FINDLAY – Four girls from the tri-county area advanced out of districts to qualify for the state wrestling tournament next weekend in Columbus at Ohio State University’s Schottenstein Center.
Crestview’s Naomi Gearheart won a 145-pound district title in Findlay pinning all four of her opponents along the way. She opened with a quick 68-second pin of Normandy’s Sahlara Issa then followed it up with a 15-second match against Woodmore’s Molly Hower. She then needed just 46 seconds against Archbold’s Kate Brenneman before taking down Wauseon’s Amya Hallett in the championship match.
Madison’s Estella Koppert Smith placed third in the 130-pound class at Findlay. She opened with a 53-second pin of Salem’s Chaya Murray then won by tech fall 15-0 over Wayne Trace’s Karsyn Troth in the quarterfinals. She lost to Brunswick’s Marisa McCartin by a 6-3 decision in the semifinals before bouncing back with a 12-0 majority decision over Clyde’s Mallory Meggitt, then took third with a 2:03 pin of Toledo Start’s Hannah Richards.
Mapleton’s Skylar Hopstetter placed third in the 135-pound weight class at Mentor. She opened with a 1:36 pin of Berea-Midpark’s Micah Finley before dropping the quarterfinal match to Steubenville’s Talea Guntrum getting pinned in 14 seconds. She began her trek through the consolations with a 38-second pin of Girard’s Ava Latell and followed it up pinning Northwestern’s Kaylee Cherry in 2:18. She then won her consolation semifinal by a 9-1 majority decision over West Branch’s Abigail Janosik and pinned Finley again in the third place match, this time needing 3:55 to do it.
Shelby’s Hope Timko placed fourth in the 115-pound weight class at Findlay. She opened with a 30-second pin of Archbold’s Jasanna Gonzales then lost by a tech fall 20-2 to Cuyahoga Falls’ Bri Popovich. She was able to win her next three consolation matches with a trio of pins — Woodmore’s Vida Guillen in 24 seconds, Midview’s Aubree Costlow in 34 seconds, and Toledo Central Catholic’s Sophia Swanson in 29 seconds — to set up a rematch with Popovich that ended in a 15-5 majority decision.
zholden@gannett.com | 419-617-6018 | Twitter/X: @Zachary_Holden
This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Crestview’s Gearheart a district champ, three other girls state-bound
Reporting by Zachary Holden, Mansfield News Journal / Mansfield News Journal
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