Ozark’s Maelynn Sundlie is winning at the same pace at 130 and 135 pounds this season that she did at 120 and 125 a year ago.
Sundlie upped her record to 21-6 with a 9-2 win Thursday against Nixa’s Ava Frye in a battle of state-qualifiers from last season.
Sundlie, who has won seven straight, is adapting well to life at 130 and 135 on and off the mat.
“(Opponents) are definitely stronger this year, but I think I got stronger over the off-season,” Sundlie said. “I can eat a little more this year. I had some tough weight cuts last year, but nothing too bad. I try to have a good diet and we work hard.”
Frye briefly had control of Sundlie and threatened to put her on her back. But Sundlie bounced back and regained her dominance. She felt she found the right balance between keeping her composure and realizing the sense of urgency.
“There was still some composure, but also definitely a sense of urgency (because) I wanted to get off bottom right away,” Sundlie said. “I wanted to not freak out and not make a dumb mistake.”
Sundlie also enjoyed seeing her practice partner, Faith Shepherd, record a pin in 2:47 against Nixa’s Nataya Rikard at 140.
“She's improved so fast and so much,” Sundlie said of Shepard, who is in her second season on the mat.
“I've learned a lot since last year, grown a lot and gotten better,” Shepard said.
Nixa got the best of Ozark 60-21.
The Sundlie-Frye match was the only one to go the distance. The Lady Eagles collected six wins by fall and four wins by forfeit.
Nixa’s Hanna Egley (100), Ashton Mayes (115), Mylee Harper (120), Abigail Counts (125), Addison Harkins (130) and Brenya Crahan (145) all picked up pins.
Crahan improved to 32-0 by pinning Ozark’s Janelle Spohn in 3:33.
Harper needed just :25 to pin Ozark’s Hannah Maskrod.
The fastest pin on the night belonged to Ozark’s Emily Price, who pinned Nixa’s Ellie Gilmore in :16 at 110.
The Lady Tigers’ Adelyn Hoelzle pinned Nixa’s Brooke Chandler in 3:35 at 105.
