![Coach Lowther, Coach Paddy Lowther, Coach Bland, and Coach Cassie Lowther happily line up with the girls for the beginning of the season. They will be traveling to North Allegany for an invitational on February 1, 2025.](https://thehillernewspaper.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/GW.jpg)
The girls’ wrestling season is underway. They began the season by making quite an impact at their first tournament, the Ram Slam tournament at Pine Richland. Most of the girls have high hopes to make it to states this year and will continue to work tirelessly on and off the mat to maintain this goal.
Before the season began, it was highly recommended that the girls engage in Coach Rizor’s workouts, practices and workouts from home, which helped them successfully prepare for this season. Currently, the team has practices five out of seven days a week. The girls state that it is helpful to show up to all practices and to make time to work out from home as well.
This year’s team is led by coaches from the middle school and high school, but the two head coaches for the girls’ team are Coach Grant Lowther and Coach Laura Carr; they help the team work hard in and out of the season and keep their spirits going all year long. Recently, Juniors Elaina Ashby and Alexia Ashby were named varsity team captains.
Aside from the team having a goal to have all girls place at WPIALs and states, the girls have hopes for the team’s performance.
Elaina Ashby says, “This season I would like to see myself making it to states, and making my team proud. I also want to have a better record.”
Elaina Ashby has started nicely this season by placing fourth overall in the Ram Slam tournament.
The girls also have personal goals and are hoping to improve dramatically throughout the year.
Sophomore Brooke Lindsay states, “I would like to have a better record this season, improve my skills on the mat and spend more time with my friends this season.”
Throughout the season, all tournaments consist of a maximum of six matches. If a wrestler loses a match twice, she is out and unable to compete for the rest of the tournament or bracket.
For the wrestlers, the highlight of the season was the Powerade Tournament. This year the tournament was held at Canon-McMillan High School on December 30, 2024, and ended on January 1, 2025. The team placed sixteenth overall out of the 53 teams. The team’s highest score at the tournament was 49.
As the season is underway, catch the girls at their next tournament on February 1, 2025, at North Allegheny for their invitational match!