Schumacher Punches Ticket to State Wrestling Meet
The Western Iowa Wolves Girls Wrestling Team traveled to Council Bluffs on the final day in January with team members hoping this wouldn't be their final wrestling tournament of the season. The top two wrestlers of each weight group would continue at the state tournament, and the rest would hang up their wrestling shoes until next year. Two Wolves did indeed advance to State, Marlee Pittet and Claire Schumacher. Schumacher, the daughter of Amy and Nick Schumacher of Charter Oak, is a freshman at MVAOCOU High School, but she wrestles with the Wolves in West Monona High School as the Rams do not have a team for the ladies.
At Regionals, Schumacher, wrestling at 170, earned a first round win with a bye. This put her in the semifinals. Her next round was against Peyton Katzer of Lewis Central, a pin to the mat. The win put her in the finals. Schumacher faced Ashley Chasteen of Hinton who, unfortunately, earned a pin against Claire. Chasteen was declared the first place winner. As this was a double elimination meet, Schumacher was slated to wrestle one more time. However, since she would be wrestling Katzer again and had already beat her earlier, the second place match was named a no contest match, giving Schumacher the win and a trip to the state meet.
"Going into Regionals, my goal was to just place in the top four and to make the podium to receive a medal," stated Claire, a first-year wrestler. "I remember after I pinned the athlete from Lewis Central (Katzer), who I had beat to get into the Finals, my teammates and coaches were right by my side, hugging and cheering. When I finally got the thought of going to State in my mind, I ran straight to my family, friends, teammates, and coaches who have been cheering me on all season."
Claire's family, friends, teammates and coaches will have the opportunity to cheer on the freshman this weekend at the state tournament in Coralville this Thursday and Friday. The first session consisting of the first round, quarterfinals, and 1st and 2nd round consolation rounds will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The semifinals, 3rd round consolations, consolation semifinals, and 7th place matches will be held on Friday between 10:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Finals, the third place matches, and the fifth place matches will commence at 6:00 p.m. Friday evening. The brackets for Claire's class and weight group can be found in this issue.
Good performance to you, Claire!
Photo provided by Amy Schumacher. Thanks, Amy!