North Mahaska freshman Macie Little notched her ticket to next week’s girl’s state wrestling tournament Friday at the Super Regional in Des Moines. Little pinned her way into the finals match where she lost to the number three girls at 125 pounds, Alexia Winkey.
Winkey (35-1), a senior at Ames, had placed fourth at last season’s state tournament. Little (24-2) was the favorite to come out of the bottom bracket. Little opened her day with a bye before meeting Harper Lettington of Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont and pinned her in 1 minute 23 seconds. Emma Daggett of Ankeny was her next victim falling in 2:42 to put Little into the semifinals.
RD Keep/NM Communications
North Mahaska freshman Macie Little squares off with Ottumwa’s Maravilh Vedina in her 125-pound semifinal. Little lost her title matvh at regionals. But earned a trip to next week’s state tournament.
Ottumwa sophomore Maravith Medina fell in 2:37 to set up a finals match and guaranteed a spot in the state tournament. Winkey made a move quickly and Little was unable to overcome the senior wrestler and was pinned in 28 seconds.
“I was really nervous facing a ranked wrestler,” said Little. “It was the first time I had faced her. She is ranked third and finished fourth at state last year.
“She got a good shot and I defended it pretty good at first but she was able to turn me and I couldn’t recover.”
Macie Little poses with state wrestling tournament ticket.
Little said she plans to work out hard and work on the mental side of her wrestling.
“I’ve got a couple things I want to work on this week,” said Little. “I’m going to talk to coach about wrestling some boys this week. They will be faster and use their hands like I will see at state. It’s a mindset and I have to not be afraid of ranked girls.”
Little, who enters state as the 14th seed, will face 19-seeded junior Reese Roberts from Linn-Mar, who has a season record of 21-11 in the first round of state. The winner will face the winner of third-seeded Hannah Rogers of Bettendorf (40-2) or 30th-seed Helen Orszula (26-15) from Iowa City West.
Next Thursday and Friday’s meet will be held at the Xtream Center in Coralville.