Picking up a win at the IHSAA Girls Wrestling State Finals remained an elusive feat for Bloomington South’s qualifiers again this year.
Breaking through is a tough process, but at the same time, head coach Donnie Hillenburg knows his squad is making progress. From four qualifiers last year to five this year. From one underclassman making it last year to two this year, including a freshman, is an important step in allowing them to build up the experience it usually takes to be successful at state.
“We’re starting to build on sending younger girls up there, not just seniors,” Hillenburg said. “We’re building a good culture. Everybody is buying in.”
Hillenburg is building toward the future, where he can create more competition in the room the way powerhouse programs like Whiteland, Crown Point or Franklin. He’s seeing the junior high programs growing and he’s getting a girls only elementary program off the ground.
“Our schedule is good,” Hillenburg said. “We wrestle everybody that we need to wrestle, but sometimes, it’s just luck of the draw at state and which region you’re matched up against.
“But the girls are getting experience and getting there. As a program, we’re working on tweaking a few things and getting more girls out and more involvement, so we’ll have better numbers.”
But whether it be a tough draw or tough luck, the Panthers’ season is done after the first round of action inside Corteva Coliseum at the Indiana Fairgrounds on Friday, June 16.
Five up, five down
At 105 pounds, junior Joslyn Hererra (28-9) had the most success of the five, taking an 8-3 lead after the first period. But Dominika Zarate of Mt Vernon (Fortville) (26-5) started the second on bottom, got a reversal and a pin in 3:31.
“She came out ready to wrestle,” Hillenburg said. “She was up in good position, up 8-1, but she got out of position just little bit on top. The girl was able to capitalize on that and put her on her back.
“To wrestle like she did and get ahead and lose is hard to swallow. But the fact is, she didn’t qualify for regional last year and now she’s wrestling at state today. She’s made big leaps.”
At 100, senior and 10th ranked Mariah Pope (16-9) had hoped for better in her second trip to state, but No. 8 Merrillville’s Meagan Thomas (31-5) jumped all over her for an 11-2 lead after the first period and went on to 20-4 tech fall at 3:10 of the second.
At 120, senior Lila Pierce (26-13) gave up a reversal to start the second period and it led to a loss to Kennedy Stephens of Highland (32-8) by pin in 2:10.
Freshman Samiya Love (27-11) had her hands full with No. 5 Claira Gramlin of Lebanon (24-4) in her opener at 190 and fell by pin in 1:04.
And at 235, ninth-ranked senior Jaclyn Hillenburg (31-8) had the toughest draw of all thanks for her fourth-place finish at regional due to her injury and bowed out by pin in 1:21 against No. 3 Rachael Adolphe of North Central (23-1).
Gramlin and Adolphe both went on to make the semifinals, ensuring a top-four finish.
South will get back at it, looking for more in 2027.
“”I think it’s just going to be more of the same we’ve been doing in the practice room, last year sent 4, sent 5 “We’ll keep our nose to the grindstrone,” Hillenburg said. “And keep working.”
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: South girls have tough time at IHSAA state wrestling meet
Reporting by Jim Gordillo, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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