Local wrestlers Caelyn Hanff and Elizabeth Riggs reflected on their positive showings at the district tournament and looked forward to the state competition, which begins Thursday.
Hanff wrestles in the 149 pound class for the Warrenton Warriors. She placed second at the district tournament. Riggs wrestles in the 125 pound weight class for the Wright City Wildcats. She placed third in the district tournament. They both will compete in the state wrestling tournament, which begins Thursday and runs through Saturday.
Hanff has been wrestling for the past four years. She wrestled on the Warrenton Middle School wrestling team last year before joining the high school wrestling team this year. Hanff defeated Olivia Chapman of Eldon High School in a 5-3 decision in the district semifinal to clinch a spot in the state tournament. For Hanff, the district tournament felt like another meet.
“The more I thought about it, the more I didn’t want to think about it. So I just stopped thinking,” Hanff said.
Warrenton High School wrestling coach Clayton Olsson believes the biggest adjustment for Hanff in her first year of high school wrestling was learning not all matches were going to be a first period pin. She learned she has to fight more at the high school level, according to Olsson.
“ I think the main thing that she’s had to develop is adjusting to the difference between like the hour long kids club practices to the more grueling high school practices and tournaments,” Olsson said.
Riggs, a sophomore, started wrestling last year when she joined the Wright City wrestling team. She defeated Elektra Lowe of Liberty High School in the consolation semifinals to earn a berth in the state tournament. For Riggs, the district tournament was very nerve wracking, she said.
“Especially being a two-day tournament, I had to like go home and all I could think about was get ready for the next matches,” Riggs said. “It’s very nerve-wracking but something I’ve been doing more this season which has really helped me is I’ll like just like close my eyes and I’ll go through all my moves and think through everything that I’m going to do before the match. And it helps also like not get me so nervous.”
Wright City girls wrestling coach Fred Ross believes Riggs has become more of a leader this season.
“Her leadership abilities has gotten much better,” Ross said. “And that’s really helped because we got what seven other girls that are all younger than her. I think they look up to her for her wisdom and guidance and that leadership.”
Both Hanff and Riggs will be competing in the state tournament for the first time. Riggs was one match away from making the state tournament as a freshman.
Riggs is looking forward to the experience of competing at the state level.
“I obviously want to place as high as I can but it’s more just the focus was more to get to state,” Riggs said. “And that was more of like the first goal but now obviously I want to do as best I can and place if I can. So it’s just fine tuning all the skills I’ve used this year and using my district knowledge in how that went knowing my competition.”
Unlike at the district tournament, Hanff expressed anticipated pressure in the week prior to the state tournament. She believes everyone expects more from her because she made it this far.
Olsson said all they want out of any wrestler at the state tournament is hard-nosed wrestling and consistent effort.
“We’re excited to see how everything comes out,” Olsson said. “What our athletes are capable of and I think once she gets in there, all those nerves, once you step on the mat and the ref blows the whistle, you’re like it’s just a match. A lot of it goes away at that point. The nerves lead up to it but a lot of it goes away once the action starts.”