South Tama was represented at the IWCOA Girls State Wrestling Tournament by two underclassmen, freshman Abigail Chyma (left) and sophomore Maeley Elsbury (right). In her return to the tournament, Elsbury came home with a third-place finish in the 130-pound class. Next season the entire state will have a new girls wrestling landscape as the Iowa Girls Athletic Union announced at the tournament their recent decision to officially sanction girls wrestling as a high school sport in Iowa beginning next year. – Contributed photo

South Tama County sophomore Maeley Elsbury reached the podium for the second time in as many years, placing third in her bracket at the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association’s State Championships over the weekend at Xtream Arena.

Elsbury was one of four area girls to compete in the tournament, at which it was announced at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union would beginning sanctioning the sport in 2022-23.

Elsbury pinned her way through Friday, scoring each of three falls in 2 minute, 41 seconds or fewer to advance to Saturday’s state quarterfinals in the 130-pound bracket.

Down but not out, Elsbury trailed Alexys Petersen of Bettendorf as time wound down, but the STC sophomore pinned her opponent with one second remaining to advance back to the semifinals.

Macy Smith of Waverly-Shell Rock handed Elsbury her first defeat of the tournament, pinning her in 1:29, to force her to consolation half of the bracket. Elsbury defeated Colfax-Mingo’s Kylie Doty by decision, 9-5, to advance to the third-place match, where she won with a late pin of North Cedar’s Ashlynn Miller in 5:40.

Elsbury finished her season with a 17-2 record. She placed second at 126 last winter.

STC freshman Abigail Chyma earned a win during her state tournament debut at 170, going 1-2 on Friday. Her lone win as a 42-second pin of West Bend-Mallard’s Jasmyn Zinnel.

South Hardin-BCLUW senior Kenna Paxson went 2-2 in the 125-pound bracket on Friday but was unable to advance through to the second day. She opened with a 55-second pin, lost by fall in the second round, and stayed alive with another pin in the consolation bracket. Paxson’s season ended with a 14-5 record after her 7-3 loss by decision to Riverside’s Carly Henderson.

SH-BCLUW freshman Kynnedy Gunderson went 3-2 during her state debut on Friday, but it wasn’t enough to advance through at 170. Gunderson (9-10) recorded three first-period pins, lost once by major decision and saw her campaign end with a 7-2 decision to MOC-Floyd Valley’s Addaly Miller.