By Chad Koenen

Publisher

The New York Mills girls wrestling team kicked off their season in style on Saturday at the Dennis Kaatz Memorial wrestling tournament.

All 11 girls who competed for the Eagles placed fourth or higher with Ellie Lorentz and Ellyana Ruther securing their first-ever wins.

Seventh grader Resa Tumberg took first place at the 106A tournament after she secured a pin over Jenelle Leuthold of Detroit Lakes at 1:53, as well as a pin over Bailee Rife of United North Central at 2:23. 

Shauna Geiser and Rose Tumberg took first and second place in the 124A tournament with Geiser securing a pin over Sophie Johnson of UNC at 5:45 and a 9-4 decision over Tumberg in the championship. 

Tumberg advanced to the championship after securing a pair of pins over Alora Green of Thief River Falls at 1:59 and another pin over Kaylee Endres of Wadena-Deer Creek at 3:51. 

Natalie Kern took second place in the 100B tournament after she secured a pair of wins over Sadie Hotakainen and Kaley Dahlsad of Detroit Lakes. 

Rachel Tumberg took second place in the 118A tournament after she secured a pin over Ava Molter of Otter Tail Central at 1:32, a tech fall over Maralyn Meyer of Osakis at 2:59 and another tech fall over Haley Meyers of Wadena-Deer Creek at 4:22. Her lone loss came at the hands of eventual champion Madison Poissant of Thief River Falls. 

Makaya Oehrlein took second place at 136B after edging Ellyanna Ruther in the semi-finals, before falling to Rose Spears of Blackduck/Cass Lake-Bena by a fall at 3:48 in the championship. Ruther would go on to take fourth place in the 136B bracket. 

Other Eagles placing at the tournament include: Sadie Hotakainen who took third place in 100B, Ellie Loretnz who took third place in 100B, Bella O’Dea who took third place in 106B and Bailey O’Dea who took fourth place at 118B.