Three Bulldogs Girls Wrestlers Qualify for State Meet

DENVER - Three members of the Hampton-Dumont-CAL girls wrestling team have qualified for the State Wrestling Meet. Sophomore Juliette Koch, junior Maren Subbert and junior Elsie Kuper all placed second in their respective weight classes in the State Qualifying Meet on Friday, Jan. 30 to qualify for the state meet. Bulldogs' head coach Brittany Stevens on having three members of her team qualify for state.

"It is very exciting and rewarding to have three girls qualify for state," Stevens said. "It is very hard to qualify at all, so getting three through to the State Tournament is a very big deal, especially when the team only had seven compete at the regional. We are very proud of every girl on the team; they help build the program, and everyone is a part of that."

Juliette Koch placed second in the 155 pound class. Koch received a bye in the first three rounds, before defeating Charles City's Brooklyn Warnke via fall at 3:49. Koch lost in the first place match to Aplington-Parkersburg-Grundy Center's Zoey Uhelnhopp. In the second place match, Koch defeated Humboldt's Mia Sorensen by fall at 2:55. Koch expressed how qualifying for state was a dream of hers.

"Qualifying for state this year was really a dream come true," Koch said. "It means so much to see my hard work pay off. It took lots of dedication this summer and getting ad much mat time as I could, as well as putting in my best effort at practice."

Elsie Kuper placed second in the 170 pound class. Kuper received a bye in the first two rounds, before defeating North Butler-Clarksville's Kaybrie Lovrien by fall at 3:02 in the quarterfinal and Union Community's  Mya Ellsworth via fall at 3:37. After falling in the first place match, Kuper won the second place match via no contest, as she had already beaten Ellsworth. Kuper spoke on earning a spot in the state meet.

"It just comes to show how something that started out so little when I was freshly 12 years old has grown into something so big in my life," Kuper said. "The growth I have shown amazes me even more deeply than I would have imagined, and I can't wait to see where it brings me."

Maren Subbert placed second in the 190 pound class. Subbert received a bye in the first four rounds before defeating Aplington-Parkersburg-Grundy Center's Queveah Books via technical fall (15-0) at 5:26. Subbert fell in the first place match before winning the second place match via no contest as she had already beaten Books. Subbert on what qualifying for state meant to her.

"Qualifying for state means a lot to me because it shows how much work I've put into this sports, especially being an undersized 190," Subbert said. "I really wanted to make a mark this year, and going to state gives me that chance. I've really been working this year by going to camps and club down at Grand View, since they have an all girls club."

As a team, the Bulldogs placed ninth out of 17 teams in the State Qualifiying meet with a team score of 66. Koch, Kuper and Subbert will wrestle in the Varsity Girls Wrestling State Meet at Xtream Arena in Coralville on Thursday, Feb. 5 and Friday, Feb. 6.