KIMBALL -- The Junior High and High School Lady Longhorn wrestlers competed in Gering on Saturday, bringing home multiple medals. 

JH Lady Longhorn wrestlers took home one first place medal and three second place medals in their first tournament of the season. 

First-year wrestler Jaylah Graves won a first-place medal. First-year wrestlers Lily Solis, Kendall Rich, and Olivia Toth won second place in their weight classes.  

The other four junior high wrestlers are Briar Rawlings, Capri Nunley, Khloe Fraser, and Harley Metcalf. 

“We just started the junior high program last year, so it's still building,” said coach Katie Culek. “Showing their skills that they showed in that first meet was amazing, especially since 6 of the 8 girls had never wrestled before.” 

As the wrestling teams are new – this being the second year of the Junior High team and the first year of the High School team – Culek said all the girls are showing amazing skill and dedication. 

Senior Rachel Berger, who is a first-year wrestler, earned a championship medal in her second tournament of the season. 

Berger decided to transition from basketball to wrestling and dedicated herself to the sport over the summer by working in the weight room and attending several camps. 

“She got hurt in volleyball and couldn’t compete for the first half of the season, so the improvement she has shown in the first couple weeks of being on the mat is amazing,” Culek said. “Her leadership in the wrestling room has helped all the other girls become so much better too.” 

Freshman Noley Brower, who wrestled last year, won second place in her weight class. 

Culek said, “she has medaled in every tournament except for the first one, so she has done very well.” 

The other high school wrestlers who competed are freshman's McKenzie Howard, Becca Koski and Barbera Earley. 

Earley has also medaled in a few of the tournaments so far. 

“Wresting is not an easy sport, and they have all put in a lot of grit and hard work,” Culek said. “They are definitely starting to prove their skills that they've been learning. All of them have the potential of being state qualifiers if they wrestle all of their four years.” 

Both teams compete in Hemingford this Friday, Jan. 24. The HS Lady Longhorns compete in Mitchell next week, then go onto districts in Bayard the following week.