Marysville’s Madison Sharp has a front face-lock on an opponent in this file photo. The Lady Monarchs will compete in the wrestling coaches association state tournament on Saturday and Sunday at Hilliard Davidson High School. (Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
A number of Marysville High School girls wrestlers will contend for state honors on Saturday and Sunday at Hilliard Davidson High School.
That’s when the inaugural state girls mat tournament will be contested, beginning at 10 a.m. on both days.
Marysville High School head coach Shawn Andrews explained how the tournament came about.
“There is a group of girls wrestling supporters who have been pushing at the state level to add girls wrestling in Ohio,” he said. “They have approached the Ohio High School Athletic Association, but the organization is not yet ready to take that on.”
Andrews said the state wrestling coaches association has taken on the sponsorship and management of the event.
“This is similar as to when the state association ran the state duals tournament before the OHSAA took it over,” he said. “The goal is to provide a platform for girls to compete and that eventually the OHSAA will take it (the state tournament) over.”
Andrews said girls wrestling is a growing sport.
“There are 19 states around the country which have already sanctioned girls wrestling through their state association,” he said.
“I think girls wrestling will only continue to grow,” said the MHS coach. “Nationally, it is the fastest growing sport and I see no reason why it would be different in Ohio.
“We will graduate four of our 10 girls wrestlers on this year’s team,” said Andrews. “However, I think our girls team will only continue to grow and the hope is for it to become its own stand-alone program.”
The Lady Monarchs will be represented in eight different weight classes by nine athletes.
Madison Sharp (101) and Emma Swart (106) have both earned the No. 3 seeds in their respective weight classes.
Cali Leng is seeded fourth at 126, while Laila Oribello (116), Shelby Downey (137) and Destinee Fry (189) have earned the fifth seeds.
Maddie Adelsberger will carry the seventh seed into the tournament in the 116-pound weight class.
Also scheduled to compete for Marysville High School are Mia Oribello (131) and Lauren Sloboda (143).
There will be a total of 263 athletes representing 97 schools competing on the mats at Hilliard Davidson.
The tournament format will be double-elimination and the top six athletes in each weight class will earn state awards.
Andrews said the Lady Monarchs will be going full-bore at the tournament.
“Our goal is to put girls on the awards podium and compete for a team trophy,” he said. “On the surface, it appears as though we will be in the mix with both Olentangy Orange and Miami East.”
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