Merci Scholten (left) and Hannah Schmitz (right). Photo courtesy of Brandon Schmitz
The Norwalk freshmen duo of Hannah Schmitz and Merci Scholten have qualified for the Class 2A Girls State Wrestling Tournament. They will begin competition today at 4:30 p.m. at Coralville’s Xtream Arena.
Schmitz, who enters the state meet with a 41-5 record, is seeded 9th in the 100-pound bracket. She qualified for state by placing first in last Friday’s regional meet at Glenwood. Schmitz will wrestle Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln’s Ellie Johnson in the first round, looking to avenge one of her regular-season defeats.
Schmitz tells KNIA Sports that she is going to the state meet with confidence, adding that her goal has changed from being a state qualifier to becoming a state medalist. “My whole mindset this whole season has been (that) it doesn’t matter what you’re seeded, what you’re ranked,” she said. “Just go out there and give your best no matter who is across from you. It could be the best, it could be the worst, but it doesn’t matter. You go out there and be a hammer on them.”
Scholten earned her state berth with a runner-up finish at Glenwood, pinning four straight opponents following a first-round loss. She enters the state meet with a record of 16-16 and will face top-seeded Katie Biscoglia of Raccoon River Northwest in the first round at 110 pounds.
Scholten hopes to make her presence felt on the sport’s biggest stage. “My goal is definitely when I put my hands on somebody that they feel me,” she said. “I want to make sure that I’m hustling and that I am doing everything I can to defend any move that they take on me.”
Today’s Class 2A session includes first round matches and quarterfinals, as well as first and second-round consolation matches. The 2A state meet will continue on Friday at 1:00 p.m. The championship finals are set for Friday at 6:30.