Central’s Young places at Missouri Valley women’s wrestling Open
MARSHALL, MO. — Central College women’s wrestling team freshman Asia Young (Houston, Texas, Cypress Ridge HS) earned first college podium finish, taking sixth in the 235-pound bracket at the Missouri Valley Open Saturday.
This was Central’s biggest tournament so far as 460 athletes from 30 different institutions were represented, including the University of Iowa. Only five members of the Dutch program wrestled. Emma Carter (sophomore, St. Louis, Mo. Parkway West HS), who finished sixth at the first two tournaments did not compete.
“We wrestled tough this weekend,” coach Paige Baynes said. “I wanted them to experience what high-level wrestling was and what the possibility of a national meet could look like.”
Asia Young (freshman, 235 pounds, Houston, Texas. Cypress Ridge HS) opened her tournament with a 14-1 technical fall victory over Anika Vasquez of Iowa Lakes Community College. She added a second-round fall against Aaliyah Ivarra of Avila University (Mo.). She lost by technical fall against Samantha Calkins of the University of Iowa and then injury defaulted out of the tournament.
“Asia was wrestled super hard and was able to make it to the second day,” Baynes said. “She lost her semifinal match on simple mistakes, and we will continue to make the minor adjustments. We pulled her to keep her healthy, but I have no doubt in my mind that she would have finished higher than sixth place if she could have continued”
Gwen Canney (freshman, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy HS) picked up her first collegiate win with a 10-0 technical fall Neveah Hast of Morningside University in the consolation third round at 191 pounds.
“She dominated that match,” Baynes said. “We still have a lot to work on, but this was huge for us.”
Aniya Coleman (freshman, 116 pounds, Kansas City, Mo., Park Hill South HS), Leilani Asis Nonog (freshman, 155 pounds, Covington, Wash., Kentwood HS) and Selena Snell (freshman, 235 pounds, Kansas City, Mo., University Academy) were all 0-2 against high-level competition.
The Dutch are off until December 2 when they travel to the Buena Vista Open in Storm Lake.
