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Thunder Ridge junior Shauna Anderson stands atop the podium after winning her second straight state title. | Courtesy photo.
POCATELLO – It’s never easy to repeat as state champion. It’s not supposed to be easy.
In the girls’ competition at Saturday’s Idaho State Wrestling championships, two returning state champs had to go to overtime to claim titles. A third wasted no time in earning back-to-back titles.
“You have to give it all you got,” Salmon’s Raelynn O’Connor said after finishing strong in the 100-pound match to force overtime and then earn a 15-8 victory with a takedown and near fall. “It’s the last high school match for me.”
O’Connor, defending state champion, trailed Ava Bui of Centennial 6-3 entering the final round, but tied the match at 8-8 to force the extra period
“Here we go, all I got for the last minute,” O’Connor said of her approach in overtime.
Blackfoot’s defending champion Keanna Conrad also found herself in a pressure match as the sophomore battled Century’s Kyler Scott to a scoreless tie after three rounds in the 132 final.
The two had met twice during the season with Conrad coming away with pins in both matches. That wasn’t the case Saturday.
“I’ve never gone to overtime,” Conrad said, noting she didn’t want to waste time in the extra period. She got a takedown eight seconds in and was able to celebrate her second title.
The sophomore improve to 39-0 on the season and has not lost a match in her two years.
Conrad said she was focused on this season, but her long-term goal is not only four state titles, but to finish her high school career unbeaten.
That’s a challenge that’s still some time in the making. Conrad said her motivation hasn’t wavered.
“I’ve envisioned it and I’ve worked every day towards it,” Conrad said of her goal of perfection. “That would be great and awesome.”
Thunder Ridge’s defending champion Shauna Anderson didn’t have to worry about any extra time to win her second state title.
The junior pinned Eagle’s Emry Woods in 30 seconds in the 185 final.
Anderson has reached the championship match all three seasons and said she has felt more comfortable after losing in the title match as an up-and-coming freshman.
“I feel like I’ve improved a lot,” Anderson said. “I know where I’m at on the mat … I don’t really get the pressure. I just wrestle for myself and whatever happens, happens.”
Other finalists included West Side’s Kathryn Christensen, who finished second at 107, and Kinzie Williams of American Falls, who was second at 114.
Thunder Ridge, with 64 points, finished fourth in the team standings behind Rocky Mountain (106), Eagle (88) and Kuna (82).
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1st Place – Raelynn O`Connor of Salmon
2nd Place – Ava Bui of Centennial
3rd Place – Kiera Hersel of Rocky Mountain
4th Place – Maritza Medina of Caldwell
5th Place – Brooke Hensley of Skyline
6th Place – Alena Messerli of West Jefferson
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1st Place – Taylor Drake of Kuna
2nd Place – Kathryn Christensen of West Side
3rd Place – Kyra Cobb of Timberline
4th Place – Tommy Stone of Eagle
5th Place – Nevaeh Therrien of Bonners Ferry
6th Place – Isabella Rice of Post Falls
114
1st Place – Joely Slyter of Lewiston
2nd Place – Kinzie Williams of American Falls
3rd Place – Ali Svancara of Buhl
4th Place – Talea Nichols of Rocky Mountain
5th Place – Lydia Townsend of Marsh Valley
6th Place – Maliyah Garcia of New Plymouth
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1st Place – Alexxis Johnson of Lake City
2nd Place – Charlee Noah of Tri-Valley
3rd Place – Zuri Tavarez of South Fremont
4th Place – Kiana Trudell of Meridian
5th Place – Gracie Price of Thunder Ridge
6th Place – Whitney Cawthra of Rocky Mountain
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1st Place – Olivia Bezdicek of Jerome
2nd Place – Shelby Garten of Timberlake
3rd Place – Kasia Hanks of Burley
4th Place – Bella Eddins of Grace
5th Place – Elyse Asaro of Rocky Mountain
6th Place – Isabella Stark of Sandpoint
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1st Place – Keanna Conrad of Blackfoot
2nd Place – Kyler Scott of Century
3rd Place – Kahli Brown of Post Falls
4th Place – Shelby Prather of Potlatch
5th Place – Katerina Ivanova of Bishop Kelly
6th Place – Lexeigh Dowd of Twin Falls
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1st Place – Kylie Fowler of Middleton
2nd Place – Zoe Fries of Kuna
3rd Place – Sofia Brown of Bonners Ferry
4th Place – Courtney Hunt of American Falls
5th Place – Ava Price of Thunder Ridge
6th Place – Jesse Rice of Clearwater Valley
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1st Place – Roxy Sheen of Buhl
2nd Place – Gracin Dennis of Emmett
3rd Place – Josie Newby of Grace
4th Place – Lochlynn Harned of Rigby
5th Place – Katelyn Fowler of Middleton
6th Place – Cashlin Volkel of Kimberly
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1st Place – Elise Twait of Meridian
2nd Place – Hayley McNeal of Potlatch
3rd Place – Samantha Harper of Bear Lake
4th Place – Skyla Cloud of Grace
5th Place – Kate Allred of Preston
6th Place – Gemma Lebeau of Eagle
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1st Place – Gavin Brown of Rocky Mountain
2nd Place – Ella Elordi of Eagle
3rd Place – Brooklyn Anderson of Coeur d Alene
4th Place – Molly Olague of Skyline
5th Place – Sarah Toribau of Oakley
6th Place – Sylvia Becker of Sandpoint
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1st Place – Shauna Anderson of Thunder Ridge
2nd Place – Emry Woods of Eagle
3rd Place – Priscilla Garcia of Kuna
4th Place – Rebecka Vail of Minico
5th Place – Ellli Hansen of Madison
6th Place – Sage Larson of Twin Falls
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Guaranteed Places
1st Place – Amie Hartman of Mountain Home
2nd Place – Reece Moody of Rocky Mountain
3rd Place – Lilli Marti of Sandpoint
4th Place – Charlie Robinson of Rigby
5th Place – Bella Smith of Malad
6th Place – Ella Chandler of Fruitland
TEAMS
Top 10
1. Rocky Mountain, 106.0
2. Eagle, 88.0
3. Kuna, 82.0
4. Thunder Ridge, 64.0
5. Grace, 54.0
6. Meridian, 52.5
7. Sandpoint, 52.0
8. Buhl, 48.5
9. Middleton, 45.0
10. Potlatch, 42.5
English (United States) ·