Y ear 1 was a smashing suc- cess, it’s as simple as that. Now the trick is to build upon that success in Year 2. Will it be easy? Hardly, and yet Gilbert girls’ wrestling head coach Scott Auderer likes that challenge. After years of growing participa- tion, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union sanctioned girls’ wrestling for the first time a season ago and the number of student- athletes giving the sport a try sky- rocketed from border to border. And Gilbert had one of the larger teams in the state. The roster featured 20 grapplers, and the improvements were noticeable throughout the season. What do the Tigers have in store for an encore? Well, for starters, an even bigger roster than last winter — 25 girls in all — and that’s a pretty good place to start. “That’s the most important thing,” Auderer, who will serve as the head coach of the girls’ and boys’ programs for the second con-
Wt. Name
Gr.
100 Jaedyn Henry 100 Cece Schwager
Sr So So
100 Ava Price
110 Aubrey Shannon 115 Alicia Smith
Fr
together a strong freshman cam- paign and showcased massive im- provement as the season progressed. Bowers put together an NEXT PAGE Sr 115 Kendall Wakefield Fr 115 Ava Fuss Jr 120 Bailey Jeppesen Fr 120 Jaydan Jeppesen Sr 120 Emma Britcher So 120 Madison Shannon Sr 120 Breanna Angus Sr 125 Morgan Beardsley Jr 125 Makenna Springer Fr 125 Chloe McGuigan Fr 125 Kate Melody So 125 Calia Moore Fr 125 Cece Wagner Fr 130 Maddie Moore Fr 130 Cecilia Bowers So 130 Aubrey Dunn So 135 Tatum Heaberlin So 140 Jasmine Bradley Fr 140 Brooke Hamers Sr 140 Sadie Breyfogle Jr 155 Violet Flower Fr 170 Lizzie Mitchell Jr 170 Allisan Pepper Fr 235 Dzhesika Okumahba So 235 Anna Steenhoek Sr
secutive season, said. “To establish a program, you have to start with numbers. From last year to this year, to grow in numbers, that’s the No. 1 goal. It’s not about wins and losses right now, it’s about just establishing a program.”
and foremost,” he said. “I want to see them fall in love with the sport, and then part of them falling in love and training hard is getting better.” The wins came in bunches for a handful of girls a season ago, cul- minating in Auderer and his coaching staff taking three wres- tlers to the state tournament. Alex Harswick walked away with a fourth-place medal and a school- record 31 victories. But Harswick is now off at the University of Kansas, and several other talented graduates — state qualifier Fern Neubauer, Hadley Bo- shart, and Brooklynn Nees — leave big wrestling shoes to fill as well. Cecilia Bowers, a sophomore 130-pounder, is the lone 2023 state qualifier to return. She put
On that front, the program is seeing mas- sive success. But get- ting girls to give wrestling a try is just the first step. Next comes fun, another imperative aspect, ac- cording to Auderer. And after fun comes improvement.
WANT MORE INFORMATION ON GILBERT GIRLS WRESTLING? Use the QR Code to go to Track Wrestling. Browse “seasons” and “Iowa.” Results will be updated throughout the season.
It’s all part of the
master plan.
“I want them to enjoy the sport, first
WINTER 2023-24 | GAME ON 11
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