The Perry girls wrestling team closed out day one in 22nd place with 28 points, as the inaugural IGHSAU Girls State Wrestling Championships unfolded in front of a sellout crowd inside Xtreme Arena in Coralville.  Decorah leads the team race with 82 points followed by Waverly Shell Rock with 74.  Raccoon River Northwest paces the area teams with 33 points while Dallas Center Grimes is 19th with 30 points.

Perry sent six wrestlers into competition with three of them surviving the first day and in a position to place top 8 in the state.  Perry heavyweight Chelsea Mickles didn’t compete due to a concussion at the Regional qualifier.  Taylor Atwell, Charity Mickles and Lauren Rodgers will all be competing today for a chance to place top 8 through the consolation bracket.

Rodgers enjoyed Perry’s strongest performance of the day.  She powered her way into the quarterfinal round with back to back falls in both the first and second rounds.  Top seed Emma Peach defeated Rodgers in the quarterfinals with a first period fall (1:24) to push Rodgers into the consolation semifinals today.  She is one win away from claiming a top 8 finish in the state.

Atwell started the tournament with a fall in the opening round but lost to top seed Molly Allen of Riverside with a fall late in the second period.  Atwell battled back in the consolation round, winning a pair of matches and is now one win away from clinching a top 8 finish at state.

In a similar fashion at 130 pounds, Mickles opened the tournament with a second period fall in the first round over Gracie Leslie of Nevada.  The senior ran into the weight’s top seed in the 2nd round and was pinned by Lilly Luft at the one minute mark.  Mickles won a pair of consolation matches and is now one win away from clinching a top 8 finish at state.

Perry’s 105 pounder Mercedes Ponce was eliminated after going 1-2 on the day.  She dropped a close first round match to Ava Gannon of DCG 4-0 and was eliminated in a tight 2-1 consolation match later in the day.

Perry 125 pounder Aiden Erickson was eliminated after going 0-2 on the day while Julie Maylum went 1-2 on the day and was eliminated in the 2nd round consolation by Becca Tollefson of Decorah 3-1.

Raccoon Valley Radio will continue to have play by play coverage of the Girls State Wrestling Championship later this morning.  Drew Russell, Tim O’Brien and JP Hulgan will be matside with the call.