The Lady Knights Girls Wrestling Team is set to compete in the state tournament on Saturday.

For the second year in a row, the West Virginia girls wrestling state championship will be held alongside the High School boy’s placement rounds on Saturday morning, March 8, in Huntington.

Although girls wrestling has grown significantly in the state, it is yet to be recognized as an official sport by the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission (WVSSAC). Currently, 45 states have sanctioned girls wrestling, leaving West Virginia among the final five still working toward official recognition. However, progress continues, and many believe the state is getting closer to sanctioning the sport, giving female wrestlers the same opportunities as their male counterparts.

Girls wrestling is the fastest growing sport in America, with participation nearly doubling in recent years – from 32,020 athletes in 2021 to nearly 70,000 today. That growth is reflected locally, as Tyler consolidated high school had 10 girls compete this season with nine of them qualifying for the state tournament this weekend in Huntington.

Among the 9 state qualifiers, 6 are currently ranked in the top ten of their respective weight classes. Leading the way is junior Eliana Winfrey, the undisputed #1 wrestler in her division. Winfrey will look to defend her state title from last year aiming to cement her dominance on the mat once again. Junior fellow classmate Chloe Dutton ranks 7th in her weight class, and Junior Arianna Hartline and Sophomore Toni Thomas rank 8th. Junior Miya Johnson and Sophomore Camryn Westbrook are ranked 9th in the state at their weight classes.

“We are lucky here at Tyler Consolidated to have the love and support of the school system and community. With that said, the girls were able to wrestle over 25 matches each this year, as we were able to have a full schedule which couldn’t be possible if it weren’t for the support of our school system,” said the seasoned Coach McKeever. “The more you get to wrestle the more opportunities you get to get better and get recognized. For these girls’ hard work and accolades throughout the year, as a team we are ranked 10th overall in the state among all schools in West Virginia.” The coach went on to say that with just a few more days to prepare, he believes the girls are prepared and ready to see if they can reach the podium. The girls will begin wrestling at 10:30 AM Saturday morning.

All but the championship matches will be wrapped up and decided by 4 PM Saturday afternoon with the Finals matches per each weight class to start at 6 PM and will coincide with the Boys Championship matches. Be sure to tune into the Facebook page (TCHS Silver Knights Wrestling) periodically, to hopefully catch live action of the boys and girls’ individual matches for those who cannot attend.