DES MOINES, Iowa -- The Grand View Open, one of the biggest women's wrestling tournaments this season for Vanguard, concluded on Saturday with the Lions netting two top-six placers.
 
What Happened?
 
117 Pounds
Loretta Lopez had two wins in two bouts, running through Grand View's Brynn Miller rapidly (10-0) and then pinning Campbell Crabb of Central College (Iowa).  But her run had a setback, as Indian Hills CC (Iowa) wrestler Abigail Rivero had a 4-2 lead after one period.  While Lopez did well to bounce back with six points, unfortunately, Rivero did as well, as Lopez dropped the affair 10-8.  That set her up in the consolation bracket against Hailey Medina of Iowa Western CC, and Lopez steamed her way to an 11-0 victory.  That brought Miller back in her path, as the Viking had won her way through the consolation bracket, but Lopez was up to the task again and turned a 7-0 lead into a pin.  Facing Simpson's (Iowa) Deirdre Toyomura, Lopez strolled to a 12-0 victory in the first period, putting her against Daynah Gomez of Valiant College Prep.  Lopez had two takedowns in the first but trailed 8-4.  She again lunged in for two takedowns in the second half, but Gomez snuck in one as well to steal the bronze by a 10-8 score line, giving Lopez fourth.
 
124 Pounds
Elena Ramirez punched out Stevy Griffin of Iowa Lakes CC 14-2 in her opening encounter but lost a close one to North Iowa Area CC's Lily Powell 6-5.  Powell was ahead 6-3 with 16 seconds to go, and Ramirez got a takedown with four seconds left, though she did not have enough time to roll Powell over for more points.  Moving to the consolation side of the bracket, Ramirez was pitted against Annaston Jo Stene of NIACC, but though Ramirez was ahead 12-7, Stene rolled her over for a pin in the second period.
 
131 Pounds
Lily Avalos started with a dominant 10-0 win over Ariyanah Parson of University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) and then got involved in a scrappy contest with Tiyanna Mack of Life University (Ga.).  The pair exchanged takedowns, but Avalos got the final one with 1:44 to go in the second half to win 16-13.  Unfortunately, Avalos could not overcome Iowa's Emily Frost, who won via pin in the first period.  In the consolation rounds, Avalos whipped through Madison Pena (Wayland Baptist, Texas) with a pin in the first period, but Nalma Ghaffar of Red Cobra Wrestling Club came away with the next win with a 14-7 decision.
 
160 pounds
Marina Hernandez opened against Kapree Bott of Carl Albert State College, and Hernandez bolted away to win 16-4.  However, she was then bested by Baylie Wehmeyer of Morningside (Iowa) 8-3 and Carly Klein of Grand View 13-2 to go 1-2 at the tournament.  Mariz Soliman was also in the bracket, but lost to Lillian Baynes of Quincy University via pin and then Ali Koumasse of Indian Hills CC.
 
Charlize Jewell started her day with two nice wins, toppling Afi Koumasse 8-7 in a bout that went the distance.  She made two four-point takedowns with under two minutes remaining, going from down 5-0 to ahead 8-7 in mere moments.  She then rolled Keira Suro of North Iowa Area CC 10-0 to get matched up against Naomi Templeman of William Penn (Iowa).  The Lion took the Statesmen to the cleaners, winning 11-0 to reach the semifinal, a match against Eliana Callies of Upper Iowa.  Jewell was better off the hop and led 9-2, but one takedown by Callies turned into a pin to put Jewell in the consolation side of the bracket.  Facing Missouri Valley's My Willis, Jewell fought hard, but was pinned in the second period.  As a result, she was slotted into the battle for fifth, and once again topped Templeman, running up a 10-4 lead before making a pin in the later stages of the second frame.