SOLON — Four varsity Lady Spartan wrestlers qualified for this week’s 2025 IGHSAU State Tournament with their performances in a Class 1A Regional Tournament Friday, Jan. 31, at the Solon High School.
Kara VeDepo, McKenna Rogers, and Olivia Bonnema will be making a return appearance at State while Tess Richards will be making her State Tourney debut.
VeDepo, a senior, took the 105-pound championship and improved her record to 36-3 in the process. She had byes for the first two rounds as well as the quarterfinals before pinning Louisa-Muscatine’s Neyva Alberhasky in 28 seconds in the semifinals and taking a 9-6 decision from Mount Vernon’s Kate Martin in the 1st Place Match. VeDepo is ranked No. 1 at 105 pounds in Class 1A by IAwrestle and will be making her third consecutive trip to State. She finished in 4th Place last year.
Rogers, a junior, took runner-up at 110 pounds and improved to 27-6. After first and second round byes Rogers disposed of Cascade’s Charlotte Lawler in 12 seconds before a fierce battle with Mid-Prairie’s Austyn Sexton in the semifinals. It was a match where the momentum shifted with Rogers appearing to be in dire straits at times, and well in-control at others before pinning Sexton with one second left in the second period, at 3:59.
“It was a gutsy match for McKenna,” said Coach Jake Munson, “McKenna was thrown to her back in the first period. She fought hard and survived until the end of the period and got right back to work eventually pinning her opponent. McKenna has great composure on the mat and she is a dangerous wrestler. She is never out of a match, no matter the score.” Rogers is also making her third State Tourney appearance in as many years.
Rogers, ranked No. 4 in Class 1A, lost a 7-4 decision to No. 3-ranked Kiersten Swart from Mount Vernon in the 1st Place Match and won by No Contest in lieu of a rematch against Sexton in the 2nd Place Match.
Richards, a 115-pound sophomore, also received byes for the first two rounds before pinning Xavier Catholic’s (Cedar Rapids) Joey Hines in 38 seconds in thequarterfinals and Central DeWitt’s Delaney Barber in
1:32 in the semis. Richards sealed the deal for the championship by pinning Mid-Prairie’s Gabby Gingerich in 1:28 in the 1st Place Match. Richards takes a 13-6 record to State.
Bonnema, No. 9-ranked at 140 pounds, has been to State the past two years with this third trip making her senior season even more special. Bonnema received a bye for the first two rounds then pinned Tri-County’s Layla Shilling in 51 seconds in the quarterfinals, Lisbon’s Alina Mallie in 1:15 in the semis, and won a tough battle against Benton Community’s Jordan Voelkel with a win by fall in 3:01 to win the gold. Bonnema takes a 22-6 record to State.
“We focused on wrestling our best going into the Regional versus focusing on potential outcomes,” said Munson. “We wanted to control what we could control and that was our effort and execution on the mat. The girls’ effort was great all night and it felt good to avenge a few losses from earlier in the season. We were proud to finish second out of eighteen teams at a tough regional as it speaks highly to the depth of quality wrestlers we have within our program.”
3rd Place – Alannah Mahoney (125 lbs.) and Lucy Miller (135)
4th Place – Layla Knazze (100) and Jadlyn Huynh (120)
Did not place – Alexis Anderson (130), Adlie Miller (190), and Haiden Wolfe (235)
“Sending four wrestlers onto the State tournament is great. Kara, McKenna, and Olivia have all competed in the State Tournament previously, with both Kara and McKenna as returning State Place winners. This will be the first trip for our sophomore 115 lb. wrestler, Tess Richards. We are looking forward to the competition and wrestling at a high level against the best in the state on Thursday and Friday. We’ve put a lot of work into the season and the four state qualifiers are confident going into the State Tournament,” said Munson.