PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT | STC junior Autumn Elsbury, left, prepares to take on Iowa Valley’s Raelene Hawkins in the 170-pound semifinals. Elsbury pinned Hawkins on her way to winning the STC Girls Invitational on Nov. 21.

The STC girls wrestling team kicked off its 2024 season at the South Tama Invitational on Thursday night, Nov. 21. The Trojans walked away with a second-place team finish in a large field of 17 teams. They were helped by several strong individual performances, including two wrestlers who won their weight class.

Junior Autumn Elsbury was the first champion crowned in the 170-pound weight class. Elsbury went 4-0 on the night, including a victory over Layna DeMoss of Benton to win the championship. Elsbury pinned all four of her opponents in route to her title.

The Trojan’s other champion came in the 235-pound weight class. In a battle of Trojan teammates, sophomore Kinley Jimenez pinned sophomore Emma Slifer in the title match. Jimenez finished the evening 3-0, while Slifer finished her second-place effort with a record of 2-1.

Joining Slifer with a second place finish for the evening was sophomore Livia Smith. Smith wrestled her way to the championship match against West Deleware’s Addison Schulte. Smith fell in the match but went 3-1 on the night and finished runner-up in the 100-pound weight class.

STC had two third place finishes in the Invitational. Freshman Jayva Gomez finished third in the 105-pound class with a record of 3-2. Joining her with a third place finish was sophomore Brooklyn Mitchell, who competed at 130 and went 3-1 on the night. Mitchell won her last match by pinning Taya Sincox of BGM.

PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT | STC’s Jayva Gomez takes on Benton’s Kaebry Dixon in the third round of 105-pound action on Nov. 21 at the STC Invitational. Gomez took third place in the weight class with a 3-2 record.

The Trojans had a quartet of girls who finished fourth in their weight class. These included: Isabela Saban Perez (110), Keylee Holloway (125), Ava Perkins (135), and Abigail Chyma (155).

Finishing in fifth place for STC was Ava Hendricks at 115 and freshman Maylee Rucker at 135. Also placing on the night were: Ioleta Kingbird (6th place, 155), Abigail Wilson (7th place, 125), and London Jaennette (8th place, 120).

As a team the Trojans finished in second place, 22.5 points ahead of third place Solon and 36.5 points behind team champion Vinton-Shellsburg.

Following their home invitational, the team traveled to compete in the Central Iowa Kickoff Wrestling Meet in Nevada on Saturday, November 23. The Trojans secured an impressive seventh place team finish in a field of 33 teams. In Varsity action, the Trojans had two top-five finishers. Elsbury (9-0) once again won the 170-pound weight class, and Hendricks (7-3) placed fifth at 115.

Up next for the girls wrestling team is a home match against Nevada and Iowa City Liberty on Tuesday, Dec. 3. The action begins at 5:00 p.m. at the South Tama High School Gym.

PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT | Trojan 130-pounder Brooklyn Mitchell, top, battles BGM’s Taya Sincox in the quarterfinals of the STC Invitational. Mitchell pinned Sincox on her way to third place in the bracket.

PHOTO BY STEVE BRANT | STC’S Livia Smith, top, tries to turn Ogden’s Rylin Casey in the second round of action at 100 pounds during the STC Girls Invitational on Nov. 21 in Tama. Smith scored second place in the weight class.