By Mark Schafer | The News-Review
 CORALVILLE – Success isn’t always about how far you go.
Sometimes success can be defined in the small areas that aren’t always observed by everyone. For both Sigourney-Keota and Pekin, although their State wrestling meets were short, they were full to the brim of success.
S-K’s MONTGOMERY MAKES THIRD ROUND, CLARAHAN GOES 0-2
Coming into the State meet obviously the goal of any wrestler is to make it to the top of the podium. However, inside each and every match is filled with moments that help improve a wrestler.
Those moments were where the two Sigourney-Keota wrestlers excelled during their State wrestling tournament, even if neither Kia Montgomery nor Sadie Clarahan finished on the podium.
“There were a lot of moments in all the matches today where both Kia and Sadie really took control of their matches,” Sigourney-Keota head girls wrestling coach, Trevor Weeks said. “They may not have won every match, but they were able to win moments that, earlier in the year would have defeated them. That’s the growth you like to see out of a wrestler.”
Montgomery started her State meet facing off against a Missouri Valley opponent. In what would be a tough battle, Montgomery would be bested by a major decision, 9-1.
In her first consolation round match Montgomery wasn’t going to let her tournament end after just two rounds. Montgomery recovered from an early deficit and was able to eventually work her way to an 11-4 win, to advance her in the tournament.
In the second consolation round Montgomery seemed to control much of the first period. However the second and early parts of the third period belonged to her opponent and Montgomery was eventually pinned in the early portion of the third period.
The junior finishes her season with a 48-12 overall record.
Sadie Clarahan started off her State tournament against an Assumption opponent. Clarahan was able to get two escapes in the match, but she was defeated 8-2.
In the consolation round Clarahan was able to battle though the first period, but Clarahan was pinned in the second period.
Clarahan’s season ended with a 35-16 record.
Both Montgomery and Clarahan are juniors and have another chance to make it to the Xtream Arena next winter.
PEKIN’S MILLER, NELSON FALL IN TWO ROUNDS AT STATE
The season for both Lexa Nelson and Lila Miller didn’t end how they were expecting it to.
Nelson, who returned to the Xtream Arena after finishing sixth in 2025, was aiming for a higher finish this year.
In her first round match Nelson was battling an Osage wrestler. In the first period both wrestlers were able to take turns getting offense. After one period Nelson trailed 10-6. After a quiet second period, Nelson would get an early reversal to pull within 10-8. However, a takedown and a four-point nearfall sealed the match and Nelson was sent to the consolation bracket following a 17-8 major decision defeat.
In the first consolation round Nelson seemed to be overwhelmed by Davis County’s Bradi Houston. Houston needed just 55 seconds to record the pin and end the season of Nelson, who had a 34-6 record this year.
In the 120-pound bracket Lila Miller was pinned in both of her matches. Miller was pinned in 1:04 in her first match. In the consolation round her opponent needed 1:15 to earn the pin.
Miller finishes the year with a 32-12 record.
Photos by Mark Schafer
