Witt places fifth as OTC girls wrestlers finish season

By Chad Koenen

Publisher

Grace Thorpe and Kayetana Lopez-Moen placed fourth at the Section 5-6 tournament over the weekend. A total of four Otter Tail Central girls wrestlers placed at the tournament. 

A total of 40 teams from across central Minnesota and the Twin Cities area had wrestlers competing in the multi-section tournament on Friday and Saturday at St. Michael-Albertville High School. 

Thorpe advanced to the semi-finals at 124 lbs. after securing back-to-back pins in the opening two rounds of the tournament. She fell to Kaylee Endres of Wadena-Deer Creek by a pin to drop to the consolation bracket. She went on to win a 9-4 decision over Olivia Gardas of Zimmerman by a score of 9-4 to advance to the third place match. 

Thorpe has her season come to an end when she fell to Juslene Chea of St. Michael-Albertville by a pin at the 3:45 mark of the match to finish in fourth place. She finished her season with a record of 23-18 overall.

Lopez-Moen took fourth place at 130 lbs. after securing a pair of pins in the first two rounds of the tournament, before falling to Alayna Johnson of Princeton by a pin at the 1:54 mark of the semi-finals. In the consolation semi-finals, Lopez Moen picked up an 11-9 decision over Makaney Fofana of Eden Prairie to advance to the third place match.

Unfortunately, Lopez-Moen fell to Elizabeth Rademacher of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa by a 10-4 decision to have her season come to a close with a fourth place finish. She finished her season with a record of 19-6 overall. 

Also placing for the Bulldogs was Alyssa Witt who took fifth place at 136 lbs. and Ella Rich who took eighth place at 118 lbs. 

Like all seasons, they have their ups and downs. OTC lost Jolene Fosse to injury which she ended with a 5-9 record. 

Overall, the season was full of positive highlights. For example, Fosse, Rousu and Witt made their first finals in tournaments throughout the year, Lopez-Meon won multiple tournaments throughout the year, this was the most girls out for wrestling (eight) with more to come next year with up coming young wrestlers, and the OTC girls recorded 106 total wins with this being the first time where multiple girls had winning records. 

With no seniors on the girls roster, OTC is looking forward to another great season with this great group of girls. 

118- 8th place- Champ. Round 1 – Ella Rich (OTC) 15-26 won by fall over Emily Erreyes Mendez (Columbia Heights) 6-12 (Fall 1:38); Champ. Round 2 – RaeAnna Gruchow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 17-7 won by fall over Ella Rich (OTC) 15-26 (Fall 1:30); Cons. Round 2 – Ella Rich (OTC) 15-26 won by fall over Melody Her (Minneapolis Camden) 0-2 (Fall 2:23); Cons. Round 3 – Ella Rich (OTC) 15-26 won by fall over Tianna Chable Rodriquez (Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) 10-8 (Fall 3:28); Cons. Round 4 – Ella Rich (OTC) 15-26 won by fall over Bella Estrada (Hopkins) 24-13 (Fall 4:46); Cons. Round 5 – RaeAnna Gruchow (West Central Area-Ashby-Brandon-Evansville) 17-7 won by fall over Ella Rich (OTC) 15-26 (Fall 1:55)

124- 4th place- Champ. Round 1 – Grace Thorpe (OTC) 23-18 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 – Grace Thorpe (OTC) 23-18 won by fall over Kyla Smith (Quad County) 14-10 (Fall 2:09); Quarterfinal – Grace Thorpe (OTC) 23-18 won by fall over Russo Capel (Maple Grove) 22-8 (Fall 1:13); Semifinal – Kaylee Endres (Wadena-Deer Creek) 28-6 won by fall over Grace Thorpe (OTC) 23-18 (Fall 2:43); Cons. Semi – Grace Thorpe (OTC) 23-18 won by decision over Olivia Gardas (Zimmerman) 21-15 (Dec 9-4); 3rd Place Match – Juslene Chea (St. Michael-Albertville) 17-16 won by fall over Grace Thorpe (OTC) 23-18 (Fall 3:45)

130- 4th place- Champ. Round 1 – Kayetana Lopez-Moen (OTC) 19-6 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 – Kayetana Lopez-Moen (OTC) 19-6 won by fall over Alicia Goelz (Annand-M Lk Lightning) 4-9 (Fall 0:54); Quarterfinal – Kayetana Lopez-Moen (OTC) 19-6 won by fall over Elizabeth Rademacher (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) 21-8 (Fall 2:32); Semifinal – Alayna Johnson (Princeton) 20-2 won by fall over Kayetana Lopez-Moen (OTC) 19-6 (Fall 1:54); Cons. Semi – Kayetana Lopez-Moen (OTC) 19-6 won by decision over Makaney Fofana (Eden Prairie) 20-10 (Dec 11-9); 3rd Place Match – Elizabeth Rademacher (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) 21-8 won by decision over Kayetana Lopez-Moen (OTC) 19-6 (Dec 10-4)

136- 5th place- Champ. Round 1 – Alyssa Witt (OTC) 23-19 received a bye () (Bye); Champ. Round 2 – Alyssa Witt (OTC) 23-19 won by fall over Charlotte Plocharski (Hopkins) 9-9 (Fall 2:47); Quarterfinal – Annabelle Gutormson (Foley) 32-3 won by tech fall over Alyssa Witt (OTC) 23-19 (TF-1.5 3:04 (18-1)); Cons. Round 4 – Alyssa Witt (OTC) 23-19 won by fall over Anastasia Long (Waconia) 2-13 (Fall 2:35); Cons. Round 5 – Alyssa Witt (OTC) 23-19 won by fall over Elise Ashland (Minneapolis Edison) 17-11 (Fall 2:37); Cons. Semi – Laura Kohl (Princeton) 21-4 won by fall over Alyssa Witt (OTC) 23-19 (Fall 4:55); 5th Place Match – Alyssa Witt (OTC) 23-19 won by forfeit over Annabelle Gutormson (Foley) 32-3 (For.)

142- Champ. Round 1 – Sam Hinman (Minneapolis Roosevelt) 31-8 won by fall over Ella Horn (OTC) 7-23 (Fall 0:45); Cons. Round 1 – Mia Tiller (Waconia) 8-12 won by fall over Ella Horn (OTC) 7-23 (Fall 2:43)

148- Champ. Round 1 – Ava Rousu (OTC) 14-15 won by fall over Cameron Reyes (Wadena-Deer Creek) 0-24 (Fall 1:04); Quarterfinal – NOELIA FIERRO (Bloomington Kennedy) 9-7 won by fall over Ava Rousu (OTC) 14-15 (Fall 1:37); Cons. Round 2 – Agnes Cooper (Park Center) 2-3 won by fall over Ava Rousu (OTC) 14-15 (Fall 3:27)