Mount Vernon-Lisbon sophomore Kiersten Swart (115 pounds) and junior Libby Dix (190) won WaMaC titles Friday, Jan. 19, at the conference meet in Tiffin.
That came one day after MVL topped Solon 51-30 in a rivalry dual in Mount Vernon, and three days after dropping duals to WaMaC foes Independence, 48-30, and Vinton-Shellsburg, 66-18, in Vinton.
“We’ve had two really awesome days,” MVL Coach Trevor Trende said Friday night. “Solon beat us last year in the inaugural season, so to have our seniors step up and get the win … that energy fed into today.”
Against the Spartans, Dix, Swart, Audrey Tucker (115), Olivia Melsha (125), Meika Neal (135) and Adeline Whisner (145) recorded pins.
Friday, the Mustangs, despite missing a couple wrestlers, finished third in the team race, two points away from West Delaware for second. Vinton-Shellsburg won the title.
Swart lost both her matches Tuesday night, but came back and beat both wrestlers Friday. That included topping Morgan Krall of Independence in the championship, 6-5, in sudden victory.
“She makes it hard on her coaches’ heart,” Trende said. “But she stuck it out.”
Swart also won her title at the Anamosa Tournament in sudden victory.
“I feel like that’s just how I wrestle,” Swart said. “It just ends up that way.”
Swart finished third at Wamac last season, and Friday improved to 27-1.
“I’m proud of myself how far I’ve come,” Swart said. “It feels good.”
Dix, who has often wrestled at 235 to help the team in duals, enjoyed getting back to the weight she’ll seek a state title in, 190.
She ended up pinning Ellie Cox of Marion in the semifinals,a nd Ellie Fangman of Independence in the championship. She toyed with both, grabbing a handful of takedowns and giving them escapes before deciding to end things with a pin.
“It was a lot of fun,” Dix said. “It is just good practice, and good for later in the season when I’m wrestling full matches.”
Dix started the season ranked No. 1, but lost once, and fell to No. 2 behind Jana TerWee of West Lyon.
“It motivates me more,” Dix said. She improved to 25-1.
One other Mustang made the championships – Neal lost to No. 2 Maeley Elsbury of South Tama County in the finals.
Adeline Whisner (140) and Gracie Pinckney (170) finished in third place, and Tucker (115) finished fourth.
Mount Vernon senior Meika Neal works to stay off her back against Maeley Elsbury of South Tama County in the 135-pound championship of the WaMaC Tournament on Friday, Jan. 19, in Tiffin. Neal finished runner-up.