The Malad girls wrestling team turned in a strong and determined performance at the District Tournament, finishing sixth out of 30 teams despite battling injuries, illness, and deep brackets throughout the event. The Dragons came away with multiple placers and three state qualifiers.

At 105 pounds, Katie Palmer faced a difficult path. After receiving byes in the opening championship rounds, Palmer was pinned in the quarterfinals and later dropped a consolation match. Though she did not place, she gained valuable postseason experience.

Braylee Price delivered one of Malad’s top performances at 110 pounds, placing third and scoring 23 team points. Price opened the tournament with back-to-back falls before dropping a semifinal match. She regrouped in the consolation rounds, earning a decision in the consolation semifinal and closing the tournament with a major decision in the third-place match to punch her ticket to state.

Somerli Nalder (115) showed grit in the consolation bracket after an early loss, earning a technical fall before being eliminated in the following round. She added 2.5 points to the team total.

At 120 pounds, Katy Carter earned an early pin before running into tough competition in later rounds. She finished the tournament with eight team points. Harlee Maddox followed a similar path at 125 pounds, recording a first-round fall and finishing with eight points for the Dragons.

Kenadee Howe competed at 135 pounds and placed eighth, contributing eight team points. Howe recorded two wins by fall, including a key pin in the consolation rounds, before exiting in the placement matches.

Malad had two wrestlers in the 140-pound division. Sunni Barnes was unable to advance after falling in both championship and consolation action. Aubrey Shulz, however, dominated the bracket. Shulz captured the district title, pinning every opponent she faced, including a quick fall in the finals, and scored 34 team points.

Jenetta Jacaway (155) added six team points, highlighted by a consolation-round pin. At 170 pounds, Cale Carter closed out the tournament with a runner-up finish. Carter advanced to the finals with three strong wins before being pinned by an undefeated opponent in the championship match, scoring 26 team points.

Coaches praised the team’s perseverance and growth throughout the season, saying “We are extremely proud of our girls.  They have put in so much work and effort, overcoming injuries and illnesses. Some of our girls went from knowing nothing about wrestling to being top competitors. We look forward to seeing what these amazing girls do in the future.”

Malad will send three wrestlers to the state tournament:

Braylee Price (110) – A third-place finisher, Price qualified for state as a sophomore but was forced to medically forfeit out of districts last year due to injury. After a heartbreaking setback, she returned this season determined and focused. Now in her fourth year of wrestling, she continues a strong family tradition in the sport.

Aubrey Shulz (140) – The district champion, Shulz has wrestled for three years and qualified for state all three seasons. After trying wrestling near the end of her freshman year, she quickly developed a passion for the sport and has continued to see the results of her hard work, culminating in a dominant district title this season.

Cale Carter (170) – A second-place finisher, Carter becomes Malad’s first four-time state qualifier. Wrestling since her freshman year, she has overcome multiple injuries to establish herself as one of the top competitors in the state.

Malad now turns its focus to the state tournament, where the Dragons will look to build on a season defined by resilience, growth, and hard-earned success.