Huskies 105-pounder completes perfect season with state title; HH’s Pugh 4th at 120
By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com
INDIANAPOLIS – After making some history, all Kendall Moe wanted was some Taco Bell.
It’s a simple request, but Moe deserves whatever she wants after what she accomplished at the inaugural IHSAA girls wrestling state finals Friday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum. Moe became one of the first IHSAA state champions in the sport, winning the 105-pound weight class.
“My stomach’s going to hurt really bad,” said Moe. “But in the end, it’s worth it. Those quesadillas aren’t going to know what’s coming.”
Moe, who finished her junior season a perfect 25-0, barely broke a sweat in the state championship match. She took on her friend and fellow undefeated wrestler Kynlie Keffer of Daleville.
“I know Kynlie and we’ve been friends for a while,” said Moe.
Before anyone knew what happened, Moe had Keffer on her back and soon got the call for a pin. It took only 20 seconds for Moe to get the fall, already establishing an IHSAA record for fastest pin that will be difficult to break.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Moe. “It was definitely nerve-wracking. I was nervous going out there. I felt adrenaline.” But Moe said once she steps on the mat, it all goes away.
“It’s what I’ve been doing for almost nine years, so I just go out there and I wrestle and I have fun,” said Moe.
Right after the championship match finished, Moe told the crowd, “I really don’t remember what I did” to get the pin. All that experience has led to instinct, and Moe knows what to do by now.
“I don’t really think, I just kind of go,” said Moe. “It’s like muscle memory. Your coach tells you to do this a thousand times so that your body knows what you’re doing, so that when you can’t think, you just go and that’s what I did.”
Moe had a relatively easy path to the championship bout. She pinned her first opponent, Floyd Central freshman Scarlett Rudnick, in 38 seconds in the opening round. Moe took care of Hobart junior Joanna Cantu even faster in the quarterfinals, getting a 29-second fall.
Moe faced Whiteland freshman Kaitlynn Fouty in the semifinals. She got some resistance but still won with an 8-0 major decision to reach the final. Fouty was the only wrestler to not get pinned by Moe in the state tournament – Moe won nine of her 10 matches by fall. This is Moe’s third year in a row winning a high school state championship; she was the IHSGW winner at 98 pounds as a freshman, then repeated as a sophomore at 100 pounds.
The Huskies had another place winner at state: senior Zoe Pugh finished fourth at 120 pounds. She reached the semifinals by toughing out her first two matches, beating East Noble senior Natalie Spidel in a 3-2 decision, then getting past Whiteland freshman Mikayla Perkins in a 7-6 decision.
Pugh lost in the semifinals, as Milan junior Kayla Roell pinned her in the second period. Pugh took on Plymouth sophomore Angel Smith in the third-place match and dropped a 4-2 decision in a hard-fought match.
“It was amazing,” said Pugh. “It was a really good experience. “It’s sad that it was my last chance, but it was a good one.”
Junior Isabella Bailey also wrestled for Heights, at 145 pounds. Bailey lost her opening match to Highland junior Aleksandra Bastiac, who pinned her in the first period.
Carmel had two wrestlers compete at state. Sophomore Grace Sharp dropped her first-round match by a 13-5 major decision, while 155-pound junior Daniela Ramirez-Zarate was pinned in the third round of her opening match by Garrett sophomore Rhaigyn Trenary.
Photos by Bob Cross
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