NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC junior Ioleta Kingbird pins her opponent at the STC Invite. Kingbird finished runner up at 190 lbs.

The STC girls wrestling team had the privilege of kicking off the winter sports schedule on Thursday night, Nov. 20. One of STC’s most successful sports programs last season, the girls picked right up where they left off and won the 2025 South Tama Invite.

Crowning four individual champions along the way, the Trojans won the Invite which saw 14 teams participating. After winning the WaMaC conference championship and qualifying five athletes for the state wrestling tournament last season, it was a great start for this year’s squad.

STC was led by defending state champion, senior Autumn Elsbury (170 lbs.). Elsbury breezed through her bracket in her home gym, winning all three of her matches by fall. For the crown, Elsbury defeated senior Tara Crowley of Center Point-Urbana in 57 seconds.

Joining Elsbury at the top of the podium for STC was: junior Livia Smith (100 lbs.), sophomore Maylee Rucker (140 lbs.), and junior Kinley Jimenez (235 lbs.). Smith won four matches on her way to the title at 100 lbs., which included a victory over her teammate, freshman Abigail Hendricks, in the finals. Rucker won all four of her matches by pin on her way to the title at 140 lbs. Jimenez, a returning state qualifier, was victorious by fall in all three of her matches, as she secured the top spot at 235 lbs.

Five Trojans earned 2nd place finishes for their weight class during the night, including Hendricks at 100 lbs. She was joined in 2nd place finishes by: sophomore Isabela Saban Perez (105 lbs.), sophomore and returning state qualifier Jayva Gomez (110 lbs.), junior Ava Perkins (135 lbs.), and junior Ioleta Kingbird (190 lbs.).

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC junior Livia Smith competes at the STC Invite.

3rd place finishers for STC included: junior Keylee Holloway (125 lbs.) and senior Ava Hendricks (115 lbs.). Freshman Miyah Grabenbauer finished in 4th place for the Trojans at 120 lbs. And 5th place finishers for STC included: freshman Layla Webb (125 lbs.), junior and returning state-qualifier Brooklyn Mitchell (130 lbs.), and junior Paisley Bro (145 lbs.).

STC (287.5 points) won the Invite by 103.5 points over 2nd place finisher Vinton-Shellsburg (184 points). Solon finished in 3rd place with 154 points.

Following their opening-season victory, the Trojans traveled to Nevada on Saturday, November 22, for the Central Iowa Showdown. As a team, STC (259 points) finished in 2nd place behind Raccoon River-Northwest (279 points). Elsbury finished in 1st place at 170 lbs., with Jimenez (235 lbs.), Smith (100 lbs.), and Ava Hendricks (115 lbs.) securing 2nd place finishes.

Up next for the Trojans is a trip to Iowa City after the Thanksgiving break. They will participate in the Dan Gable Donnybrook on December 4-5 at the Xtreme Arena in Coralville. Their next home appearance will be on December 11, with a double dual against Marshalltown and Benton.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC junior Livia Smith raises her arm in victory in her first match of the STC Invite. Smith went on to win 1st place at 100 lbs.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC junior Alyssa Kriegel wrestles at the STC Invite.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC sophomore Decorah Walker works for position at the STC Invite.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC junior London Jaennette looks to escape during the STC Invite.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC sophomore Maylee Rucker takes down her opponent at the STC Invite. Rucker finished in 1st place at 140 lbs.

NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT – STC junior Paisley Bro grapples with her opponent at the STC Invite.