The West Fork girls wrestling team is in the final stretch of preparation for the Class 1A Region 3 state qualifying tournament on Friday at Crestwood.
Leading the Warhawks, Jenny Ramirez is 31-7 at 145 with 22 falls and Josi Janssen at 140 is 26-5 with 19 falls. Both wrestlers recently finished runner-up at the Top of Iowa Conference tournament on Thursday, January 22. Head Coach Onni Prestidge says the duo are driven in practice and competition.
“They battle in the room. Sometimes I’ll look over and you would think that they are actually competing for a state title at that moment,” says Prestidge. “We’ve got these two girls who are competing their hearts out every day, to try to get better and try to get that little edge on themselves. It’s fun to see those two compete.”
Janssen, Ramirez and Lily Baker were voted as team captains by their teammates at the start of the season. Prestidge says they have mentored a first year heavy lineup.
“Those three are really showing our young team. We’ve got half of our team that are first-year wrestlers. We’re really having these three captains show the rest of the team what it takes to get to a certain point to a certain level—whether it’s the weight room, whether it’s offseason, whether it’s just a daily practice.”
Also having a standout season is Presli Busch who 14-12 at 170 and 190 and finished runner-up at 190 at the Top of Iowa Conference tournament.
The Class 1A Region 3 state qualifying tournament will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Friday in Cresco.
