Girls Make Initial Appearance On Mats At OVAC Wrestling Championships
Kim North Trending
WHEELING - For the first time, girls shared the spotlight with the boys during the 72nd annual OVAC Ron Mauck Wrestling Championships as Day 2 of the three-day spectacle concluded Friday night inside WesBanco Arena.
While the boys got started a day earlier, the girls hit the mats in their maiden voyage with nearly 80 females from 26 schools donning the headgear and singlets.
Warren Local holds the lead in the one-class team race with 24 points. East Liverpool checks in at No. 2 with 22.5, while Steubenville is third at 20.
"The girls all wrestled well. They've spent a lot of time in the practice room," Steubenville head coach Jamie Weaver said. "Now it's time to propel them to the next level."
Qualifying for today's championship semifinals are Jamiah Beh (100), Katie Rivers (120), Alonna Barbour (126), Briella Guntrum (132), Talea Guntrum (138), Maleah Barbour (145), Gianna Millines (152) and Emilyn Bolanos (235).
Talea Guntrum is a two-time OHSAA state champion and recorded an 8-second fall Friday night to improve to a perfect 21-0 this season.
Wheeling Park, which sits in fifth place 17 points, has half-a-dozen semifinalists. They are Alivia West (132), Grace Tamburin (138), Kendra Falcone (152), Kylah Cunningham (165), Kymber Heldreth (185) and Terriona Gibbons (235).
"These girls have been working hard," Wheeling Park head coach Danny Doyle said. "It wouldn't surprise me to see most of them in the finals."
Warren Local had moved five individuals into the semifinals, which get underway at 11 a.m. Saturday. The championship finals are slated for 3:30 p.m.