The second-year Fort Calhoun High School girls wrestling program celebrated several firsts Tuesday and Wednesday during the NSAA State Girls Wrestling Championships in Omaha.
It won its first state match.
Won its first quarterfinals bout.
Earned a ninth-place team finish and won its first three Class B state medals.
Annaleigh McLaughlin, who earned fifth on the podium with third-place Beckah Gossman and fifth-place Madi Larrick, secured the first-ever Pioneers state win against Chadron's Josephine Warner in overtime. She clenched her fists and howled-out in celebration.
“Being able to win against her, especially in overtime, which is something I've never done, was just such an amazing feeling,” the 105-pounder said.
The first quarterfinals win, however, belonged to Gossman — the freshman daughter of coaches Lilly and Ben Gossman. The 145-pounder went 4-1 altogether, capping her tournament with a 7-3 decision against 40-8 Auburn wrestler Lucia Campbell during the third-place match.
The win — and her three state pins, including a 28-second effort during the consolation semis — earned cheers from the FCHS supporters in attendance at the CHI Health Center.
“Our support team has been awesome throughout the year and especially here today,” Gossman said. “We had a lot show up.”
The Pioneer standout's lone loss came during the semifinals against Stanton's Bekah Butterfield, who secured a 13-7 decision despite Gossman nearly pinning her during the second period.
“I know I've got a lot to work on and still have to improve on quite a bit,” the Calhoun grappler said. “But I'm feeling good, especially for being a freshman in the top-three.”
Did she have a favorite match?
“I did not,” Gossman said. “I enjoyed all of them. They were all a challenge, and I had fun today.”
The first month of Larrick's second FCHS season wasn't fun. She was out injured, but ultimately earned fifth in Class B at 130 pounds to cap her comeback.
“I had to go into that wrestling room and work twice as hard because I was behind all of these girls that had been wrestling,” she said of returning from injury. “I just knew that I had to put in this work and there's no excuses.”
In Omaha, the Pioneer went 3-2, securing two wins Tuesday to start. The second, against Battle Creek's Lilly Mefford, was a barnburner.
Despite a big lead in the beginning, Larrick needed a last-second escape during the third period to force overtime. She did, produced the sudden victory takedown and scored back points for a 22-15 upset of the 40-8 Bravette.
It was her favorite match, but the fifth-place match pin of her district finals opponent — Thayer Central's Braelyn Degenhardt — was satisfying, too.
“I think it feels great just knowing that all of this work in the wrestling room — and out of the wresting room — has paid off,” Larrick said.
McLaughlin, notably, won Fort Calhoun's first state tournament match, but she also won her last, pinning Albion Boone Central's Gabby Landauer in 3:57 for fifth at 105 pounds. The wrestler's 4-2 state run was a satisfying finish to the first wrestling season of her life.
“My first-ever tournament, I ended up going 0-2,” McLaughlin said. “Ever since then, I feel like I've just skyrocketed. I realized, even though I went 0-2, this is something I'm very passionate about.”
She turned that passion into a 47-18 season record.
“It just clicked for me,” McLaughlin said.
It clicked for the Pioneers altogether, who set a lot of firsts Tuesday and Wednesday in Omaha.
2 more Pioneers earn state wins
Though they fell short of the podium, two more Fort Calhoun wrestlers earned state wins during the NSAA Championships.
Ali Dill went 2-2 overall at 125 pounds, while 135-pounder Anna Rae Hartline earned a 1-2 mark.
Dill dropped her opening match to Overton's Sydnie Brown on Tuesday, but bounced back the next morning with back-to-back victories against Summerland's Gracie Mudloff and Rhiannon Tramp of Palmyra. She pinned Mudloff in 2:50 before securing a 10-0 major decision against Tramp.
A 9-7 decision loss during the third round of consolation matches, however, closed the Pioneer's season with a 42-19 overall record.
Hartline, meanwhile, picked up her first career state victory during the first consolation round. The junior led the match against Gordon-Rushville's Lainey Filmore 6-0 after one period and 8-0 through two when she pinned the 135-pounder in 3:49.
The Pioneer wrestled Genesis Recinos of Columbus Lakeview next, falling by 9-2 decision to finish the season 38-24 overall.
NSAA STATE GIRLS WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Tuesday-Wednesday at the CHI Health Center, Omaha
CLASS B
Top-10 team standings: Yutan 130 points, Columbus Lakeview 97, Conestoga 79, Johnson County Central 75, Battle Creek 70, Crofton/Bloomfield 70, Palmyra 62.5, Southwest 62, Fort Calhoun 53, Minden 52, West Holt 52.
Fort Calhoun Pioneers Results
(Weight, wrestler: Tourney record (overall record), place)
105 pounds, Annaleigh McLaughlin: 4-2 (47-18), fifth.
125, Ali Dill: 2-2 (42-19), NA.
130, Madi Larrick: 3-2 (36-12), fifth.
135, Anna Rae Hartline: 1-2 (38-24), NA.
145, Beckah Gossman: 4-1 (47-4), third.
