High school girls wrestling: West, Wonders tie for first in major event
Published 3:35 am Sunday, January 26, 2025
- West Rowan girls wrestling team.
Staff report
MOORESVILLE — West Rowan and A.L. Brown tied for first place in the Carolina Women’s Showcase, a major event for female wrestlers that was held on Saturday at Lake Norman High.
Girls from 30 teams competed.
The Falcons and Wonders can fill the weight classes with large teams and scored 177 points each. Eight places scored.
The individual champions for West were Hadley Perry (100), Waylan Collins (126) and Brooks Zino (152).
Perry has only one loss this season and won her final by pin. She was a repeat champion in the event.
Collins and Zino also won their finals by pin. Collins’ pin of A.L. Brown’s Lina Penaloza in the 126 final was a key match.
The top wrestler for A.L. Brown is Kahlen Kuddie. She won at 120, with a bye and three pins. She’s lost only once this season.
A.L. Brown’s other individual champion was Clear Wesley, who won by technical fall in the final at 185.
East Rowan had only a handful of wrestlers, but was able to place sixth in the team scoring. Leah Edwards stayed unbeaten for the season at 114 pounds with a bye and three pins.
West got a second-place finish from Olyvia Brown (107). Nevaeh McCullough (138) placed third. Lindsay Russell (185) and Margaret Leach (185) got fourth-place points.
Penaloza and Isabella Butler had second places for the Wonders. Butler was pinned by East’s Edwards in the 114 final.
Amory Mendoza (100) and Alexa Rubino (132) placed third for A.L. Brown. Getting fourth-place points were Kate Vasquez (138) and Shanti Valadez (165).
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The action is about to heat up for the girls wrestlers.
The South Piedmont Conference Tournament for girls will be held on Tuesday at West Rowan.
The Wonders will host the individual regionals for girls on Feb. 7-8.