Takedown Report

3rd Annual Olivia Neal Award presented to Kamilah Brooks

_{Coach Dustin Ohler with Kamilah Brooks}

Kamilah Brooks of Pasquotank County presented Olivia Neal Award for outstanding wrestling season.
State Champion Kamilah Brooks of Pasquotank County High School was presented the 3^rd Annual Olivia Neal Award as the 2024 Most Outstanding Female scholastic wrestler in eastern North Carolina.  The presentation was made during the High School’s athletic awards on Saturday May 18^th by The TakeDown Report.
Kamilah won all 53 matches in her senior year of competition and was crowned the first 126 lbs. Girls North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Champion.  She finished her high school career with 107 wins and 46 losses record.  Prior to this season she placed in the top three at the North Carolina Invitational State Tournament. 
Other notable finishes include a 2022 NCWAY state championship, a 2024 Northeastern Coastal Conference Championship, and placed 2^nd  at the University of Mount Olive’s Trojan Open as a high school student.  She won every tournament her Senior year and was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler at three of the six tournaments (WRAL, Homer Spring, and the Women’s East Regional).  She scored significant victories over previous state champions Angelica Steffy @UMO, Annabelle Rodriguez, Alfa Dominguez Gutierrez, and Brooke Zak.
Brooks is a 4 time all American (7^th twice at NHSCA, 3^rd & 5^th at War of the Roses women’s nationals).   Previous Olivia Neal Award winners include Steffy in 2023 and Rodriguez in 2022.  Brooks plans to wrestle next as a student at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky.
Girls’ wrestling is rapidly growing with over 45 states having sanctioned girls state wrestling championships.  North Carolina sponsored the first sanctioned state championship tournament last season.   This increases the opportunities for student development.  Almost 200 colleges and universities will have a Women’s wrestling team next season. In 2008 Olivia Neal became the first female wrestler in North Carolina to qualify for the varsity state tournament.  She wrestled for Rosewood High School for four years.  Her participation generated publicity for the sport, and she pinned her first state tournament opponent.  This inspired a growing number of girls in eastern N.C. to try out for wrestling. 
The TakeDown Report sponsors the Award and promotes wrestling in eastern North Carolina by reporting results and encouraging media coverage. Contact the TDR at martinkfleming@gmail.com or check https://takedownreport.wordpress.com/.

May 19, 2024 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized