By Peyton Lutz
Three girls on a small team share a similar concept of what their team means to them; family. In comparison to previous years, the Louisville Girl’s Wrestling Program has shrunk to a third of its original size, with just 9 members. Despite a change in numbers, the team is more united than ever. A shrink in team size does affect team points at competitions, but the girls are still proving themselves.
In 2025, Payton Thiele placed third at state, and senior Catalina Jones was runner up. After losing all of their upperclassmen, sophomores Kloe Knutson, Brooke Sorensen, along with freshman Maddie Zierott, have big shoes to fill. The three collectively agreed that the success of former students motivates them to win. However, in 2025 all of the team’s state medalists had graduated.
“It pushes us and shows us that someone from a small town of Louisville can go and do something like that at state,” said Brooke Sorensen. Knutson and Zierott had similar responses, all agreeing that they want to continue the built legacy.
Being on a team does not just consist of teamwork, it includes holding each other accountable. By supporting each other and bonding nearly every day, the team gets along well.
“We're pretty honest, we're up front. We kind of know everything about each other. It doesn't matter what time of day, we're always together,” said Maddie Zierott. The girls agreed that the amount of time together helps build unity.
In the weeks leading up to districts, the team continues to push hard in order to reach their goals. Everyone has personal goals, but being on a team that pushes them to grow and be held accountable helps each girl individually. Prior to districts, all three girls held winning records. Knutson went 28-4, Sorensen 20-14, and Zierott went 35-9.
“This is the time in the season where we need to start hitting our drive. Our coach has said this so many times, just getting over the mental part of it and just wrestling to our full ability, we know all the moves… just stay dialed in,” concluded Knutson.
Overall, the girls wrestling team has faced change throughout their season, but they are still finding success and growth. The support from each other and the adversity they have faced has grown them to be a tight-knit group. This year’s team is not simply a “team”, they are a family.