Lady Hounds sufficient in win over Hounds

TECHNIQUE OVER POWER

I need to stop being so anxious going in. I have to stop thinking about who’s stronger because technique will overcome power.”

Sadie Brandon, FMHS Junior wrestler

FINDING IDENTITY

We have to find our identity again because, at the beginning of the season, we had that - for whatever reason it's shifted to whatever this was we saw tonight.”

Kyle Doherty, Lady Hounds Head Coach

BURLINGTON – The Fort Madison Lady Hounds wrestling team has been part of a lot of firsts this year. Thursday night they helped mark the first ever ladies home wrestling meet at Carl Johanssen Gymnasium at Burlington High School.
Even in the face of a rambunctious and historic Grayhound crowd, the Bloodhounds spoiled the evening with a 39-33 dual win over the hosts.
After the match, Head Coach Kyle Doherty said the Lady Hounds were still leaving too many points on the mat - no identity was the way he put it.
“What was shown tonight, was not what we show at practice. It wasn’t our identity. Maybe it was nerves being a dual meet setting, but we handled it fine earlier in the year. The main goal is to compete every period and I felt like we didn’t do that,” Doherty said.
“We have to find our identity again because, at the beginning of the season, we had that - for whatever reason it's shifted to whatever this was we saw tonight.”
Freshman Lucille Zimmerman got things going with a bang when she got Macklyn Palmer shoulders to the mat just before the horn sounded, ending the first period to spot the Hounds a quick 6-0 lead.
Junior Hailey Kemper, ranked 9^th in the latest Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association rankings at 100 lbs., made quicker work of Gracie Navarre halfway through the first period.
Kemper said she was dialed in with all the revelry of the night.
“I was locked in. I’m not gonna lie. I was locked in and didn’t want to disappoint.”
Kemper has only gone all six minutes in a match one other time this year and said as the season goes on, she hopes to have a few more decisions.
“I kinda wish I was getting tougher matches to get more work in. It’s hard to improve when it’s a first period match every time."
Kemper went the full three periods at Williamsburg last weekend where she won the title. She said the coaching staff keeps conditioning at a high level so she’s confident going into those types of matches.
Sarina Cline got the Grayhounds on the board with a late fall over Fort Madison’s Annah Blanchard at 115 lbs. The match went back and forth with both girls scoring near falls and reversals before Cline would outlast the Lady Hound senior for six points and the pin.
Fort Madison would win the next four matches, three by pin, with Mara Smith picking up a pin at 1:01 over Burlington’s Kyra Nash at 125 lbs.
Senior Chloe Sokolik worked a quick pin at 130 lbs. over Sara Cruz at 1:12, and freshman Kat DiPrima continues to have strong showings day-to-day at 135 lbs. with another pin, this time over senior Emma Rohrer after two tough periods at the 4:35 mark.
Fort Madison’s Tatum Peters and BHS’ Lauren Briggs were the only match to go the distance Monday night. The two, wrestling at 140 lbs., battled to a 4-1 decision with Peters executing what amounted to a two-period ride over Briggs but couldn’t find a move to get the Grayhound senior rolled over.
Shariah Hart and Maddy Emmett put on a display of reversals in the period-and-a-half that included a medical timeout for Hart in the first period. Hart had a couple throws of Emmett, one right off the whistle and another to start the second period. Emmett was able to wrestle out of both. The senior Grayhound would eventually wear Fort Madison’s sophomore down and get the pin in the second period.
Sadie Brandon is developing a penchant for quick pins at 155 lbs. The junior made quick work of BHS’ Mia Oddo in just 43 seconds. Aside from the quick action, Brandon said she could’ve done better, and her confidence is starting to set in.
“I know I could do better. It was a good win, but I could’ve taken more shots in,” she said.
“I need to stop being so anxious going in. I have to stop thinking about who’s stronger because technique will overcome power.”
Saydee Plummer got six more points for Burlington at 235 lbs. with a pin over Fort Madison’s Taylea Palar in the first period.
There were two double forfeits – one at 170 lbs. and the other at 120 lbs.
Doherty said the Lady Hounds need to get to their potential on the mat.
“They have a version of how they want to wrestle in their head, and then we have the reality of what’s happening, and neither are in sync with each other,” Doherty said.
“We should’ve been more fired up than this. When they start putting points on the board, we need to flip a switch and we didn’t do that tonight.”