Whitley Co. wrestlers make history at first-ever female state championships

Val Sears

Winning a medal may be the ultimate goal when it comes to competing in a state championship wrestling tournament, but in the case of this past Saturday’s first-ever Kentucky High School Athletic Association girls state championships, the bigger, and more important, victory had already been won before anyone even stepped foot inside Lexington’s Alltech Arena.

For several years, girls competing in high school wrestling in the state of Kentucky have had to rely on coaches organizing their own special events in order to have the opportunity to compete against other females for state championship titles.

Not anymore.

This year, for the first time ever, the KHSAA held its own sanctioned girls state championship wrestling event. It was a history-making day, and four Whitley County Colonels got to be a part of it.

“It feels awesome,” said Whitley senior Val Sears when asked about the experience. “I feel lucky to be a part of the first sanctioned state tournament. This is a new level of women’s wrestling in high school. It’s very exciting.”

Sears advanced to the semifinal round of the 138-lb. bracket Saturday, picking up wins against Newport sophomore Rokhaya Temple and Butler High School junior Kamilah Nana. She lost to eventual state champion Sophie Anderson, a junior from Walton-Verona, in the semis.

Sears was not finished, though. She suffered another loss, this time to eventual third place finisher Aanyah Betancur, a junior from George Rogers Clark, before she met up with Nana again in the day’s fifth place match.

Sears won the rematch, meaning she was able to end her high school wrestling career with a win on the biggest stage that the sport has enjoyed to-date.

Whitley sophomore Lexi Susor commented that it was “amazing” for female wrestlers in the state to finally get their own KHSAA sanctioned state championship event. She credited her coaches for helping her and her teammates make it to the inaugural event, and she added that this exposure should go a long way in helping the sport to continue its rapid growth in the years ahead.

Susor started her day off with a loss to DuPont Manual junior Camara Carter in round one of the 120-lb. bracket. She regrouped and was successful against McCracken County junior Lakelynn Janssen in a consolation match, but she was eliminated in the next round by the eventual third place finisher, junior Lillianah DeWitt from Fort Campbell.

Taya Allen

One Colonel who is very excited about what the future will hold for her and her peers in varsity high school wrestling is eighth grader Olivia Fuson. Even though she was among the youngest competitors present at last Saturday’s championships, she still managed to impress with a first round victory over Valley High School freshman Makenna Perry in the 145-lb. bracket.

Fuson came up against eventual state champion Gabriella Ocasio, a senior from Simon Kenton High School in round two, and she was later eliminated by George Rogers Clark senior Ava Crouse in the consolation bracket.

“I’m glad that I got the opportunity,” Fuson said earlier in the day. “It is really motivating to see how many girls are here and have the passion to wrestle.”

One more Colonel, junior Taya Allen, earned the right to compete in the first-ever KHSAA girls state championships. She lost to Caldwell County eighth grader Virginia Stewart in round one of the 235-lb. bracket, but she was able to pick up a win over Moore ninth grader Madelyn Lehenbauer to advance in the consolation competition.

Allen’s day ended at the hands of eventual third place finisher Hayley Young from Madison Southern, but after being involved in wrestling for the past few years, she understood the overall importance of this moment.

“I am very excited and appreciative to be a part of history,” Allen said. “Coming from a team with only two girls at one point to now having a whole team of girls has just been great. It’s mind-blowing.”

For more information on the 2024 KHSAA Wrestling State Championships, go online to www.khsaa.org.