January 3, 2025 at 7:58 p.m.

Full of firsts

Jay girls wrestling dominates the field to earn inaugural IHSAA sectional title
No. 5 Amara Crawford (33-4), a freshman on the Jay County High School girls wrestling team, runs a double wrist bar or a “walker” on Hamilton Southeastern’s Kelli Crawford (4-3) during the 190-pound semifinal match at the inaugural IHSAA Sectional 10 meet hosted by Muncie Central on Friday. Crawford was one of six Patriots to claim the sectional title, helping the team claim the top spot with 232 points. (The Commercial Review/Andrew Balko)
No. 5 Amara Crawford (33-4), a freshman on the Jay County High School girls wrestling team, runs a double wrist bar or a “walker” on Hamilton Southeastern’s Kelli Crawford (4-3) during the 190-pound semifinal match at the inaugural IHSAA Sectional 10 meet hosted by Muncie Central on Friday. Crawford was one of six Patriots to claim the sectional title, helping the team claim the top spot with 232 points. (The Commercial Review/Andrew Balko)

MUNCIE — The 2024-25 campaign is the first season the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) has sanctioned girls wrestling.

It was the first year that three Patriots participated in varsity wrestling, all of which moved on to the regional.

It wasn’t the first year that girls wrestling had two rounds prior to the state finals, but it was the first time four of the Patriots advanced to the regional, including three first-year varsity wrestlers.

Three more Patriots picked up their first sectional championship.

For the first time the Patriots took home hardware with the IHSAA logo on it and as a result, they will be competing in the first team state event.

The No. 6 Jay County High School girls wrestling team dominated the Sectional 10 tournament hosted by Muncie Central to earn the inaugural IHSAA sectional title on Friday, with all 11 wrestlers making the podium and 10 moving on to the regional.

The Patriots sent five wrestlers to the championship match, six of which claimed sectional titles, while adding a third, fourth and fifth place finish to total 232 points. (Wrestlers that finished top four in their weight class advance to the regional meet at Alexandria-Monroe on Jan. 10.) Jay County’s score crushed the 15-team field, as Hamilton Southeastern trailed by 85 points while claiming the runner-up spot. While the Patriots are no stranger to success in the postseason, even winning the sectional last season, this is the first time the IHSAA’s name will be attached to the accomplishment.

“We’ve aspired to win these team events already, but I think, recognition-wise, it’s a totally different recognition,” said JCHS coach Eric Myers. “From fans to the school, I think to win that IHSAA sanctioned sectional title gives that a little bit more legitimacy.

“I think that’s really special and I think our girls deserve that. I’m happy they were able to achieve that and achieve it in dominating fashion. They wrestled really well, and were dominant today. I felt like they were focused and I’m hoping that they’re ready to continue that throughout the tournament series.”

By placing first in the sectional, the Patriots qualified for the inaugural team state championship, which is planned to be held at Fishers on Jan. 25.

A large part of the dominance came as a result of sending eight wrestlers to the championship match in their respective weight classes. Of those eight wrestlers, six came out on top to claim individual sectional crowns.

No. 5 Katie Rowles (26-4) led things off by getting Daleville’s Bailey Vajner (17-5) in a headlock that led to a pin 21 seconds into the 100-pound championship. Like Rowles, No. 6 Lina Lingo (26-7) and No. 1 Mallory Winner (27-0) each earned their second sectional championship.

Lingo dominated No. 12 Lillian Kissel (10-6) of New Palestine through the first two rounds of the 135 title match, racking up 13 unanswered points. Kissle chose to start the third period in the neutral position, and if Lingo didn’t secure the pin 34 seconds into the round, the quick takedown would have given her a technical fall.

It took Winner 1 minute, 7 seconds, to get No. 13 Paislee Chambers (18-5) of Wes-Del onto the mat, but the JCHS senior only needed 15 more seconds for the pin.

The other three Patriot champions had not previously won their sectional.

First up was No. 11 Tatianna Willis (24-6), facing off against Hamilton Southeastern’s No. 15 Ella Shults (21-6) in the 110-pound title match. Willis got off to a strong start with a single-leg take down after 25 seconds and never looked back. The JCHS senior built a 10-1 advantage headed into the third period, in which she pinned Shults after 30 seconds.

The other two titles came from freshmen.

Brenna Ruble (29-6) got a quick takedown in the 120 match, eventually pinning Hamilton Southeastern’s Kiarra Churchill (18-7) in 1:17.

No. 5 Amara Crawford (33-4) closed out the day for the Patriots by taking the 190 championship from Savanna Goss (12-7) of Shenandoah. 

Assistant coach John Winner warned Crawford the match would be a “dog fight” and that came true as neither wrestler could make anything happen throughout the first period despite taking a handful of shots at each other.

In the second period, Crawford chose to start on top and to keep control of the Raider to work a pin with 1:36 remaining.

“It’s a lot about heavy hips,” said Crawford. “A lot of girls have their hips higher up, so it’s harder to keep the pressure that you need. …

“It’s an amazing feeling, as a freshman being able to accomplish all of this.”

No. 9 Emily Manor (27-7) got upset in the 140 championship, getting pinned by Jillian Champ (25-9) of New Palestine at the 43-second mark after developing a 7-2 lead. Maleah Parsons (26-8) also took a loss by fall as No. 14 Addison Flores (23-7) of Blackford claimed the 145 title in 1:43.

While three Patriots claimed their first sectional title, four advanced to the regional for the first time (including Ruble and Crawford).

First-year wrestler Allison Tipton (12-12) came back to beat Shenandoah’s Olivia Watson (11-10) in the first round of the 125 bracket, before getting knocked to the consolation bracket by No. 8 Emma Jones (22-4) of Cowan. Tipton bounced back with a pin on Noblesville’s Tahira Gibson (6-11) to earn her spot at Alexandria-Monroe. She couldn’t manage to beat Raegan Quattlebaum of Monroe Central (27-10) of Monroe Central in the third place game, leaving her with the No. 4 seed.

Madison Gage (20-14) got matched up with Muncie Central’s Amaya Stoudmire (14-12) — who previously beat the Jay County sophomore during the regular season — in the 155 opener. Gage got revenge with a pin in the second period, but fell to Wes-Del’s No. 9 Sophia Gropp (20-1) in the semifinal.

Neither Gage or Hagerstown’s Linette Goldstein (2-2) could find an angle in the first period of the blood round. Goldstein chose to start the second period on top, which worked to Gage’s benefit as she pulled off a reversal to get on the board after 3:08.

The third period didn’t start well for Gage, giving up a point on a violation for locking hands and another on an escape at the 1:11 mark to tie the contest. Gage managed to hit a match-saving single-leg takedown seven seconds later, and hold Goldstein off long enough before giving up an escape and letting the clock run for a 5-3 victory.

“I just kept pushing and pushing until eventually I got (the takedown,” said Gage. “She had me on my knees and I kept thinking in my head, ‘I have to get up.’ So I kept pushing on my toes until I got there. It was a single high crotch and then she just sprawled on me while I held it. … I’m just happy I get to actually move on and I’d like to thank my team and coaches for helping me get this opportunity.”

Gage followed the victory with another, beating New Palestine’s Julia Champ (16-15) in the third-place contest via pin.

Sophia Thomas (11-15) was the only Patriot to fall short of advancing to the regional, but she still scored for the team and Myers was still impressed with her improvement throughout the year.

Jay County will have one week to prepare for the regional and a chance to send some athletes back to the state meet.

“It will be a lot of work and our girls just have to be confident in the work they’ve put in already,” Myers said. “I know sometimes we get to these different levels and they look intimidating or there’s a little bit more on the line and they make it bigger than it needs to be. … We tell them to focus on scoring the next point rather than worrying about winning or a championship. You score that next point to build that and everything else becomes distractions.

“In between now and next week and the following week, that’s what we need to focus on. Just training, improving and working to score that next point at all times.”

PORTLAND WEATHER

Events

January

SU
MO
TU
WE
TH
FR
SA
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
29 30 31 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31 1

To Submit an Event Sign in first

Today's Events

No calendar events have been scheduled for today.

250 X 250 AD