Goodale kicks off girls’ state tourney with 100th
By Kristi Nixon
CORALVILLE — Jalynn Goodale spent countless hours in order to earn win No. 100 in just 20 seconds.
The top-ranked senior 110-pounder for Osage pinned her first-round opponent, Isabella Smith of Pella, to become the first Green Devil girls’ wrestler to achieve the career milestone.
“I’m a little bit on Cloud Nine right now,” Goodale said. “Just because being at state this year has felt that way a lot… a lot of excitement, just because it’s official. Coming in, I was hesitant because I wasn’t sure it was going to be like and what to expect, but they gave us their best I really appreciate that aspect of it as a senior, just watching how state has progressed the last four years.
“It’s exciting and I’m excited for the girls coming up and all of my teammates and everything they get to experience.”
No better place to get the mark than at state, she said.
“At first, I was a little nervous,” Goodale said. “Just because I knew I was going to get it, but there is always that, ‘what’s going to happen?’ I did it and my coaches were right there with me and supporting me and helping me when I needed that extra push to believe in myself.”
It’s taking a lot of hours to get that 20-second pin and she added another, actually in 21 seconds over Humboldt’s Sophia Harris, to reach tonight’s quarterfinals against GTRA’s Trista Guinn.
“(It has taken) a lot of drilling and summer mat time, mat time in general and all my teammates have been pushing me to be the best I can be,” Goodale said, “and my coaches, every day, always there for me, always ready to help me get that last 10th off. Coach Katie Walk as really been helpful with that, too. She was up with me at 5 o’clock this morning and helping me get two-10ths off that I needed to make sure I made it (weight).”
