Out of seven competing wrestlers, four Dutchgirls etched their names in the history books as medalists during the inaugural Owensville Girls Wrestling Invitational Tournament held last Monday at Owensville High School.

Having two wrestlers in two weight classes helped increase the odds of more medals staying in Gasconade County with the top two girls in each weight class going home with medals.

Keeping medals in town for the Dutchgirls were freshman Elizabeth Adams (1st at 115 pounds), junior Josie Gerlemann (2nd at 149 pounds), junior Emily Krause (1st at 195 pounds) and junior Kelby Schoenfeld (2nd at 195 pounds).

Adams and Krause both encountered very familiar faces on their way to gold medals last Monday.

At 115 pounds, Adams’ first opponent was Dutchgirl teammate Jersey Reynolds.

Pinning Reynolds in 5:03, Adams went on to defeat Sullivan’s Karen Dietzler winning a 4-0 decision to become the first tournament champion in the history of the Owensville Dutchgirl wrestling program.

“I can’t say enough how proud I am of Liz and the rest of the girls,” Dutchgirl head wrestling coach Dustin Howard said.

Injured in her match against Adams, Reynolds finished third at 115 pounds.

For Krause, her only competition at 195 pounds was fellow Dutchgirl grappler Kelby Schoenfeld.

That meant both wrestlers would get medals regardless of how they fared.

In the end, Krause became OHS’ second tournament champion winning the best two-out-of-three matches by fall in 1:35 and 1:26 respectively over Schoenfeld.

Leading 5-2 midway through the first period of her match at 149 pounds against Sullivan’s Julianna Graddy, Dutchgirl junior Josie Gerlemann wound up being pinned by the Lady Eagle grappler in 1:38 who went on to claim first place.

Bouncing back in her next match, Gerlemann pinned Sullivan’s Maria Schatzl in 1:46 to claim the second-place medal at 149 pounds.   

Going 2-2 in her four matches at 141 pounds, McKenzy Echols placed third scoring wins by fall over Union’s Ella Purschke (4:41) and St. Clair’s Peyton Dunn (4:02).

Pinned by Sullivan’s Dorie Richardson (1:51) and Blair Oaks’ Skye Schubert (:45), Echols saw those two wrestlers place first and second respectively at 141 pounds.

Getting five matches, Dutchgirl freshman Bailee Dare took full advantage winning three of them during her tournament action at 159 pounds

Dare quickly won her opening-round match pinning Rolla’s Belle Witham in :17.

Round two saw Dare end up on the other side of the coin being pinned in 1:27 by Blair Oaks’ Halie Eaton.

Dare’s final match before bracket action saw her pin Hannibal’s Sydney Zimmerman in :29.

Pinned by Union’s Gianna Schreck in 1:44, Dare was sent to the third-place match against Sullivan’s Ruby Daily.

Scoring a quick takedown, Dare turned that into a win by fall in :45 giving her third place at 159 pounds.

Also at 159 pounds, Eaton went on to win the tournament title at that weight class while Schreck placed second.