Iowa’s next phenom: Dubuque Wahlert’s Miller wins state title
CORALVILLE — Dubuque Wahlert freshman Bella Miller isn’t afraid of anyone.
It’s pretty obvious considering what the 135-pounder just did at the girls state wrestling tournament on Thursday and Friday. Finishing with a 32-1 record and a state title, her most impressive feat is that she defeated the No. 1 and the No. 2 seeds, both of whom are seniors, to do it.
In the semifinals, Miller drew South Tama County’s Maeley Elsbury, a state title winner in 2023 and one of the hardest wrestlers in a top position the state has to offer. She’s as gritty and experienced as a wrestler as it gets, battling through injuries on several occasions to win tournaments.
Still, Miller seemed undeterred. The bout extended into overtime, tied at two apiece with Miller scoring on a takedown in the first period but later conceding two stall points. With 23 seconds to go in the third, Elsbury was working for a pin on Miller as she laid on her side. Somehow, Miller muscled her way out of the position and worked her way over top of Elsbury for the sudden victory win on a takedown.
Right away in her finals match against Lewis Central’s Espie Almazan, Miller hit the senior with a blast double for a 2-0 lead. Up 3-2 with seconds to go, Almazan fired a shot low in desperation that Miller swung up and on top for the 5-2 state title win. She looked to the ground as she flexed her muscles and released a yell of emotion heard across Xtream Arena.
This was her statement to the wrestling world that she’s arrived.
“They’re going to know I’m here to scrap with anyone and whoever,” Miller said. “I come here and I want to win, I’m not just a body here.”
But who is Miller, and where the heck did she come from?
‘She’s a phenom.’
There have long been rumblings about the product out of Dubuque Wahlert. She had been dominant in local AAU and Iowa/USA wrestling state championships growing up, taking first in big tournaments like those since the fifth grade, according to Trackwrestling.
At the 2023 Twin Rivers High School Girls Duals, just a month after last year’s high school season, she beat Elsbury by major decision. Even though she was an eighth grader and Elsbury was fresh off a state title, she was undeterred.
Early on in her freshman year, however, came the real test: the Dan Gable Donnybrook. There, she pinned her way to the final, three of those falls being in a minute or less. She raced her way to a matchup with Apple Valley’s (MN) Cassandra Gonzales. Scoreless heading into overtime, she conceded a takedown to lose her only match this season.
Coach Joel Allen said that was a coaching moment. Miller was talking the talk, instead of walking the walk. If there’s any indication though that Miller learned from that loss and responded, it was her effort against Elsbury in almost the same exact position, but coming out on top this time.
“She’s growing up right in front of us now, which is pretty fun,” Allen said. “She’s scary good. When her confidence is in line with her ability... it’s going to be scary.”
Her abilities are two-fold. That blastleg double is a patented part of her offense, flashing some serious athleticism to snap down so quickly and be fast and strong enough to bull rush her opponent down.
She’s also one of the toughest riders her coach has ever seen.
The one area though that stands out, is her ability to see openings for shots on offense that most can’t. Think of a quarterback leading a receiver on a pass or a linebacker reading the field to know where the ball is going before the snap. She seizes on opportunities as soon as they are available. Just ask Allen, who has been forced to step up and wrestle her to give her a challenge at times.
“It can be a pain in the butt to wrestle (her) and I can attest to that,” Allen said.
Above all, what might be her scariest trait is her willingness to learn. Combine all that into one, and there’s something special brewing in Dubuque.
“She’s a phenom,” Allen said. “She’s got a ton of talent mobility and she’s incredibly coachable.”
The confidence Miller has, while a disadvantage at the beginning of her high school career, has become an asset. Here in the toughest tournament she’s participated in, she feared nobody in her class.
And quite frankly, she may not fear anybody at all.
“I’m going to be a four-timer, I promise you that,” Miller said.