By Ross Shinberg
Regional Sports Editor
Even when West Liberty’s girls’ wrestling team doesn’t win, they still find ways to dominate.
Despite taking second place at last Thursday’s Cascade Varsity Girls Invitational, eight girls made their way onto the podium during this 19-school tournament.
East Buchanan was the team to beat with 239 team points. The Comets had 194 while third place Anamosa finished with 137.
In the 110-pound bracket, Alissa Sanchez took first place and improved her season record to 23-5. She pinned her way to the win with victories in each of the first, second and third periods. The last one was against Midland’s Karlena Buford at the 2:56 mark.
Dionni Garcia-Vasquez continued her tear in the 140-pound division with four more wins. She used three first-period pins to make her way into the championship. There, she ground out a 4-2 decision victory over Andelyn Cabalka of East Buchanan and improved her overall record to a nearly spotless 37-1.
A handful of other Comets made the title matches in their respective brackets but came up just short.
At 115, Silvia Garcia-Vasquez recorded three first-period pins to book her ticket to the gold medal match. Awaiting her was undefeated Reanah Utterback of Sigourney, who kept her perfect record intact with a fall at 2:46.
In the next class up, Kiley Collins also pinned her way into the championship match. She battled into the second period against Midland’s Alyssa Eckhardt but succumbed to a pin.
Amerie Alvarado got two free passes to start her night and ended up in the 190-pound semifinals without breaking a sweat. When she got there, she earned a third-period pin over Clinton’s Cambrie McLloyd. But in the title bout, 42-4 Brooklyn Graham got the better of her with a second-period pin.
None of Bricsia Garcia-Vasquez’s matches last Thursday made it out of the first round. This included two pins she earned to get into the championship match. There, she suffered the same fate against Alyson Krum of East Buchanan.
Two Comets were able to end their tournaments on a high note.
First was Alivia Garcia who placed third in the 105-pound bracket. She went 2-1 on the night with a second-period pin in the quarterfinals and third-period pin in the bronze medal match against East Buchanan’s Valeria Torres.
Second was Nellie Stagg at 135. She went 1-1 in contested matches with her lone loss coming against Alburnett’s 35-0 hammer Lyni Gusick. Stagg got into the win column in the third-place match with a fall at 1:41 over Muscatine’s Mallory Bruhn.
The end of the 2023-24 season is fast approaching with the Super Regional event scheduled for Friday, January 26 at the Alliant Energy Power House in Cedar Rapids.
Cascade Varsity Girls Invitational Results
100
Addison Guerra (10-21) place is unknown and scored 3.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Carly McGraw (Alburnett) 23-12 won by fall over Addison Guerra (West Liberty) 10-21 (Fall 0:35). Cons. Round 1 - Addison Guerra (West Liberty) 10-21 won by fall over Harper Determan (Clinton) 4-13 (Fall 5:02). Cons. Round 2 - Bailie Hookem (East Buchanan) 19-10 won by fall over Addison Guerra (West Liberty) 10-21 (Fall 1:27).
105
Alivia Garcia (22-12) placed 3rd and scored 17.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Alivia Garcia (West Liberty) 22-12 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Alivia Garcia (West Liberty) 22-12 won by fall over Akemah McClendon (Clinton) 22-8 (Fall 4:21). Semifinal - Chloe Utsler (Cedar Falls) 39-8 won by fall over Alivia Garcia (West Liberty) 22-12 (Fall 0:37). 3rd Place Match - Alivia Garcia (West Liberty) 22-12 won by fall over Valeria Torres (East Buchanan) 34-14 (Fall 5:36).
110
Alissa Sanchez (23-5) placed 1st and scored 28.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Alissa Sanchez (West Liberty) 23-5 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Alissa Sanchez (West Liberty) 23-5 won by fall over Nicole Schwenker (Cascade) 6-11 (Fall 0:42). Semifinal - Alissa Sanchez (West Liberty) 23-5 won by fall over Natalie Hartman (Wilton) 19-13 (Fall 4:40). 1st Place Match - Alissa Sanchez (West Liberty) 23-5 won by fall over Karlena Buford (Midland) 20-3 (Fall 2:56).
115
Silvia Garcia-Vasquez (23-3) placed 2nd and scored 24.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Silvia Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 23-3 won by fall over Angie Barrutia-Rucal (Postville) 5-10 (Fall 1:09). Quarterfinal - Silvia Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 23-3 won by fall over Emily Stutting (North Scott) 12-23 (Fall 0:34). Semifinal - Silvia Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 23-3 won by fall over Callia Logan (Clinton) 17-8 (Fall 1:24). 1st Place Match - Reanah Utterback (Sigourney) 33-0 won by fall over Silvia Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 23-3 (Fall 2:46).
120
Kiley Collins (26-6) placed 2nd and scored 24.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Kiley Collins (West Liberty) 26-6 won by fall over Lyla Broghammer (Anamosa) 8-15 (Fall 0:48). Quarterfinal - Kiley Collins (West Liberty) 26-6 won by fall over Chloe Hundertmark (North Scott) 9-14 (Fall 2:54). Semifinal - Kiley Collins (West Liberty) 26-6 won by fall over Ava Lawler (Cascade) 15-13 (Fall 0:36). 1st Place Match - Alyssa Eckhardt (Midland) 24-6 won by fall over Kiley Collins (West Liberty) 26-6 (Fall 2:31).
125
Ashley Gallardo (7-5) place is unknown and scored 0.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Grace Recker (Bellevue) 9-16 won by major decision over Ashley Gallardo (West Liberty) 7-5 (MD 15-5). Cons. Round 1 - Sadie Clarahan (Sigourney) 3-7 won by fall over Ashley Gallardo (West Liberty) 7-5 (Fall 5:23).
130
Mercedes Brockert (20-17) placed 6th and scored 11.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Mercedes Brockert (West Liberty) 20-17 won by fall over Amelya Weigand (MFL MarMac) 11-17 (Fall 5:30). Quarterfinal - Lainey Schreck (Cedar Falls) 29-10 won by fall over Mercedes Brockert (West Liberty) 20-17 (Fall 2:31). Cons. Round 2 - Mercedes Brockert (West Liberty) 20-17 won by fall over Kaelyn Holladay (Wilton) 9-17 (Fall 1:15). Cons. Semi - Mercedes Brockert (West Liberty) 20-17 won by decision over Olivia Coates (Midland) 13-13 (Dec 11-7). 5th Place Match - Harmony Hansel (North Scott) 13-7 won by decision over Mercedes Brockert (West Liberty) 20-17 (Dec 10-7).
135
Nellie Stagg (22-13) placed 3rd and scored 17.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Nellie Stagg (West Liberty) 22-13 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Nellie Stagg (West Liberty) 22-13 won by medical forfeit over Tabitha Skyles (North Scott) 15-10 (M. For.). Semifinal - Lyni Gusick (Alburnett) 35-0 won by fall over Nellie Stagg (West Liberty) 22-13 (Fall 3:22). 3rd Place Match - Nellie Stagg (West Liberty) 22-13 won by fall over Mallory Bruhn (Muscatine) 19-14 (Fall 1:41).
140
Dionni Garcia-Vasquez (37-1) placed 1st and scored 28.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Dionni Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 37-1 won by fall over Carly Maternach (Cascade) 12-6 (Fall 1:18). Quarterfinal - Dionni Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 37-1 won by fall over Lilly Steen (Alburnett) 7-14 (Fall 0:55). Semifinal - Dionni Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 37-1 won by fall over Lauren Whitney (Clinton) 13-9 (Fall 0:32). 1st Place Match - Dionni Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 37-1 won by decision over Andelyn Cabalka (East Buchanan) 39-14 (Dec 4-2).
190
Amerie Alvarado (16-3) placed 2nd and scored 20.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Amerie Alvarado (West Liberty) 16-3 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Amerie Alvarado (West Liberty) 16-3 received a bye () (Bye). Semifinal - Amerie Alvarado (West Liberty) 16-3 won by fall over Cambrie McLoyd (Clinton) 21-8 (Fall 4:47). 1st Place Match - Brooklyn Graham (East Buchanan) 42-4 won by fall over Amerie Alvarado (West Liberty) 16-3 (Fall 2:17).
235
Bricsia Garcia-Vasquez (16-3) placed 2nd and scored 22.0 team points. Champ. Round 1 - Bricsia Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 16-3 received a bye () (Bye). Quarterfinal - Bricsia Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 16-3 won by fall over Madilyn Metz (Cedar Falls) 8-11 (Fall 1:56). Semifinal - Bricsia Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 16-3 won by fall over McKenna Schroeder (Clinton) 19-6 (Fall 1:43). 1st Place Match - Alyson Krum (East Buchanan) 29-2 won by fall over Bricsia Garcia-Vasquez (West Liberty) 16-3 (Fall 1:46).