November 27, 2024

Panthers looking to be a tourney threat

By CHEYENNE ROCHE
The 2024-25 Creston girls wrestling team. Front row, from left: Nevaeh Chesnut, Karter Clayton, Alainah Galanakis, Evy Marlin, Lydia Williams, Grace Keeler. Back row: Mila Kuhns, Karlie Kruse, Zoey Vandevender, Sydney Hoffman, Christina Strand, Danikka Barber and Braelynn Rice. Head coach Maggie Arnold is assisted by Mario Galanakis and Jeff Bevins.

The 2024-25 Creston girls wrestling team. Front row, from left: Nevaeh Chesnut, Karter Clayton, Alainah Galanakis, Evy Marlin, Lydia Williams, Grace Keeler. Back row: Mila Kuhns, Karlie Kruse, Zoey Vandevender, Sydney Hoffman, Christina Strand, Danikka Barber and Braelynn Rice. Head coach Maggie Arnold is assisted by Mario Galanakis and Jeff Bevins. (Contributed photo by LARRY PETERSON)

The Creston girls wrestling team is already off to a strong start in its first season out of former Highway 34 co-op with Lenox and East Union.

The Panthers have already competed in a quadrangular at Denison-Schleswig and a tournament in Urbandale where the team placed sixth.

“I was really pleased with how we finished at Urbandale Saturday,” head coach Maggie Arnold said. “Those are huge teams we went up against and we really held our own in those brackets. I think we’re going to be a pretty tough tournament team.”

While eight new girls bring needed depth to the roster, the team still has a few open weight classes.

Right now, the Panthers aren’t filling the 100, 120, 155, 170 and 190 lbs weight brackets.

Arnold hopes this will shift as all the wrestlers are back on the mat and getting closer to their end-of-season weight.

Because of these openings, Arnold anticipates duals as a potential weakness for the team.

“But the girls we do have wrestling for us are going to score big points for us with pins and making it to the medaling and placing rounds,” she said. “As a tournament team, we’re going to be pretty tough.”

The team is leaning on its three seniors — one newcomer and two returning state qualifiers.

“Evy Marlin and Zoey Vandevender, we’re going to follow their lead as far as winning is concerned,” Arnold said of the state qualifiers. “They’ve set a standard of excellence. We’re going to rely heavily on them.”

Marlin started the season strong with a win at Urbandale at 135.

Karter Clayton is a newcomer, but is already performing well at 110 for the team.

“She had a really great first couple competitions,” Arnold said. “She ended up placing fourth at Urbandale.”

Other returners include junior Sydney Hoffman who went 3-0 at Denison; sophomore Alainah Galanakis who won at 125 at Urbandale and junior Grace Keeler who took silver at the tournament.

Newcomers looking to make a splash are junior Nevaeh Chesnut who came in and earned 7th at 105 in Urbandale as well as freshman Karlie Kruse who is a product of the Express Wrestling program.

Kruse took third at 130 in Urbandale.

The Panthers get back into action in December with a tournament in Norwalk Dec. 10 and a home triangular the 12th with Red Oak and Atlantic.

Arnold is assisted in coaching by Mario Galanakis and Jeff Bevins.

Cheyenne Roche

CHEYENNE ROCHE

Originally from Wisconsin, Cheyenne has a journalism and political science degree from UW-Eau Claire and a passion for reading and learning. She lives in Creston with her husband and their two little dogs.