Sophomore Hayden Bratland helped the Ankeny girls’ wrestling team to the championship of the Bob Sharp Invitational on Friday at Ankeny High School. She won an individual title at 140 pounds, joining teammates Mady Postma at 135 and Haylee McGrew at 155 atop the awards podium.
Bratland scored bonus points in all four of her matches, capped off by a fall over Daniyah Williams of Mason City in 1 minute 31 seconds in the finals. She raised her record to 33-1 on the season.
Here is some inside info on Bratland:
Congratulations on winning a title at the Bob Sharp tournament. Were you happy with how you wrestled?
Thank you! I was glad I was able to get the job done, but I also feel like I didn’t wrestle to my greatest ability. I definitely felt a little off and not so confident with my wrestling, but I know sometimes there will just be days like that.
I know you had pinned Williams in a consolation semifinal at the Dan Gable Donnybrook last month. Were you confident that you could beat her again, and what was the key to getting another fall against her?
I was pretty confident that I could just try and work my stuff and try and get a pin again. I think when wrestling opponents like her I just stick to my muscle memory and wrestle smart. I don’t want to get out of position. The key to getting the fall was to just stay in good position and work off her mistakes.
Your team had nine finalists and crowned three individual champs. What did you think of your team’s performance?
I am very proud of my team’s performance. Looking back, I just remember seeing how much growth we have made since last year–or even since the beginning of the year. Our girls work very hard, and I know they take their losses to heart because I’ve been in their shoes many times before. I know they wrestle their hardest, and most of them can beat the girls they lost to in the finals. It’s all a work in progress.
Bob Sharp was a legendary boys’ wrestling coach at Ankeny. Do you know much about him?
I know a little about him, like how he coach coached Ankeny to a team title in 1971. He must have been a very good coach.
Overall, have you been pleased with the season you’ve had thus far after going 39-4 last year as a freshman?
I’m definitely very pleased with my season so far. I’m so much more confident in my wrestling, and I’m glad I’m not losing to people I know I can beat. I’m much less in my head this year, and I’ve enjoyed it a lot more.
Your only loss came in the semifinals of the Donnybrook, where you dropped a 9-4 decision to Chloe Sanders of Vinton-Shellsburg, who was ranked No. 1 in Class 1A at 145 and 11th nationally at the time. I know coach Roland told me that you were kind of in the driver’s seat in that match, so how did it get away from you?
The biggest thing for me in matches like that is that I get in my head, especially when it’s close. If I know I don’t have a good gap between points soon in the match, I kind of panic a little. Getting tired also plays a big role on top of that. She is a very physical wrestler and has insane stamina, and after I couldn’t escape that second period I thought I had already lost the match. The third period is when I started to make dumb decisions, trying to make big point takedowns that I just didn’t have. From there, it went downhill and I knew I was going to lose.
Do you feel like you’ve learned some things from that loss, as well as the few losses that you had last year?
I definitely learned a lot from that match. I wrestled that match like how I wrestled last year, and I realized I’m so much more grown than that. Overall, my losses make me…me. I’ve learned how to control my thoughts and to not take desperate shots or do desperate moves, and that’s how I can win really close matches.
You placed third in last year’s state tournament after being pinned by Shaylee Sutherland of Spencer in the semifinals, but you avenged that loss with a 12-8 decision over Sutherland in the finals of the Ogden Invitational on Jan. 11. Do you expect to see her again at the state tournament, and what would be the key to beating her again?
I do expect to see her again at state, whether it be in the finals or a match leading up to it. I think the one key to winning is to just work my stuff. Last year at state, I didn’t wrestle like me and I let it get away from me. I just keep reminding myself that I’m capable of winning. I also need to make sure I don’t get caught in moves like I did in my most recent match, and to not do any desperate moves. if I stay in good position and control my breathing, I can definitely get the job done.
Your team will host the CIML Conference tournament on Tuesday at Northview Middle School. Do you think your team can defend its title?
I think that if our team can wrestle well and fight off our backs, we definitely can win again. I believe in my team so much. We are so close to beating these top girls, but I think we just get discouraged sometimes. If we are able to pull out some good wins, then I know we can come out on top again. We generally do better in tournaments than we do in head-to-head duals. I know if we fight hard and get some pins, we can get the win.
Looking ahead to state, I know your individual goal is to win a title. Do you think the team is capable of winning a crown as well?
If my girls can fight like hell at state and not let the pressure get to them, I know we can win. So many of us are capable of great things, it’s just a matter of ourselves and our head space. I know I believe in everyone, but I can’t force them to think the same way. Hopefully, we can scrape out enough team points to at least get second or third, or even better, first.
I’m guessing you would like to wrestle in college. Do you know what you want to study yet?
I would love to wrestle in college, but I’m still a little lost on what I want to study yet. I’m sure the right thing will find me soon enough, though.