the newspaper later that afternoon of his first female freshman wrestler to ever qualify for IGHSAU State Wrestling Tournament. Siemknecht entered the championships on Thursday seeded last at No. 16.

While Pittet (40-4) managed a takedown for three points after roughly a minute of grappling, Sienknecht (29-11) kept her cool, managing a reversal shortly thereafter for two points. Pittet swiftly hit back with a reversal of her own, but just before the first period buzzer, Sienknecht escaped for an additional point.

In the second period, Pittet recorded one more reversal before pinning Sienknecht in 2 minutes, 22 seconds.

Later that morning, Sienknecht faced the No. 9 seed, Lake Mills’ Piper Kjeldahl in a first-round consolation match where she was pinned in 1:54. Like Sienknecht, Kjeldahl did not medal at the 2026 tournament, while Pittet repeated her 2025 performance, medaling in fourth.

North Tama freshman Alaney Sienknecht, right, escapes just before the end of the first period in her first-round match with Western Iowa’s Marlee Pittet at 155 pounds during the 2026 IGHSAU State Wrestling Tournament in Coralville on Thursday, Feb. 5. PHOTO BY ROSS THEDE

“It was one mistake in both matches,” Coach Knaack said of Sienknecht’s performance on Thursday. “But she is going to keep getting better, and I hope on the same path and trajectory as (Redhawk boys wrestler) Kolt (Knaack). He went 0-2 his first year and it fired him up the next three years. I see that same thing in Alaney. She will be back and wrestling on Day 2 (next year)!”

Sienknecht ends her freshman season on the mats for the Redhawks with a 29-13 record and as a first-time state qualifier at 155 pounds.