To say that Olivia Kroope was good at the 2nd Annual EPC Girls Wrestling Tournament would be an understatement.
She was dominant.
Kroope headlined a list of four Emmaus wrestlers that medaled on Saturday afternoon at Liberty’s Memorial Gymnasium as she pinned her way to capturing the 155-pound individual championship.
The Emmaus junior, entering the tournament with a perfect 13-0 record, went 3-0 in the one-day event and captured one of the biggest wins of her high school career as she pinned the top seed and a fourth-place finisher at the PIAA State Meet a year ago, Northampton senior Mylea Lambert to capture gold.
Kroope, a fourth-place finisher from a year ago, led the match 2-0 in the second period before putting Lambert on her back in earning the fall in 3:27. It was just the second loss of the season for Lambert who entered with a 19-1 record.
Kroope also pinned her two other opponents — Easton senior Jamile Ramirez Galvez in :19 seconds in the quarterfinals and Freedom senior Anaya Velez in 1:59.
Three other Hornets also medaled at the tournament for first year head coach Thad Smith’s squad.
At 235, senior Katherine Soto-Acuna took third place after pinning Allen’s Karla Montes De oca Grullon in 3:54. It was the second time in the tournament that Soto-Acuna had pinned the Allen wrestler.
Freshman Haily Laible went 2-2 and finished fourth at 148. Laible picked up a pair of pins before falling in the third-place match to Freedom’s Alexis Horvath 6-3.
At 170, junior Jocelyn Vargas also placed fourth after going 2-2 with a pair of falls. Vargas lost to Pleasant Valley’s Isabella Altemose by pin in 1:47 in the medal round.
As a team, Emmaus improved on their 10th place finish from a year ago placing sixth overall with 102 points.
Parkland finished first for the second consecutive season with 154 points, followed by Easton (2nd/138.5), Liberty (3rd/135.5), PM West (4th/128) and PM East (5th/123.5)
Emmaus will return to its dual meet schedule on Wednesday as they host Pocono Mountain East at 7 p.m.
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The other Emmaus wrestlers that competed and did not medal included (Record @ Weight)
Freshman Peyton Schneck (3-2 @ 100)
Senior Shadeilyz Castro-Ruize (0-2 at 106)
Sophomore Danielle Rivera (2-2 @ 112)
Junior Flor Chouloupe (0-2 @ 118)
Freshman Erin Bechtel (1-2 @ 124)
Senior Sarah Luisi (1-2 @ 130)
Sophomore Brynn Koberlein (3-2 @ 136)
Sophomore Ariana Koberlein (1-2 @ 142)
Sophomore Petra Perez (2-2 @ 190)