To say that Olivya Kroope has been good on the mat this season would be an understatement.
She’s been dominant.
In 26 of her matches for the Emmaus girls wrestling team, the junior standout has only gone the distance twice with her opponent.
With 25 wins on the season and currently ranked the No. 5 wrestler in her 155-pound weight class, Kroope has recorded 19 pins — 15 coming in the first period.
At the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and District XI Championships, she was the only Hornet to capture gold, pinning the same opponent – Northampton’s Mylea Lambert, the No. 3 ranked wrestler – in both tournaments.
She’s been head coach Thad Smith’s best wrestler all season long.
Now, she has an opportunity to prove it on the biggest of stages at the PIAA State Championships in Hershey beginning on Thursday.
Kroope is one of 16 girls in her weight class looking to medal and potentially, be the first ever girls state champion in school history.
So how ready is she for the moment?
“Honestly, everybody keeps asking me that question,” said Kroope following practice on Tuesday. “I’m just trying not to think about it. I’ve been working on a to-do list since last Friday getting all of my affairs in order so I can relax and just focus on wrestling once I get out there.”
Kroope will also being go out to Hershey with a little motivation knowing this: she’s not invincible.
At the Southeast Regional Tournament held in Quakertown on February 23, the 17-year-old suffered her first and only loss of the season as she was defeated in the semifinals by ChaseMarie Ryan of the host school, 6-3.
Despite the defeat, Kroope was still able to work her way through the consolation round to finish third overall after pinning Avon Grove’s Kaitlynn Arnold in 1:14.
She did all this mind you at only being 50 percent healthy and after her being ‘really sick,’ losing 10 pounds between the week of districts and regionals due to a stomach bug AND food poisoning after eating out at a local restaurant.
“That loss at regionals has really been driving me,” admitted Kroope. “In the end, I think it will benefit me.”
Now 100 percent healthy, her coach also feels the same.
“I think she will be fine,” said Smith, who’s in his first year leading the girls program. “She has risen to the occasion on all the others. The EPC Tournament wasn’t too big, districts weren’t too big, regionals she was sick and still did it, so I don’t think states will affect her at all.”
Kroope will likely see a number of familiar wrestlers in Chocolatetown.
First up will be Camp Hill junior Keeley Nun, the Southcentral runner-up who’s 31-6 on the season. A Kroope victory would advance her to the quarterfinals where she will likely face the No.1 ranked wrestler in her class, Chestnut Ridge freshman Juliet Alt (27-2).
Also on the bottom part of bracket is Ryan and Delaware Valley junior Kate Prior who Kroope has already beaten this season. Both Lambert and Arnold are in the top bracket.
“I feel confident going out there,” said Kroope, who missed on qualifying for states a year ago. “I think where I’m at right now is probably the best that I’m going to be competing, so I just have to believe in my strengths. I have great coaches that have really set me up for some success.”
Whether Kroope comes home with a medal or not, Smith wants his star wrestler to just enjoy the experience of competing on the big stage.
“I don’t have any expectations for her,” he said. “I want her to go out and have fun and let it fly. If she goes out there with the attitude of just taking it one match at time, good things are going to happen.
“I don’t want her to put too much pressure on herself. Just go and enjoy every match. Live in the present; don’t worry about the future.”
Up to this point in the season, it’s been working.