Takedown Report

Women’s Wrestling News (2021) – # 14 {High School}

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Newly sanctioned girls’ wrestling programs in Nebraska and North Dakota are described below. Since this happened Minnesota and Michigan have joined the over 30 states which have programs for scholastic girls’ wrestling. Also below are articles on the state championships in New Jersey, newly set NFHSA weight classes and girls’ rankings. We urge interested readers to check the full articles on the links provided after the introduction to each article. Keep on Wrestling! Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com
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1 } – Nebraska Votes to Sanction Girls HS Wrestling
This morning Nebraska joined 32 other states by sanctioning girls high school wrestling. A year ago, the Nebraska School Athletic Association (NSAA) voted to add girls wrestling as an emerging sport and it was on the state calendar as a winter sport. With sanctioning, the NSAA will host an official girls state tournament for the first time in 2021-22. For the past four years, a girls state tournament was held, but it was not officially sanctioned by the NSAA. Wednesday’s vote tally turned out to be 8-0 in favor of sanctioning girls high school wrestling. Nebraska is the second state in less than 10 days to approve the sport. Minnesota jumped aboard on May 11th.
While high school sanctioning just occurred, Nebraska already has a presence at the women’s collegiate level. In 2020-21, Hastings became the state’s third college to offer the sport, joining Midland and York. … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24606?mc_cid=e6c3ba1225&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – NSAA vote on upgrading girls wrestling to a sanctioned sport likely coming next month
It appears the Nebraska School Activities Association Board of Directors will decide next month whether girls wrestling will elevate to a fully sanctioned sport. Currently, girls wrestling operates under “emerging sport” status. 
At its monthly meeting, held Thursday in Lincoln, it appeared the board is ready to sanction girls wrestling after its first year as an emerging sport, a designation that does not offer an NSAA-run state championship. An activity can be an emerging sport for up to three years under NSAA rules.
But NSAA executive director Jay Bellar wanted to give his staff and the wrestling committee time to put together details on a state championship date, venue and format, as well as the number of classes, before holding a vote of the board. “I think we need to put something together that you can visualize and say, ‘This is what it is,’’’ Bellar said. Some board members were ready to approve the promotion Thursday. … rest of story at https://journalstar.com/sports/high-school/wrestling/nsaa-vote-on-upgrading-girls-wrestling-to-a-sanctioned-sport-likely-coming-next-month/article_92cf64e3-df46-5733-9705-2c298597d2f5.html?mc_cid=480d7959b9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – North Dakota adds girls high school wrestling as sanctioned sport
Another state is adding girls high school wrestling as a sanctioned sport.

The North Dakota High School Activities Association Board of Directors met Tuesday and voted to approve the sanctioning of girls wrestling as a NDHSAA-sponsored sport starting in the 2021-22 school year. North Dakota becomes the 30th state high school association to sanction girls wrestling.
North Dakota has held non-sanctioned girls high school state wrestling championships for the past five years. Over 50 female wrestlers competed in the most recent non-sanctioned girls high school state wrestling championships held last month at the Fargodome.
Last season, North Dakota had about 80 girls participating in wrestling, which was up from about 20 in 2015-16. … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24476?mc_cid=8b7957ea1f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – Another Hahn wins a state wrestling title at Lakewood as Jayla captures 143-pound girls crown
It was a big day for Jayla Hahn. The Lakewood High School sophomore wrestler avenged a loss in last year’s state tournament, captured her first state title in a dramatic final and added to her family’s legacy.
Hahn defeated North Hunterdon’s undefeated Jodi Holder, 10-8, in the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics 143-pound final at Phillipsburg High School. A stall point assessed to Holder tied the match with 15 seconds to go, then Hahn shot in for a match-winning takedown, fighting off a headlock attempt to score the winning points. … rest of story at https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2021/04/another-hahn-wins-a-state-wrestling-title-at-lakewood-as-jayla-captures-143-pound-girls-crown.html?mc_cid=0dc666bfba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Jess Johnson makes history, Jayla Hahn, Mia Lazaurs also win state wrestling titles
Manalapan senior Jess Johnson joined a special club in the history of New Jersey scholastic wrestling Saturday night at Phillipsburg High School.  A senior 161-pounder, Johnson pinned Kittatinny’s Kierra Hubmaster with 17.2 seconds left in the first period to become a three-time state champion.  “Getting the third win and being a part of history mattered,’ Johnson said. “When I look back I will remember all of it.” … rest of story at https://www.app.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2021/04/10/jess-johnson-manalapan-becomes-three-time-njsiaa-wrestling-champion/7130287002/?mc_cid=0dc666bfba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – Princeton’s Chloe Ayres wins 114-pound state title, caps girls wrestling career with 3rd state crown
Chloe Ayres’ legendary girls wrestling career at Princeton High School ended the way it started – with a pin. Ayres decked Cedar Creek’s Riley Lerner in the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics 114-pound girls state final on Saturday to capture her third championship. She was 26-0 against New Jersey wrestlers – her only defeat coming last season at Rutgers in a feature match against Wyoming Seminary (Pa.)’s Caitlyn Walker. … rest of story at https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2021/04/princetons-chloe-ayres-wins-114-pound-state-title-caps-girls-wrestling-career-with-3rd-state-crown.html?mc_cid=0dc666bfba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – Trail blazing girls wrestling state champions continue to leave legacy
They are the trail blazers. Two years ago, the NJSIAA crowned 10 girls states champions in its inaugural season of competition. This season, just four remain – Parsipanny’s Sydney Petzinger, Princeton’s Chloe Ayres, Old Bridge’s Gabby Miller who won her previous title with Monroe and Manapalan’s Jess Johnson.
Ayres (114 pounds) and Johnson (161) will be trying to cap their careers with their third state title in three chances. Miller (128) – only a junior – will try to win her second championship after losing in the final last year. … rest of story at https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2021/04/trail-blazing-girls-wrestling-state-champions-continue-to-leave-legacy.html?mc_cid=0dc666bfba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Kennedy Blades – Age is Just a Number
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Kennedy Blades is the future of women’s wrestling. She’s a junior in high school and recently took second at the 2021 Olympic Trials.  Prior to the Trials, Kennedy has been on a warpath, racking-up three Fargo National Titles, a 2019 Cadet World Team membership and numerous international tournament wins.  Kennedy, along with her sister Korina, wrestle for Wyoming Seminary and are trained by Izzy Style. … rest of story at https://wrestlingchangedmylife.com/228-kennedy-blades-age-is-just-a-number/?mc_cid=3018ac16e0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – NJSIAA girls wrestling sets path PIAA must follow | Commentary
It looks as if the closest Pennsylvania is going to get to a girls state wrestling tournament anytime soon is New Jersey having its tourney at Phillipsburg.
It’s only a short hop from the state boundary to the Stateliners’ wrestling city on a hill. But, for PIAA girls, it may as well be three thousand miles.
Pennsylvania girls could only watch with envy as their counterparts from New Jersey gathered for their own tournament, run by the state athletic association, in Phillipsburg’s first-class gym. The competition was compelling and fun, and the tournament was run in the efficient and effective way the Stateliner crew always does things (hats off to them, by the way). … rest of story at https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/highschoolsports/2021/04/njsiaa-girls-wrestling-sets-path-piaa-must-follow-commentary.html?mc_cid=d0f3fda251&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – Separate Weight Classes for Girls, Choice of Weight Classes Established in High School Wrestling
States will have a choice of 12, 13 or 14 weight classes for both boys and girls competition in high school wrestling, effective with the 2023-24 season. This will be the first separate weight classes established for girls in high school wrestling, and it marks the first time that state associations will have a choice in the number of weight classes.
The landmark change in weight classes was one of several significant revisions recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 2-3 meeting held virtually this year. All recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. 
States must select one of the three sets (12, 13 or 14) of weight classes for girls and one of the three sets (12, 13 or 14) for boys. States cannot adopt all three sets and cannot switch back and forth during the season. The following weight classes (in pounds) were established for girls competition (girls wrestling girls), effective July 1, 2023:
12 Weight Classes – 100, 107, 114, 120, 126, … rest of story at https://nfhs.org/articles/separate-weight-classes-for-girls-choice-of-weight-classes-established-in-high-school-wrestling/?mc_cid=1a96ae13a8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

11 } – April 20 National Girls High School Rankings
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling and FloWrestling on Tuesday released the sixth national rankings for high school girls wrestlers for the 2020-21 season. This ranking evaluates all girls enrolled in grades 8-12, and athletes from all 50 states are eligible for selection. It has been a busy time for girls high school wrestlers. Since the last ranking in March, numerous states have completed their official or unofficial girls state championships. These state tournaments play an important role in setting the rankings during this time of the year. In addition, the major spring and summer national championships have already begun. The two events that had a tremendous impact on the April rankings were USA Wrestling’s High School National Recruiting Showcase and the Girls Folkstyle Nationals, both held in Coralville, Iowa. Two athletes who were No. 1 in March are now ranked No. 1 in different weight classes in April, based upon their amazing runner-up finishes at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling in Fort Worth, Texas: Kennedy Blades of Illinois at 152 pounds and Kylie Welker of Wisconsin at 164 pounds. Blades dropped in weight to 68 kg, where she reached the Olympic Trials finals against World champion Tamyra Mensah-Stock. Welker moved up to 76 kg, where she reached the Olympic Trials finals against five-time World champion Adeline Gray.
There are seven new No. 1 wrestlers in this ranking: Brianna Gonzalez of California (100), Olivia Shore of Ohio (106), Sage Mortimer of Utah (112), Katie Gomez of California (117), London Houston of Washington (132), Maddie Kubicki of Missouri (144) and Eliana Bommarito of Michigan (225). … rest of story at https://nwhof.org/news/april-20-national-girls-high-school-rankings

12 } – After Helping N.J. Girls’ Wrestling Gain a Foothold, Ayres Going to PU, Aiming to Grow Sport at Next Level
GOING TO THE MAT: Princeton High senior wrestling star Chloe Ayres enjoys the moment after she won the 114-pound New Jersey state girls’ wrestling title on April 10 at Phillipsburg High, joined by New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) representatives Howie O’Neal and Colleen Maguire near the mat. It was the third straight state crown for Ayres, who is headed to Princeton University this fall where she is looking to get a women’s club wrestling program off the ground. (Photo caption)
By Justin Feil
Chloe Ayres was thrilled to win a third state wrestling title, but was even happier with the news that came a few days before it.
The Princeton High School senior was accepted to Princeton University, where she plans to continue wrestling.
“I would say probably getting into Princeton was bigger,” said Ayres. “That’s been a goal of mine since fourth grade so it’s been a long time coming. The state title was definitely up there too.”
Ayres has a bigger platform in mind as she looks to the higher levels of wrestling. She will continue to develop her own wrestling, but also is fully invested in working toward opening Division I wrestling up for women to inspire young girls to take up the sport about which she’s so passionate. Opening up more opportunities for women to wrestle would be a bigger win than any on the mat.
“It’s definitely a process to develop women’s wrestling at that level,” said Ayres. … rest of story at http://www.towntopics.com/wordpress/2021/04/21/after-helping-n-j-girls-wrestling-gain-a-foothold-ayres-going-to-pu-aiming-to-grow-sport-at-next-level/?mc_cid=d92d6a4129&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

May 24, 2021 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized