In his first season leading the program, head coach Anthony Shave couldn’t have asked for a better start for his girls wrestling team.
Heading into action this week, the Hornets were a perfect 4-0 in the EPC and 9-1 overall.
They can now add a tournament championship to their resume.
Competing in the Governor Mifflin Tournament earlier this week, Emmaus had 10 individual wrestlers place in the top eight while also capturing the team title against 22 other schools competing.
“We are seeing exactly what we want across the board, incremental improvements and winning in close matches and aggressively seeking out he fall when the opportunities are there,” said Shave, the Hornets first year coach. “I’m VERY proud of where we are at.”
Emmaus amassed 166.5 team points to finish first., some 28.5 points better than its next closest challenger, J.P. McCaskey who was second with 138 points. Schuylkill League foe Pine Grove finished third (116), followed by the host team Governor Mifflin fourth (114) and Berks based Reading fifth (102).
The Hornets crowned three individual champions.
Senior Olivya Kroope remained unbeaten on the season (13-0) by rolling through the competition and capturing the title at 155 pounds. Kroope pinned all three of her opponents, including Hamburg’s Daisy Nemes in the finals in 1:52.
“Olivya dominated her opponents and she’s looking as sharp as ever,” said Shave.
Kroope’s teammate, freshman Nitzana Jamaica, also had a strong showing in winning the title with four falls in the 100-pound weight class. Jamaica pinned Wilson West Lawn’s Mackenzie Koyste in 3:09 in the championship.
“Nitzana is making a name for herself at her weight class,” said Shave of his first year wrestler who improved to 11-3 on the season.
Sophomore Sarah Lysinger may have been one of the surprises of the entire tournament as she won the individual title at 130. Lysinger, who entered action with a 4-6 record, recorded a pair of falls and then defeated Wyomissing’s Luna Morales 5-3 in the finals.
“Sarah at 130 winning it all as a brand-new wrestler was exciting to watch,” said Shave.
“It took a full team effort (to win this tournament),” he added. “A big contributor to team points was a non-placer in Danielle Rivera who had a big bracket and won three matches at 112.”
Other Emmaus wrestlers that also placed in the tournament included: junior Ariana Koberlein who finished in third place at 148; sophomore Haily Laible (142), junior Petra Perez (190) and sophomore Rayne Shaw (235) who all placed fifth and freshman Lillian Erbrick (106) who took sixth. Two other Hornets – senior Jocelyn Vargas (170) and sophomore Katherine Brion (235) – finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
Emmaus will return to the mat on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. as they travel to the Parkland Duals. The 8-team field will include the Hornets, rival Parkland, along with Freedom, East Stroudsburg South, Pocono Mountain East, Northampton, Delaware Valley and Pennsbury.
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Emmaus wrestlers (place) @ Governor Mifflin Tournament
100 – Nitzana Jamaica (1st), Kanval Naveed (DNP)
106 – Lillian Erbrick (6th), Molly Dixon (DNP)
112 – Danielle Rivera (DNP)
118 – Julia Paung (DNP), Flor Chouloupe (DNP)
124 – Calia Shotwell (DNP)
130 – Sarah Lysinger (1st)
136 – Brynn Koberlein (DNP)
142 – Haily Laible (5th)
148 – Ariana Koberlein (3rd)
155 – Olivya Kroope (1st)
170 – Jocelyn Vargas (7th)
190 – Petra Perez (5th), Makayla Lipp (DNP)
235 – Rayne Shaw (5th), Katherine Brion (8th)