Katie Bowen’s sophomore season came to a conclusion last weekend at the Class 1 State Championship.

Despite treacherous snowy and icy conditions, the show went on as scheduled at Mizzou Arena starting Thursday.

Wrestling in the 105-pound class, Bowen was pitted against Lafayette St. Joseph senior Isa-Bella Mendoza for her opening match.

Bowen, who battled a shoulder injury most of the season, grinded through two physical periods. But in the third, Mendoza was able to get the upper hand and secure the match with a win by fall.

“She is a scrapper,” Mexico head coach Tony Senor said of Mendoza. “She likes to shoot and has quite a bit of offense, and we just could not counter that offense and ended up getting pinned in the third period.”

The event marked the first and only time Bowen was pinned all season.

Falling to the consolation bracket, Bowen had little time ruminate. Instead, she quickly regrouped before her next match.

“Going through a very physical match with Mendoza, that was a fear win or lose with the shoulder being an issue,” Senor explained. “But we were able to recover, we were able to hydrate and rest up that shoulder, if you will, in order to turn around and try to continue on in the state tournament.

“Katie is tough as nails, in that regard, mentally,” he continued. “That’s stuff that we work on, injury or not, is just being mentally prepared for anything and everything possible.”

Bowen bounced back with vengeance, pinning Ellie Douglass (Sikeston) and then thumping Jaidyn Pohlsander (Central) by a 17-1 tech-fall.

“We controlled the entire match,” Senor said of Bowen’s bout with Pohlsander. “Katie, with the experience that she has, she knew what she had to do to continue on to the blood round.”

The blood round—the round with the winner guaranteed a top-six finish—slated Bowen against a familiar face in Alyssa King (St. Charles West).

King had previously beaten Bowen in a 4-0 decision in the district semifinals, as well as in last year’s sectional championship.

“We have seen this girl the past two years,” said Senor. “And it had to be her, Alyssa King.”

Bowen fought hard, but King advanced with a 5-0 decision.

Bowen completes her sophomore season with a 52-6 record and a second state appearance.

Senor said they’ll learn from the experience and continue to work in the offseason with the goal of a podium appearance at next year’s state championship. He also explained that while there is currently only one class for girls’ wrestling, next year MSHSAA will split female grapplers into two classes, opening more opportunities for Bowen and the Lady Bulldogs.

“That will give Katie and our other girls more opportunities at the state level,” he explained. “And that’s how you grow the sport of wrestling. I’m really, really looking forward to it, and thankful for all the support.”