Cara Leng, right, of MHS battles with Youstina Hanna of Columbia Station for seventh place in the girls 140-pound weight class. Leng won the match.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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The 2024 state high school wrestling tournament was pretty successful for Marysville’s girls.
The Lady Monarchs qualified six athletes to the state event that was held this past weekend at The Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center.
Of that total, five placed and earned All-Ohio honors.
There were four MHS girls who competed during placement matches Sunday afternoon.
Desi Lee finished fourth in the 235-pound weight class.
She began the tournament with a 1:04 pinfall over Harrison’s Jessica Edwards.
That was followed by a 7-2 verdict over Dakota McCracken of Hanoverton United.
Lee’s first bump in the road came while she was on a path toward a possible state title.
She was pinned in 3:08 by Brooke Jenkins of Vermillion.
That pushed Lee into the match for third place against Deionna Borders of Berea-Midpark.
The Lady Monarch junior dropped a 2-1 sudden victory verdict during that bout.
Junior Addy Lyon (135) and sophomore Cara Leng (140) both placed seventh.
Lyon’s state journey began with a 2-0 win over Lilly Kinsel of Harrison.
Jaydyn McKinney of Akron Manchester, though, sent the Lady Monarch into the consolation bracket with a 0:14 pinfall.
Lyon fought back for a 3:47 pin over Hani Jones-Wallace of Salem.
The Lady Monarch tumbled into the match for seventh place when she was pinned by Nina Kim of Columbus Academy in 0:53.
Lyon, though, continued to battle and scored a 6-5 win over Kinsel during a rematch for seventh place.
Leng, who only began to wrestle a year ago as a freshman, kicked off her state appearance with an 8-0 major decision over Leslie Sullivan of Rocky River Lutheran West.
A pinfall in 1:12 by Brookville’s Rita Carey, however, pushed the MHS sophomore into consolation action.
Leng delivered a 6-0 loss to Sky Zollock of Teays Valley before falling 5-2 to Emily Stiner of Vermillion.
Leng finished the tournament with a 4-1 triumph over Youstina Hanna of Columbia Station.
The MHS sophomore grew a bit emotional after her seventh-place finish.
“I was so focused on keeping up the pressure during the match,” she said. “I gave it everything I could and it’s nice to reach the awards podium during my first trip to the state tournament.”
Leng went 3-2 during the state and finished with an overall record of 40-11.
Lori Grimes, Marysville’s 170-pounder, earned her All-Ohio accolade with an eighth-place finish.
She scored a 5:11 pin over Cameron Sherman of Cardington during the opening round.
The table was unfortunately turned on her when she was put to the mat in 2:36 by Meghan Werbrich of North Bend Taylor.
Grimes got back on the winning side of the ledger during the consolation bracket.
She pinned Gillian Coulson of Lakewood in 2:13.
That was followed by a 9-6 loss to Audrey Garcia of Ross High School.
That setback put Grimes in the bout for seventh/eighth place.
Paris Willis of Lutheran West pinned Grimes in 4:27.
Grimes won two matches at the state and was 43-13 for the season.
‘We had five girls who placed at the state tournament and that was great,” said Lady Monarch head coach Shawn Andrews. “However, as a coach, you are always a bit greedy and want more for your athletes.
“You hurt for them when they don’t place as high as they had hoped.”