Editor’s note – This feature was written by the Prep Sports Reporting class after the state tournament last week and the editor didn’t post it online at that point.
By the time Mount Vernon head coach Trevor Trende stepped off the mat Friday morning at the Iowa Girls State Wrestling Tournament, his emotions had already swung in every direction. “Honestly it’s been a rough morning losing Kate [Martin] and Kiersten [Swart] to start,” Trende said. “I always say coaching is weddings and funerals. It’s the highest of highs and lowest of lows.”
With early losses and two semifinal matches happening at once, the Mustangs leaned into the three-word phrase that defined their weekend: nothing to lose.
“Having to watch both semifinal matches at once was hard on my heart but just super proud of those two for punching their ticket to the finals,” Trende said after both Gracie Pinckney and Adeline Whisner fought for their place at finals Friday night. Rather than tightening under pressure, Trende emphasized effort and enjoyment. “I tell these girls if you give it your all for six minutes, I’m going to be proud, win or lose,” he said. “The mindset today is just go get the next best thing and if we lose a match let’s go and get it on the backside.”
That mentality showed up most clearly through Adline Whisner and Gracie Pinckney, both of whom advanced to the finals after tense semifinal rounds. “I just want these girls to be calm, cool and collected and wrestle free like Adeline and Gracie did, then you get good results,” Trende said.
At 145 pounds, Whisner carried the team’s motto with her onto the mat as she fought through the bracket to a second-place finish. “Just remembering I have nothing to lose. I can leave it all out there or I can finish knowing I could’ve given it more,” Whisner said. “I gave it all I got, I had nothing to lose.” Whisner said the result didn’t define her weekend as much as how she competed. “We feed off each other’s energy. We are a family,” she said. “I can say I gave it my all, even though it’s not the result I wanted, I got my seed.” That family environment proved to be central to Mount Vernon’s program. “I don’t know how I could be where I am without our family environment,” Whisner said.
At 170 pounds, Pinckney’s tournament run reflected the same fearless approach, especially in high-pressure moments. “Nothing to lose. I had nothing to lose in that last match. We were on the edge, I took a shot, I had never done that,” Pinckney said after her semifinal win against Fairfield’s Samantha Lyons. The senior said her performance was the result of long-term work paying off. “All the time waking up early, going to the gym and wrestling has paid off,” Pinckney said. “All the stuff I’ve been taught over summer to get me to this point has paid off. There’s improvement.”
After qualifying for state all four years, Pinckney finally had her shot at a state title. “I’ve qualified all four years, I’m just so excited. I’m finally in the finals and it feels awesome!” she said.
Following her championship win, Pinckney said she relied on energy and preparation. “I came in with a lot of energy. I knew she was going to be a tough opponent and I knew I had to pull something out to get a big win,” she said. Pinckney credited her support system throughout the weekend. “My family is my biggest support,” she said.
For Head Coach Trende, the state tournament was never just about medals, but about how his team responded to adversity. With setbacks, breakthroughs and moments of pride, Mount Vernon’s weekend reflected exactly what their motto promised- wrestle free, trust the work, and compete like there’s nothing to lose.