Fargo, N.D. (NewsDakota.com)—-The Carrington girls wrestling team finished their first season of high school wrestling with a 6th place finish in the dual state tournament. The Cardinals would face the number 3 seed from the west, Bismarck High, the Demons rolled to a 57-16 victory over the Cardinals. Bismarck would go on to win the state title in dominant fashion, defeating Minot, the number 1 seed from the west in the semifinals 48-21. The Demons would cruise in the title match as well knocking off the top seed from the east Central Cass 60-21.
Bismarck Demons 57 Carrington 16
The Cardinals would get a few good wins in the dual including Kennedy Wendel’s sudden victory overtime win over Paige Baumgartner 7-5. Wendel, who placed 3rd at 135 pounds a day earlier moved up to 140 in the dual and defeated Baumgartner who was the state runner-up at 140. Mercedes Lura (120) defeated Cambrie Feist 12-4 to pickup a major decision win. Lura, who placed 6th was defeated by Feist in the fifth place match a day earlier 15-6. Khendra Garcia, placed 7th at 140, defeated Madison Reems 11-5. Reems placed 8th at 135 and was also defeated by Wendel in the placing rounds 11-6. Kenzie Jost received a forfeit at 105 accounting for the other Cardinal points.
Carrington 42 Grand Forks Knightriders 36
The Cardinals would get pins/forfeit wins from Ashley Lindberg (250) over Amariona Rout at 2:43, Kenzie Jost (100) forfeit, Taya Lura (105) forfeit, Kylie Skadberg (115) forfeit, Mercedes Lura (120) over Coral Heyd at 1:19, and Trisa Schroeder over Julia Lee at :26. Kennedy Wendel would draw another state placer at 135, defeating Kaylee Kurz (4th at 130), 7-4 to aid the Cardinal victory. Karlee Lesmann would move up from her regular 155 roster spot and defeated Olivia Ochoa 3-2 in the 170 pound match.
Fargo Stingers 45 Carrington 28
After a pair of very close wins over the Stingers during the season, Fargo would get the Cardinals in the consolation title match picking up 7 wins via pin or forfeit accounting for 42 of their 45 points. The only match Fargo won by decision came from Emma Osier (250) over Ashley Lindbergh 6-1. The Cardinals picked up wins by pin/forfeit from Kenzie Jost (105) over Jamilia Ofori at 2:32, Khendra Garcia (135) over Emily Light at 1:07, and Jillian Parker (170) receiving a forfeit. Other Cardinals winners in the dual were Trisa Schroeder (145), Kennedy Wendel (140), and Kylie Skadberg (115).
The Cardinals wrestled the state tournament without one of their top wrestlers, Taya Lura, one of the top rated 105 pounders in the state. The junior suffered an elbow injury a week earlier during the east region tournament. Carrington will lose 3 very good seniors in Trisa Schroeder, Kennedy Wendel, and Chloe Hovedeness, but will return a very good number of wrestlers for the 2023-24 season.