BEMIDJI 鈥� Keeari Goodfellow is 12 years old.
The Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 girls wrestler wasn鈥檛 supposed to find herself in the 235-pound championship match at the Blue Ox Invitational on Saturday. If you asked her a year ago, she might鈥檝e told you she wasn鈥檛 that into wrestling.
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鈥淚 didn鈥檛 expect to be doing this well,鈥� Goodfellow said. 鈥淚 was thinking about just doing a little bit of wrestling. But, man, I have seen what I can do.鈥�
The hundreds of spectators at the Lumberjacks鈥� annual girls wrestling tournament saw what Goodfellow can do, too. She went 5-0 on Saturday, winning four of her matches by fall and another by forfeit en route to the lone BHS first-place finish.
She did it while being nearly half the age of her opponents.
鈥淪he鈥檚 done a wonderful job at heavyweight,鈥� head coach Rance Bahr said. 鈥淚 mean, she鈥檚 a seventh-grader who just started wrestling. She鈥檚 really aggressive, she gets after it and she鈥檚 coachable. She just has the desire for it, and she enjoys it.鈥�
Goodfellow wrestled in the final match of the tournament against Nashwauk-Keewatin/Greenway sophomore Willow Horack. Goodfellow moved to 15-0 this season with a pin in 3:32. It led to a triumphant moment for the Jacks鈥� middle schooler at the BHS Gymnasium in front of her family.
鈥淟ast year, I started wrestling but it was only for half of the year with the boys,鈥� Goodfellow said. 鈥淢y dad was a wrestler, and he put a lot into it. My older sister was a wrestler, and she made it to state when she was in eighth grade.鈥�
BHS veteran Brie Leeper typically slots into the heavyweight position. However, due to an injury, Goodfellow was given the nod at 235 to start the season. She's turned an opportunity into a passion.
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Goodfellow added that her dad has been one of her biggest influences in pursuing wrestling.
鈥淗e鈥檚 really put a lot of pressure on me, and I love pressure,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t makes me do better. He has taught me a lot of stuff.鈥�
Goodfellow also pointed to one of her senior leaders as a wrestling mentor.
鈥淜iera Hagman(-Nyagaka) is like an idol to me,鈥� Goodfellow said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 so supportive, she was the one who actually got me to do wrestling, because I was hesitant. I told her I was nervous because I didn鈥檛 think I鈥檇 do good enough. She told me, 鈥業 have to be selfish sometimes and take what I need to get better.鈥欌��
Even before Bemidji separated its girls wrestlers into a separate program from the boys last season, Bahr has noticed a consistency in leadership from his veterans to help push underclassmen to milestone moments like the one Goodfellow hit on Saturday.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a group that鈥檚 done a lot to help this seventh-grader accomplish what she鈥檚 accomplished,鈥� Bahr said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 beaten a lot of girls who are seniors in high school. She鈥檚 12 years old wrestling against 18-year-olds. That鈥檚 a pretty significant advantage those other girls have.鈥�
Goodfellow aims to maintain her perfect record for as long as possible, hoping it eventually turns into a state qualification in February.
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鈥淚 just have to work hard and do the best I can do,鈥� Goodfellow said. 鈥�(Winning today) means a lot because I put in a lot of work. I鈥檓 15-0, and I really think I鈥檓 going to keep doing this and keep chasing my dream of going to state.鈥�
Jacks win the Blue Ox again
Bemidji maintained its prowess in its home invite, totaling 164.5 points to finish in first place as a team. St. Michael-Albertville (133) and Bismarck Legacy (130) followed in second and third place, respectively.
Bahr was impressed with the performances from his girls across the board in a tournament that鈥檚 showcasing tougher wrestlers year after year.
鈥淭he competition is definitely better,鈥� Bahr said. 鈥淚f you were here two years ago and here today, you were probably pretty impressed with the (collective improvement). Some big powerhouses showed up 鈥� Bismarck, St. Michael-Albertville. For us to go toe-to-toe with them and separate ourselves from them in the end is quite impressive.鈥�
The Lumberjacks had one other representative in a championship match. Makaya Gotchie took second place at 170 pounds. She won her first match by fall before beating Thief River Falls鈥� Samantha Zoller in an 8-1 decision in the semifinals.
Gotchie fell in the championship match against Sarah Pulk of Badger-Greenbush-Middle River by fall in 1:33.
BHS had a pair of third-place finishers as well. Hagman-Nyagaka beat Mille Lacs鈥� Trinity Smacker by fall (1:36) at 118 pounds before Dezi Puffe took third 130 with a pin over STMA鈥檚 Paige Bushard in 2:26.
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A bevy of other Jacks landed in the top six. Emma Richards (100 pounds), Taylor Merschman (106) and Jadyn Eichberg (136) each took fourth place in their respective brackets. Chastity Skerik (148) and McKenzie Ghinter (235) each took fifth, while Tasha Severson (155) and Tahliya Little (112) finished in sixth.
鈥淭asha Severson has stepped into a varsity role and has done a fantastic job,鈥� Bahr said. 鈥淐hastity Skerik generally has one match that doesn鈥檛 go her way, then turn it around for the rest of the tournament. Dezi Puffe turned things around for herself. Things haven鈥檛 been going her way, and in this tournament, she got things going. Overall throughout our lineup, the girls just take things in stride week after week.鈥�
Bahr said that a collective performance like the one Bemidji had on Saturday was much needed. He believes the Lumberjacks are turning a corner, and it comes at a good time.
BHS is competing in Libson next weekend before heading to Fargo, N.D., the week after for the Rumble on the Red Tournament at the FargoDome.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no secret that, as is in anything you do in life, if you have some success, it encourages you to continue on,鈥� Bahr said. 鈥淗opefully, everyone left here today with some success and some things to build on. We just want to get better as the year goes on. We tell the girls that we get 36 practice matches before it matters. We just want to get better every single time.鈥�
Team Results (Top 10)
1-Bemidji 164.5; 2-St. Michael-Albertville 133; 3-Bismarck Legacy 130; 4- Brainerd 105.5; 5-Wadena-Deer Creek 80; 6-Thief River Falls 75.5; 7-Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie 69; 8-Moorhead 62.5; 9-Badger-Green Bush-Middle River 62; 10-Staples-Motley 55.
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