By Jasmine Hansen
With a season full of hard-fought matches the Aurora girls' wrestling team competed at Schuyler on January 17. Senior Aubrie Beed highlighted the day with a top placement, a testament to her dedication and skill. Beed placed first overall in her weight bracket. The girls have spent countless hours training and balancing their rigorous practice sessions with their schoolwork, all while supporting each other as a close-knit team.
"The bracket was tough,” senior Braina Onnen said. She attested to how her personal time went.
Twenty-four teams competed at this large meet, with Aurora placing thirteenth overall. With many of the top schools being class A, and the Lady Huskies in class B, the results were impressive. “The girls wrestled extremely well for the high caliber that the tournament was,” Coach Bailey Ballard said.
The girls pushed through a long day focusing on their techniques and strategies to outsmart their opponents.
“I was able to get through those tough matches to finish in second behind the #2 girl in Class A," Onnen said, reflecting on her performance.
Onnen finished second in her bracket gaining momentum that will hopefully carry her closer to state. She then used her leadership skills to add how she sees things for the team.
“I feel as if the team has a lot of potential going into the second half of our season. We have just Lexington, Conference, and then districts, so I am excited to see how everyone finishes out,” she said.
Also finishing with well-sought-after placings were two other girl varsity wrestlers. Junior Caly Settles fought hard and ended in fourth place at the tournament. Not far behind that placing was junior Violet Carstensen. Finishing fifth in her weight bracket.
“Everyone had to work really hard and persevere mentally and physically through long matches,” junior Londyn Teahon said.
Despite the challenges faced on the mat, the Aurora girls' wrestling team continued to show their growth and strength, with each girl gaining valuable experience for the rest of the season.
“I see myself finishing out the season as a different wrestler than I was at the start,” Teahon said.
The tournament was not just a test of skill but of character, and the team proved that they had both in abundance. As the day came to a close, the girls walked away with not only individual accomplishments but also a sense of unity in what they had achieved together, facing tough opponents.