Fort Dodge's Mariaha Benedict competes against Ames' Lexa Rozevink in the 135 pound third-place bout of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union girls state wrestling championships on Friday at Xtream Arena in Coralville.

CORALVILLE — It will take time for Mariaha Benedict to realize what she accomplished on the mat and what she meant to the Fort Dodge wrestling program.

Benedict was disappointed after Friday night’s final round, but Benedict’s impact will not be forgotten.

“Mariaha has meant so much to the Fort Dodge wrestling program,” said FDSH head coach Jon Koenig. “From where she started as a freshman never wrestling to becoming the winningest girl in program history with over 120 pins.

“She did everything right on the mat and with her grades as a student athlete. She has a lot to be proud of.”

Benedict placed fourth at 135 pounds, running through a gauntlet of stand out wrestlers.

The senior becomes Fort Dodge’s second four-time state qualifier, following state champion Alexis Ross.

In the semifinals Benedict (46-7), the fourth-seed ran into a buzzsaw in top-seed Bella Miller (29-0) of Dubuque Hempstead, 16-1. Miller, a junior, was a state champion as a freshman.

Benedict, who finishes her career as Fort Dodge’s all-time wins leader with a career mark of 165-36, bounced back in the consolation semifinals.

“I fought some hard matches, definitely not proud of the outcomes, but I know I wrestled hard,” Benedict said. “It’s always great competing as a Dodger, there’s a lot of people I want to make proud and represent.”

To advance to the third place match Benedict won a 17-11 scorefest against Grace Keller (47-9) of Creston.

In the medal match Benedict met a familiar opponent in second-seed Lexa Rozevink (43-2) of Ames. Rozevink earned a fall in 4:57.

“I believe I had a great run at the state tournament this year, win or lose,” Benedict said. “I loved every second of it, it was a bittersweet moment.

“I plan on wrestling 138 at Northwestern College and I’m excited to see what I can do.”

With Benedict competing at Northwestern College next year, freshman Ava Potter steps into the Dodger program with a bright future.

“She had to go toe-to-toe with two of the top wrestlers in the state,” Koenig said. “Now she’ll move on to bigger and better things at Northwestern College.

“She wrestled her third place match against Lexa a lot better than before, using technique and reaching the third period.”

Potter (42-7), the only freshman in the Class 2A 235 pound bracket, placed fourth as well.

“It was everything and more (state tournament),” Potter said. “I’m not so much disappointed with the semifinal loss as I am with the third place match. I should have had that one, but made a small mistake.

“I think this is going to fuel me for the next season so much, especially watching the finals right now — this is everything I’ve ever wanted and more.”

Potter, the fourth-seed, lost her semifinal match to Emelia Reyes of Cedar Rapids Prairie by fall in 3:56.

The rookie bounced back with a fall in 3:52 over Mariah Ripperger (40-6) to advance to the medal round. She lost to Sage Dzeladini (38-7) of North Scott in 1:31.

“This was a great season for Ava as a freshman. She was the only freshman in the bracket,” Koenig said. “Her youth showed a little bit, but this tournament is tough. She went out there and left it all on the mat, wrestling a match, waiting 30 minutes, wrestling, waiting and wrestling and waiting.

“I’m proud of what she achieved as a freshman and she has a bright future.”

Fort Dodge’s Ava Potter competes against North Scott’s Sage Dzeladini in the 235 pound third-place bout of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union girls state wrestling championships on Friday at Xtream Arena in Coralville.