Lady Tigers wrestlers excel at Warehouse Tire Finale
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The Highland County Press-
On Sunday, Feb. 5, the McClain Lady Tigers varsity and middle school wrestlers competed in the Warehouse Tire Finale at Alexander High School.
“We also had a pair of youth girls wrestle in some youth all-girls competition as well,” McClain varsity head coach Coty Barnhart said. “It was a really well-done event put on by Alexander and the guys over at Baum's Page. Hats off to those guys for successfully running three tournaments in one day.”
The varsity Lady Tigers team placed fifth overall out of 27 teams with a team score of 101.
“The girls had a great day,” Barnhart said. “We had four wrestlers compete. Sarah Kegley was scratched from the tournament the morning of. All four of our wrestlers who competed placed and wrestled with a lot of toughness and aggression.
“Each time we wrestle, I am constantly reminded of how tough these girls are and how much they have improved and continued to do so. You will be hard pressed to find a tougher group of kids.”
Leading the way for MHS was junior Nikkiah Smith, who earned first place in the 235-pound class. After falling by pin (1:55) to Meadowbrook’s Katelynn Heady in her first match, Smith went on to win her next four matches to take the championship trophy.
In the second round, Smith won by pin (:36) over Olivia DaLuz of Big Walnut. She followed that by pinning one of her own teammates, McClain’s KC Foster, in the third round (1:59).
Next, Smith won by pin (:15) over Shenandoah’s Abby Harbaugh, then won her championship match by pin (:36) over Khyla Barner of Steubenville.
“It was a big day for Nikkiah, our heavyweight starter,” Barnhart said. “She went 4-1 on the day and took first in her weight class. She was really aggressive in all her matches.”
Sophomore Dayza Daugherty earned a runner-up finish in the 120-pound weight class for McClain. She started the tournament with a win by pin (:07) over River Valley’s McKenna Burns in the first round, then also won by pin (1:03) over Lilly Powell of New Lexington.
Daugherty again won by pin (:36) over Olentangy’s Taylor Worthington in the next round, followed by pinning Leah Polcyn of South Gallia (4:26). In the championship match, Daugherty lost by pin (3:37) to Olentangy’s Cori Young to secure her runner-up finish.
In the 170-pound weight class, senior Madesyn Wheaton earned third place overall, winning three matches on the day. In her first match, she won by pin (0:44) over Jade Gagen of Olentangy, then won by pin (0:28) over Shenandoah’s Lilly Piskula in her second match of the tournament.
After falling by pin (5:39) to Warren’s Maria Nutter, Wheaton had a rematch with Piskula in the third-place match. Wheaton again won by pin, this time in 47 seconds, to take third place.
Rounding out the varsity placers was heavyweight KC Foster, a freshman, who was fourth place overall in the 235-pound class.
Foster started the day by defeating Harbaugh by pin (3:08). She then fell by pin to Heady (5:02). After her aforementioned loss to teammate Smith, Foster fell to Barner via pin (3:21).
In her final match, Foster earned her second victory of the day and a fourth-place finish with a win by pin over DaLuz (:17).
“I think it is really important to note that we had four wrestlers competing in both [varsity and middle school] tournaments, with only three point-scoring wrestlers,” Barnhart said. “All of the teams that finished ahead of our two teams had upwards of 8-10 point-scoring wrestlers.
“The fact that we are being so competitive with these other teams that have us outnumbered is pretty encouraging for what we are doing here as coaches. Now we just need to start getting more girls on the mat.”
For the middle school team, the Lady Tigers finished fifth out of 18 teams. They also had four placers, including three runner-up finishes: Lexie Burns (98-pound), Maddi Lee (116-pound) and Ally Murray (235-pound). Laycee Watson was fourth in the 235-pound weight class.
“I am very proud of this group of girls as well,” Barnhart said. “All of them wrestled their best each and every match, and having all three point-scoring wrestlers finish second is pretty good.”
The two youth wrestlers who competed were fifth grader Brooklyn Simmons, who went 3-0 at the tournament, and fourth grader Genevieve Fligor, who was 1-3.
“It was really great to see some of our younger girls getting to go compete against other girls,” Barnhart said.
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“We also had a pair of youth girls wrestle in some youth all-girls competition as well,” McClain varsity head coach Coty Barnhart said. “It was a really well-done event put on by Alexander and the guys over at Baum's Page. Hats off to those guys for successfully running three tournaments in one day.”
The varsity Lady Tigers team placed fifth overall out of 27 teams with a team score of 101.
“The girls had a great day,” Barnhart said. “We had four wrestlers compete. Sarah Kegley was scratched from the tournament the morning of. All four of our wrestlers who competed placed and wrestled with a lot of toughness and aggression.
“Each time we wrestle, I am constantly reminded of how tough these girls are and how much they have improved and continued to do so. You will be hard pressed to find a tougher group of kids.”
Leading the way for MHS was junior Nikkiah Smith, who earned first place in the 235-pound class. After falling by pin (1:55) to Meadowbrook’s Katelynn Heady in her first match, Smith went on to win her next four matches to take the championship trophy.
In the second round, Smith won by pin (:36) over Olivia DaLuz of Big Walnut. She followed that by pinning one of her own teammates, McClain’s KC Foster, in the third round (1:59).
Next, Smith won by pin (:15) over Shenandoah’s Abby Harbaugh, then won her championship match by pin (:36) over Khyla Barner of Steubenville.
“It was a big day for Nikkiah, our heavyweight starter,” Barnhart said. “She went 4-1 on the day and took first in her weight class. She was really aggressive in all her matches.”
Sophomore Dayza Daugherty earned a runner-up finish in the 120-pound weight class for McClain. She started the tournament with a win by pin (:07) over River Valley’s McKenna Burns in the first round, then also won by pin (1:03) over Lilly Powell of New Lexington.
Daugherty again won by pin (:36) over Olentangy’s Taylor Worthington in the next round, followed by pinning Leah Polcyn of South Gallia (4:26). In the championship match, Daugherty lost by pin (3:37) to Olentangy’s Cori Young to secure her runner-up finish.
In the 170-pound weight class, senior Madesyn Wheaton earned third place overall, winning three matches on the day. In her first match, she won by pin (0:44) over Jade Gagen of Olentangy, then won by pin (0:28) over Shenandoah’s Lilly Piskula in her second match of the tournament.
After falling by pin (5:39) to Warren’s Maria Nutter, Wheaton had a rematch with Piskula in the third-place match. Wheaton again won by pin, this time in 47 seconds, to take third place.
Rounding out the varsity placers was heavyweight KC Foster, a freshman, who was fourth place overall in the 235-pound class.
Foster started the day by defeating Harbaugh by pin (3:08). She then fell by pin to Heady (5:02). After her aforementioned loss to teammate Smith, Foster fell to Barner via pin (3:21).
In her final match, Foster earned her second victory of the day and a fourth-place finish with a win by pin over DaLuz (:17).
“I think it is really important to note that we had four wrestlers competing in both [varsity and middle school] tournaments, with only three point-scoring wrestlers,” Barnhart said. “All of the teams that finished ahead of our two teams had upwards of 8-10 point-scoring wrestlers.
“The fact that we are being so competitive with these other teams that have us outnumbered is pretty encouraging for what we are doing here as coaches. Now we just need to start getting more girls on the mat.”
For the middle school team, the Lady Tigers finished fifth out of 18 teams. They also had four placers, including three runner-up finishes: Lexie Burns (98-pound), Maddi Lee (116-pound) and Ally Murray (235-pound). Laycee Watson was fourth in the 235-pound weight class.
“I am very proud of this group of girls as well,” Barnhart said. “All of them wrestled their best each and every match, and having all three point-scoring wrestlers finish second is pretty good.”
The two youth wrestlers who competed were fifth grader Brooklyn Simmons, who went 3-0 at the tournament, and fourth grader Genevieve Fligor, who was 1-3.
“It was really great to see some of our younger girls getting to go compete against other girls,” Barnhart said.
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