Comets win historic girls wrestling meet at New Hampton

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

NEW HAMPTON — For a brief moment, it didn’t look like victory was going to be in her “destiny”.

Late into the historic Charles City-at-New Hampton girls wrestling meet on Tuesday, the Comets’ resident 155-pound standout, junior Destiny Kolheim, was losing her grip over Chickasaw freshman Raelen Manderfield.

If Kolheim were a boxer, she’d be a knockout artist as most of her wins making up her near-perfect 26-1 record are first-period fall victories — many of which occurred under a minute.

But against Manderfield, Kolheim found herself in unfamiliar territory at the end of a grueling battle.

Similar to former teammate and four-time state champion Lilly Luft, Kolheim is active with her hands — like a boxer — and she gained control of Manderfield’s limbs from the standup position before wrapping her body for a takedown and a 3-1 lead midway through the second period.

Kolheim took a 5-1 lead late into the second period before a pair of penalty points called against her allowed Manderfield to pull closer and then tie the match at 5-5 midway through the third period, sending the home crowd and Manderfield’s teammates in an upset-minded frenzy.

But with 20 seconds remaining in regulation, Kolheim — despite the appearance of “running on fumes” — managed to score a takedown before riding Manderfield out through short time for the 7-5 decision win.

The Comets won New Hampton’s first-ever home girls wrestling meet by a score of 45-29.

Charles City benefited from a series of open-weight forfeits, but on occasion did take care of business when business took place on the mat.

Charles City freshman Edie Collins pinned New Hampton sophomore Ella Knutson 57 seconds into the 130-pound bout after being moved up a weight class from the original varsity card (meet lineup).

In the 140-pound bout, Comet senior Kylie Blunt pinned NH junior Olivia Hoy at the 3:30 mark after Blunt survived a near-fall predicament pressed by Hoy earlier in the second period.

New Hampton got a lift early in the dual when freshman Taelynn Bass pinned Comet freshman Gab Calpito with 15 seconds left in regulation after Calpito had built an 8-2 lead midway through the second period of the 100-pound bout.

In the subsequent 125-pound bout, NH sophomore Brooklyn McShane pinned CC sophomore Tegan Cavanaugh at 1:20.

NH freshman Sophie Glaser compiled enough points into the third period of the 135-pound bout for a 15-0 technical-fall victory over CC freshman Nya Nosbisch.

Chickasaw 145-pound sophomore Kelly Throndseon pinned Comet senior Madison Haus 1:09 into their bout.

And in the final match of the evening, NH junior Aleah Eichenberger pinned CC freshman Raegan Patrie 1:12 into their 170-pound bout.

The Comet girls are due to be back in action this Saturday (Jan. 20) for a tournament at Mason City High School — the site of the forthcoming Region 7 and 8 Super Regional the following Friday (Jan. 26) from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with qualifying berths for the second-annual IGHSAU Girls State Wrestling Tournament, Feb. 1-2 at Xtreme Arena in Coralville.