Maryland Girls State Championships

Team champion Quince Orchard (109.5 points) overcame runner-up Crofton (103) by crowning third-ranked senior Amirah Abegesah (145) among four Cougars' wrestlers who finished within the top four of their weight classes.

The Cougars received a third-place effort from second-ranked senior Esther Hernandez (140), with fourth-place finishes from second-ranked junior Aubry Spadoni (170) and sixth-ranked junior Isabella Peluso (110).

Abegesah improved on her third-place finish of a year ago, scoring a 21-second fall over Harford Tech's sixth-ranked junior Emily Wockenfuss in their title bout. Abegesah’s path to the finals comprised a fall in 1:47 over LaPlata's ninth-ranked junior Lauren Jackson, another in 50 seconds over Sparrows Point's 14th-ranked sophomore Grace Paesch, and a third in 5:48 of her semifinal clash with Manchester Valley's fifth-ranked senior Addison Grubb

"I started wrestling my sophomore year and I came in fifth place. Last year, I came in third, and this year, I'm first," Abegesah said. "Oh my God, I'm a senior and I feel amazing. We're in first place, and I feel really good for my team. I feel amazing. I'm feeling amazing and I'm really happy for my team."

Stephen Decatur crowned a pair of champions in second-ranked junior Irie Carmack (125) and fifth-ranked senior Amari Purnell (140).

Carmack's path to the finals comprised consecutive technical falls in 20-3 and 21-4 as well as a 4-3 semifinal decision over South Carroll's eighth-ranked Rhea Dupre. A fourth-place finisher at states last year, Carmack won her title match by 16-3 major decision over Frederick's top-ranked junior Annika Emshoff.

"I have never wrestled [Emshoff] before, but she wrestles on the Maryland team with me, so I know her a little bit," Carmack said. "I'm so happy. I've worked so hard. This is my second year at this tournament, and I didn't place in this tournament last year."

Purnell used pins in 3:44 and 5:16 as well as a 12-4 semifinal major decision over Eastern Tech's fifth-ranked junior London Smith to reach her title match, where her 2-1 decision victory dethroned Northeast-Anne Arundel's top-ranked senior Sophia Hodges. Purnell was fourth at states last year.

"I had wrestled [Hodges] twice and I lost both times. I wrestled her in the semifinals last year and it was bittersweet. Then, I wrestled her at War On The Shore and I lost again. But I went back to work, and this was a revenge moment," Purnell said. "I placed twice in this tournament in past years being fourth as a freshman and my junior year at 155 and at 135, and now I'm at 140. I feel amazing. I saw myself as being No. 1, and I really expected it to happen, but here we are."

Wicomico's top-ranked senior Iyanna Graves (155), Lackey's top-ranked junior Jariah Washington (170), Randallstown's top-ranked senior Daegan Bishop (190) and Queen Anne's top-ranked senior Shayla Watson (235) were all victorious state champions, with Watson improving on her third-place finish of a year ago.

Graves won her title match by 8-7 decision over Rising Sun's second-ranked senior Anna Farr, who was third at states last year. Graves reached the finals on pins in 1:49 and 5:27 as well as a 13-0 major decision."

Washington scored falls in 3:14 and 3:55 as well as a 15-0 technical fall before winning her title match by fall in 5:21 over CH Flowers junior Mabel Alafiatayo.

"I just feel good, and all of the glory goes to God. He's the only reason I've made it this far," Washington said. "Last year was my first year wrestling, and I wrestled 155 and placed fifth in the states."

Bishop registered pins in 1:58 and 2:56 before winning her semifinal bout by 7-2 decision over Lackey's 15th-ranked senior Savannah Allen. Bishop earned an 8-1 decision in her title match with Richard Montgomery's fifth-ranked junior Estrella Edwards.

"That [Edwards] was actually a rematch. I beat her that time, too. This is bittersweet. I've been wrestling for four years for Randallstown, and I'm so happy that I've finally won a state championship," Bishop said. "I've never been here before, but this was the year, baby. I'm going to miss the coaching and I'm going to miss the team. I'm going to miss all of them."

Watson used falls in 3:25, 5:10 and in 7:09 of her overtime semifinal with Sparrows Point's ninth-ranked sophomore Skyler Leopold before winning her championship match by 7-1 decision over North Caroline's fifth-ranked senior Yelena Torres-Guzman.

"I feel so relieved, but I'm also sad that it's my last match and my last season of high school wrestling. Other than that, I'm really excited about it," Watson said. "Last year I placed third, but in reality, it was only my first year of wrestling. My goal was to be ranked higher than third. I've wrestled that girl one other time.”

Brunswick's second-ranked sophomore Katherine Virgilio (120) won a clash of defending state champions, 12-8, over Smithsburg's top-ranked junior Rileigh Romberger, having reached the finals after a 58-second pin and success technical falls by scores of 17-2, 17-0 and 15-0.

"Whoo, I'm feeling tired, but also, so accomplished. I lost to her a week ago at regionals in double-overtime, so this is what I've been working for, and I feel so proud of myself. Virgilio said. "Last year, I was the 115-pound state champion, so I bumped up a weight class to wrestle [Romberger] so I got a lot from this."

Manchester Valley's third-ranked senior Chloe Chwang (135) improved her previous year's fifth-place finish by dethroning Walter Johnson's top-ranked senior Sonia Pegoue by 6-5 decision in their title match. Chwang pinned all three opponents to reach the finals comprising falls in 36 and 74 seconds to go with another in 4:29.

Clarksburg's second-ranked freshman Elana Pelaez (105) earned her fourth fall in as many matches at the 5:53 mark of her title bout with Brunswick's top-ranked sophomore Catherine Orndorff, who finished second at states for the second consecutive year. Pelaez also registered a pair of 70-second pins and another in 1:46.

Pelaez joined her older brother, Owen, who graduated as a Class 4A-3A state champion for the Coyotes last year.

"I had wrestled [Orndorff] earlier this year and I beat her, but it was tougher the second time," Pelaez said. "She's very strong, and I feel really good and I'm grateful to be here and that I was able to get it done."

Oakdale's fourth-ranked sophomore Madelyn Hartman (110) improved on her fourth-place finish of a year ago with a fall in 5:17 of her title match with Frederick's fifth-ranked senior Sha'Niyah Goines.

Hartman reached the finals after scoring consecutive technical falls by scores of 18-1 and 20-5 before winning her semifinal bout by 8-6 decision over Randallstown's second-ranked senior Wura Idowu, who was a defending state champion.

"I'm very tired, but I'm very excited. I've wrestled this girl [Goines] in every postseason tournament, and she beat me at counties, but I got her at regionals last week," Hartman said. "We've been going back and forth, but I placed fourth last year. I've spent a lot of time working hard, showing up at off-season practices, and this is the result. It's paid off."

North Point's fifth-ranked senior Saniya Wheeler (100) earned the falls in 2:47 and 2:53, the latter over LaPlata's fourth-ranked junior Maliyah Cropper in the quarterfinals.

Wheeler won an identical 1-0 decision over Whitman's second-ranked junior Kelani Ramos in their semifinal before winning her title match by the same score against Glen Burnie's third-ranked sophomore Pashince Gregory.

North County's eighth-ranked freshman Natalia Jimenez (130) scored an upset 9-2 title-match victory over Edgewood's top-ranked senior Triniti Green.

Jimenez's path to the finals comprised consecutive falls in 5:43 and 4:49 over Calvert's fourth-ranked senior Samantha Potter and Thomas Stone's third-ranked senior Machoura Karantassi before winning an 8-0 major decision over Crofton's ninth-ranked senior Nora Kelly in the semifinals.

Team Scores

1 Quince Orchard 109.5

2 Crofton, 103.5

3 Stephen Decatur 78.0

4 Arundel 76.0

5 Manchester Valley 73.0

6 Atholton 65.5

7 Northeast (AA) 64.0

8 Queen Annes County High School 62.0

9 Eastern Technical 59.0

10 Frederick 57.0

11 Hereford 56.0

12 Brunswick 53.5

12 North County 53.5

14 Oakdale 53.0

15 Bel Air 50.0

16 Leonardtown 49.5

17 Glen Burnie 49.0

17 Henry E. Lackey 49.0

17 Randallstown 49.0

17 Sparrows Point 49.0

21 North Point 48.0

22 Walt Whitman 43.0

22 Walter Johnson 43.0

24 Harford Technical 42.0

25 Charles H. Flowers 41.5

26 Meade 41.0

26 Winters Mill 41.0

28 Richard Montgomery 36.0

29 Smithsburg 35.0

30 Patterson Mill 33.0

100

1st Place Match

Saniya Wheeler (North Point) 34-2, Sr. over Pashince Gregory (Glen Burnie) 21-5, So. (Dec 1-0)

3rd Place Match

Olivia Crosby (Laurel) 36-4, Jr. over Kelani Ramos (Walt Whitman) 33-3, Jr. (Dec 14-7)

5th Place Match

Julia Abel (Hereford) 22-7, Jr. over Sosan Rasikh (Bethesda-Chevy Chase) 23-10, So. (Fall 0:35)

105

1st Place Match

Elana Pelaez (Clarksburg) 31-0, Fr. over Catherine Orndorff (Brunswick) 39-5, So. (Fall 5:53)

3rd Place Match

Allegra Unger (Montgomery Blair) 31-7, Sr. over Kennedy Barnes (Arundel) 36-6, Jr. (Fall 1:40)

5th Place Match

Ruby Russell (Crofton) 37-21, So. over Alexis Metzgar (North Point) 32-6, Jr. (Fall 2:59)

110

1st Place Match

Madelyn Hartman (Oakdale) 26-4, So. over Sha`Niyah Goines (Frederick) 29-6, Sr. (Fall 5:17)

3rd Place Match

Wura Idowu (Randallstown) 25-4, Sr. over Isabella Peluso (Quince Orchard) 32-15, Jr. (Fall 3:46)

5th Place Match

Nevaeh Diaz (Meade) 27-4, So. over Jada Agurs (Gwynn Park) 22-4, Sr. (M. For.)

115

1st Place Match

Madison Birth (Bel Air) 25-6, Jr. over Saphira Hamill (Perryville) 18-21, Jr. (TF-1.5 4:55 (19-3))

3rd Place Match

Sofie French (Harford Technical) 25-4, Fr. over Kohme Yamazaki (Walt Whitman) 29-8, Fr. (TB-1 2-1)

5th Place Match

Laila Womack (Richard Montgomery) 16-6, So. over Maddy Johnson (Francis Scott Key) 20-6, Jr. (Fall 4:39)

120

1st Place Match

Katherine Virgilio (Brunswick) 33-10, So. over Rileigh Romberger (Smithsburg) 19-1, Jr. (Dec 12-8)

3rd Place Match

Ashley Diaz (Northwood) 20-5, So. over Gabrielle Arguello (Northwest) 20-7, So. (Fall 4:18)

5th Place Match

Madison Bullock (Severna Park) 17-10, Fr. over Addison Beem (Fort Hill) 19-10, So. (Fall 1:55)

125

1st Place Match

Irie Carmack (Stephen Decatur) 30-2, Jr. over Annika Emshoff (Frederick) 17-3, Jr. (MD 16-3)

3rd Place Match

Darielle Wood (Leonardtown) 23-4, So. over Kailey Arredondo (Atholton) 24-10, Jr. (Fall 4:06)

5th Place Match

Annessa Stutz (Hereford) 29-4, Fr. over Rhea Dupre (South Carroll) 18-5, Jr. (Fall 4:45)

130

1st Place Match

Natalia Jimenez (North County) 26-3, Fr. over Triniti Green (Edgewood) 24-3, Sr. (Dec 9-2)

3rd Place Match

Brynn Ryan (Manchester Valley) 29-4, Sr. over Samantha Potter (Calvert) 25-6, Sr. (Fall 2:00)

5th Place Match

Nora Kelly (Crofton) 30-11, Sr. over Kylie Buehler (Patterson Mill) 25-7, So. (Dec 12-6)

135

1st Place Match

Chloe Chwang (Manchester Valley) 30-0, Sr. over Sonia Pegoue (Walter Johnson) 32-2, Sr. (Dec 6-5)

3rd Place Match

Grace Reilly (Bel Air) 20-6, So. over Lyla Ladd (Oakdale) 24-9, Jr. (Dec 9-8)

5th Place Match

Breyon Thompson (Crofton) 19-8, Sr. over Alexcia McCalla (Tuscarora) 31-6, Sr. (Fall 0:58)

140

1st Place Match

Amari Purnell (Stephen Decatur) 30-4, Jr. over Sophia Hodges (Northeast (AA)) 33-3, Sr. (Dec 2-1)

3rd Place Match

Esther Hernandez (Quince Orchard) 23-5, Sr. over London Smith (Eastern Technical) 25-5, Jr. (Dec 10-4)

5th Place Match

Ryleigh Gittermann (Century) 25-8, So. over Lexi Vosburg (Chesapeake-AA) 29-7, Jr. (MD 11-1)

145

1st Place Match

Amirah Abegesah (Quince Orchard) 23-2, Sr. over Emily Wockenfuss (Harford Technical) 23-5, Jr. (Fall 0:21)

3rd Place Match

Sarah Mohler (Boonsboro) 24-3, . over Addie Grubb (Manchester Valley) 23-4, Sr. (Inj. 4:05)

5th Place Match

Gema Serio (Northeast (AA)) 30-8, So. over Grace Paesch (Sparrows Point) 28-7, So. (Dec 10-5)

155

1st Place Match

Iyana Graves (Wicomico) 25-1, Sr. over Anna Farr (Rising Sun) 17-4, Sr. (Dec 8-7)

3rd Place Match

Naima Harvey-Bowen (Atholton) 23-2, Sr. over Maiah Sweet (Winters Mill) 32-5, Sr. (MD 11-3)

5th Place Match

Hannah Hickman (Eastern Technical) 20-3, Sr. over Maya Williams (Wheaton) 20-7, Jr. (Fall 2:46)

170

1st Place Match

Jariah Washington (Henry E. Lackey) 16-0, Jr. over Mabel Alafiatayo (Charles H. Flowers) 17-1, Jr. (Fall 5:21)

3rd Place Match

Lilah Pabon (Crofton) 31-6, So. over Aubry Spadoni (Quince Orchard) 25-3, Jr. (Fall 4:18)

5th Place Match

Alexis Ogundipe (Glen Burnie) 11-4, Sr. over Saleema Kang (Walkersville) 22-6, Sr. (Dec 1-0)

190

1st Place Match

Daegan Bishop (Randallstown) 26-1, Sr. over Estrella Edwards (Richard Montgomery) 15-3, Jr. (Dec 8-1)

3rd Place Match

Natalia Grace Allen (Northeast (AA)) 30-6, Jr. over Korede Ojaomo (Arundel) 31-7, So. (Fall 1:27)

5th Place Match

Savannah Allen (Henry E. Lackey) 9-5, Sr. over Arianna King (Eastern Technical) 22-8, Sr. (Dec 1-0)

235

1st Place Match

Shayla Watson (Queen Annes County High School) 35-1, Sr. over Yalena Torrez-Guzman (North Caroline) 24-5, . (Dec 7-1)

3rd Place Match

Laylah Jefferson (Arundel) 30-4, So. over Katrina Adhikari (Severn Run) 9-3, Sr. (Dec 1-0)

5th Place Match

Skylar Leopold (Sparrows Point) 29-9, So. over Asia Brown (Gwynn Park) 16-3, Sr. (For.)