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The SWAT (Southwest Area Team) Valkyries girls wrestling squad was second to Cedar Falls in a big tournament of 14 scoring teams at West Des Moines Valley High School Saturday.
The Valkyries had varsity champions in Grace Britten (170 pounds) and Haley Armstrong (235) leading the way.
Britten opened with two pins, then beat Fernanda Ramirez of West Fork (Sheffield) in 3:55 in the championship bout.
Armstrong had a bye in the quarterfinals and defeated Makenna Fetters of Martensdale-St. Marys in the semifinals with a pin in 2:44. She won by medical forfeit in the championship.
In other varsity competition, Jazz Christensen (100) placed second, winning by fall in the semis and losing to Natalie Blake of Cedar Falls by 12-0 major decision. Bailey Lillard (135) was second, losing to Cedar Falls’ Lana Shafer in the finals by fall in 4:45. Mia South (145) placed second, losing to Julie Maylum in the finals by 4-1 decision.
Destiny Fry (110) went 2-1 on the day, battling back for a pin in 3:54 over Valley’s Mia Blumberg for third. Cadence Kinzie (120) went 3-1, beating Ayden Erickson of Perry by fall in 3:23 in the third place match. Ellen Gerlock was third at 190, going 3-1.
Addison Herr (110) was fourth, going 2-2 on the day. Stella Beattie (155) placed sixth, as did Quincy Sorensen (115).
Liliana Johnson was fourth and Alexa Anderson sixth in junior varsity competition at 145. Cleidy Perez-Rivas was first in JV wrestling at 170. Also at the JV level, Mckenzie Hall and Rylie Vandevanter were third and fourth, respectively, at 235.
In a meet last Thursday, Dec. 7 at Atlantic, the Valkyries picked up two dual wins, defeating Highway 34 (Creston/Lenox/East Union) and Red Oak/Griswold.
Winners of live matches against Highway 34, in a 54-30 win, were Fry at 105 pounds, Sorensen at 115, Kinzie at 120, Mia South at 145, Beattie at 155 and Armstrong at 235, all with pins.
In the 72-12 win over Red Oak, Mia South, Beattie and Kinzie each won with pins. SWAT received nine wins by forfeit in that meeting.