HERSHEY >> Saturday afternoon will be an unprecedented event at the Giant Center in Hershey.
Three mats placed next to each other will showcase the Class 3A, Class 2A, and the first-ever girls state finals, starting at 4 p.m.
The top wrestlers will be competing, and District 1 has five girls vying for state gold.
Sienna Landrum from Downingtown West, the 142-pound category, reached the state finals two years ago as a freshman, but this time it's official and the event will take place in a crowded arena.
“It’s a significant achievement,” Landrum commented. “This is my second time in the finals, but it’s incredible to be here. It's enjoyable and inspiring.”
Following her is Kennett’s Haylie Jaffe (136), who will be striving for her fourth state title, making it her first official attempt. Jaffe and Landrum have both advanced to the finals by pinning their opponents, but they anticipate tougher competition in the final round.
In the Friday night’s semifinals, Jaffe quickly defeated Kiki’s Ava Golding in 65 seconds. Next, she will face Bishop McCourt’s Jordyn Fouse.
“I’ve been eagerly anticipating this finals match, especially against a strong opponent, so that's what I've been preparing for,” Jaffe expressed. “I treat all the other matches the same, but I've been looking forward to the finals match.”
Earlier in the session, Neshaminy’s Grace Nesbitt continued her impressive run with an 8-3 victory over Mounter’s Kristen Walzer. Being the lightest of all District 1 qualifiers, Nesbitt continues to achieve milestones, with becoming the district’s first state finalist being the latest.
“It's a significant achievement for me,” Nesbitt noted. “Reaching the state finals as a freshman is a major accomplishment. I always looked forward to wrestling in high school and at states, and I'm doing quite well so far.”
Bensalem’s Maya Krieger (170) is also in the finals, having finished fourth at the South East Regional tournament but winning three consecutive decisions.
Souderton’s MacKenna Atkinson had not progressed past the second round in her first two matches, but in the semifinals, she secured a 6-2 victory over Cumberland Valley’s Aja’nai Jumper. She will face a familiar opponent, Panther Valley’s Brenda Banks, in the finals.
“I've faced this opponent three times and it hasn't gone my way,” Atkinson remarked. “I've been working towards this the entire season and dreaming about it. If I work hard and avoid silly mistakes, I believe I can win.”
Also earning state medals from District 1 on Friday were Bensalem’s Payton Hinkle (100), Garnet Valley’s Reese Dewar (106) and Jessica Ayala (142), Souderton’s Emily Sarr (106), and Kayla Husti-Luca (130), Upper Dublin’s Rylee Netter (142), Sun Valley’s Jameson Strickland (148), Avon Grove’s Kaitlynn Arnold (155) and Quakertown’s Caroline Hattala (190) and Peyton Fries (235).
