With conference and postseason tournaments on the horizon for girls wrestling teams across the state, Ottawa and Seneca have many athletes who are working toward hitting their peaks and a spot at the state finals in Bloomington.

Ottawa

Pirates’ coach Kevin Aughenbaugh said coming into the season, he felt his squad would have a solid year, and they have. But he said the injury bug has hit his team pretty hard.

“We are hopeful to get some of these young ladies back before regionals,” Aughenbaugh said. “With our goals, we wanted to see if we could get two or three girls down to the state tournament. I am still hopeful that will happen, but we still have a lot of work to do to prepare for regionals and sectionals to get there.”

Aughenbaugh said there have been surprises as the season has progressed and hopes there are more as the season winds down.

“Caira Bolf has really worked hard in the off-season to become a solid wrestler for us,” Aughenbaugh said. “She has improved dramatically from last year, and we look forward to seeing what she can do as far as regionals, sectionals and state.

“Lily Gwaltney continues to just be a tough wrestler on the mat. I am really looking forward to seeing if we can make some minor changes in her wrestling style and see her down at state again this year.

“We also have several girls that had never wrestled until this year, and one that sticks out in my mind is Dawsynn Kettman. She won her last six matches and is learning the sport quickly.”

Senior Juliana Thrush, a three-time state qualifier, collected her 100th career victory this past weekend at a tournament, and Aughenbaugh is hoping to see her put herself in a position to shine at state again.

“Going forward with the season, what matters most to these young ladies, especially our seniors, is to continue wrestling hard. I want them going into regionals hungry and at their best. Everything we have done throughout the entire season prepares us for those moments. My goal continues to be the same for Juliana: Qualify for state and see what happens.”

Seneca

Fighting Irish coach Todd Yegge has only two girls wrestlers this season in senior Sammie Greisen and junior Haiden Lavarier.

Greisen is a three-time state qualifier, placing sixth as a sophomore and falling in the blood round at state as a junior. Lavarier was a sectional qualifier and finished 30-15. According to Yegge, both are trending in the right direction, with one more tournament at Harvard on Jan. 24 left before the postseason.

“Both our girls are making great progress and improving as we head towards the end of the season and hopefully peaking at the right time as we near the IHSA state series,” Yegge said. “We are excited to see what these two can do as we near that critical time of the year, and we think they can both do something special at the end of the season.”

Greisen, who recorded her 100th career victory earlier this season, is coming off a tremendous performance at the Erie Tournament this past weekend.

“Sammie just earned our first Most Valuable Award for the lower weights at Erie and did not give up a single offensive point in the entire tournament and earned 14 takedowns to earn that championship, which was very nice to see,” Yegge said. “She is attempting to be a four-time state qualifier for us, and if she makes it again this year, it would be a great accomplishment.

“Haiden also had a great tournament at Erie, defeating a state-mentioned athlete to make it to the finals, but ended up losing to the No. 3-ranked girl in the state in that match. She obviously has shown now that she can compete and even beat very good competition.”