From left, Jasmine Luedtke, Ashton Grace, Corbin Grace, Trevor Summers
Four OHS wrestlers will compete at the 2022 IHSAA State Wrestling Championships February 17-19 in Des Moines. For three of these wrestlers, this is their second trip to state.
Freshman Ashton Grace will be making his first state appearance in the 106 weight class. He has wrestled for 11 years and is seeded 7th with a season record of 35-8. He is spending as much time as possible preparing for the state meet. Mentally, he is trying to not think about it but approach it as he does every other match. Wrestling has help him prepare mentally for things. "A lot more than wrestling goes into it," he said.
Her second trip to the state tournament may be her last due to the recent sanctioning of girls wrestling in Iowa. Jasmine Luedtke, a sophomore, is working on her mindset and switching gears from the regular season to state competition. "I have to prepare to go up to the next level," she said. She recently placed second in the girl's state wrestling competition.
Senior Corbin Grace heads to state for his second and last time at 120 pounds. A wrestler for most of his life, he hopes to end his high school career placing higher than his 7th place finish last year. He is ranked sixth in the state with a 38-5 season record. To prepare, he has been working on leg rides and finishing shots. "I fell in love with wrestling," he said. "I like the physicality of it, there is no teammate to help you on the mat." The Grace brothers are first generation wrestlers and plan to carry on the tradition. He plans to wrestle in college.
Another returning senior, Trevor Summers will wrestle at 182. With a 7th place finish last year, he hopes his improved diet and more work in the room will help him find success. "I'm pushing myself harder every day," he said. With a record of 40-1, he is seeded 2nd and ranked 5th in the state. He has had several colleges express interest but has not made his final decision yet.
Grace brothers work on technique.
