February 04, 2026
Local NewsState & National

Four Valkyries advance to state

Girls state wrestling is Thursday and Friday in Coralville

By Caleb Nelson
SWAT girls wrestling state qualifiers — all four from CAM — are in back from left, Stella Beattie, Bailey Willard and Nadia South, and in front, Megan Gerlock. State girls wrestling is Thursday and Friday at Xtreme Arena in Coralville.

SWAT girls wrestling state qualifiers — all four from CAM — are in back from left, Stella Beattie, Bailey Willard and Nadia South, and in front, Megan Gerlock. State girls wrestling is Thursday and Friday at Xtreme Arena in Coralville. (Lindsay South )

ATLANTIC — The SWAT Valkyries are sending four to the state girls wrestling tournament, scheduled for this Thursday and Friday at Xtreme Arena in Coralville.

Nadia South (105 pounds), Bailey Lillard (145), Stella Beattie (170) and Megan Gerlock (190) all advanced from a Class 1A state qualifying meet at Atlantic last Friday, finishing in the top two at their weight.

Gerlock was the lone champion for the Valkyries. She received three byes before pinning Audubon’s Emma Korwes in the semifinals, advancing to wrestle Western Iowa’s Claire Schumacher in the championship, whom she pinned in 24 seconds.

The other three were just as dominant.

Nadia South won with falls in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds before losing in the championship match to ATU’s Sophia Hazen. Coming back to wrestle for true second, South racked up a 16-1 tech fall against East Mills’ Maggie Miles-Crook to advance.

Lillard pinned her way through, winning with first-period pins in the quartefinal and semifinal rounds — first against Woodward-Granger’s Jessa Claussen in 51 seconds and second against Liz Young of Treynor in 18 seconds. She lost to Oakland Riverside’s Mckenna Dorr by fall in 2:49 in the finals and did not have a wrestleback.

Beattie won with quick falls in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds — a 40-second fall aginst ATU’s Chloe Junge, then a 25-second pin of Keasey Moats from Woodward-Granger — before losing to Mary Bowman of Logan-Magnolia/Woodbine in the championship.

As for the rest of the lineup, Addi Glade (110) went 0-2, Jenna Hardisty (115) went 3-2, Destiny Fry (120) went 1-2, Jelina Gutierrez (125) went 1-2, Erin South (130) placed third and went 2-2 and Addy Erlandson (140) went 2-2.

Willow Ray of West Central Valley also qualified at 130 pounds.

First round matchups at state are as follows for the Valkyries:

105: Nadia South (26-9) vs. Kate Martin of Mount Vernon (52-2)

145: Bailey Lillard (25-8) vs. Makenna Dorr of Oakland Riverside (21-5)

170: Stella Beattie (28-2) vs. Raelene Hawkins of Iowa Valley (35-11)

190: Megan Gerlock (22-8) vs. Kenley Korthals of Central Lyon/GLR

Caleb Nelson

Caleb Nelson

Caleb Nelson has served as News Editor of the Adair County Free Press and Fontanelle Observer since Oct. 2017. He and his wife Kilee live in Greenfield. In Greenfield and the greater Adair County area, he values the opportunity to tell peoples' stories, enjoys playing guitar, following all levels of sports, and being a part of his local church.