MUNCIE — North Montgomery girls wrestling continues to be one the most consistent program in the state. After qualifying eight girls at the Crawfordsville Regional last Saturday, the Chargers competed in the Muncie Semi-State looking to punch their respective tickets to the State Finals in Kokomo.
When all was said and done both Hailey Kunz (145) and Sophia Shea (130) punched their tickets to the State Finals with strong showings. Kunz who is ranked No. 3 at 145 lbs was named the overall champion in her weight class. Shea ended up placing third at 130.
North Montgomery saw Ash Koons at 120, Hannah Kincaid at 145, and Julia Shea at 190 all fall in their opening matches. Paige Yarger, and Chloe Douglas along with Kunz and Sophia Shea all won their opening matches, but both Yarger and Douglas fell in the ticket rounds, ending their seasons. Douglas was narrowly defeated 2-1 while Yarger was pinned in the second period.
Overall Charger coach Lincoln Kyle noted how the day was a success for his team, many of whom were concluding their first season of girls wrestling.
“Julia and Ash both had tough draws in the first match then Hannah wrestled tough in hers too,” Kyle said. “That ticket round can be tough sometimes. Paige had her girl on her back and we thought we might get a pin but it didn’t happen unfortunately then. Chloe wrestled a very tough girl and lost by a point so that was tough. Hailey and Sophia both wrestled amazing though and I’m proud of both them. I dont’ know if Hailey got taken down at all, and Sophia wrestled lights out.”
The semi-state title for Kunz pushes her record to a very impressive 26-3 on the season. It also sets her up to have a good draw for the State Finals when the brackets get officially released. Two of her three losses are to the No. 1 ranked wrestler from Lake Central in Elly Janovsky. The goal know for Kunz is to prepare herslef for a potential re-match with Janovsky and what all Charger fans hope for in a state title.
“We’ve been talking about what the expectations are for Hailey as she gets ready for Friday,” Kyle said. “We’ve wrestled the top girl a few times and it hasn’t gone our way but now we’re going to be more prepared if and when we do wrestle her. Hailey’s goal is to win a state title and it’s looking like that’s a very realistic thing. She just has to stay locked in like she has been all year.”
Overall the Charger program will once again be represented at the state finals. With having wrestlers like both Catie and Cailin Campbell coming through the program and setting the precedent, wrestlers like Marissa Moffit, and now these current Chargers are continuing to have success year in and year out. Kyle added what it’s been like for his team to be one of the model girls wrestling programs in the state.
“Being apart of this program is super exciting,” he said. “The girls enjoy being here because they know what North Montgomery girls wrestling is about. We’re seeing success every single year and the girls work hard. They’re always recruiting other girls and the best example of that is this is Sophia’s first year and she’s a state finalist. The expectation for us is that we’re good and wreslte hard and its something that’s worked out very well for us as a program.”
The State Finals will get underway beginning at 11 am on Friday at the historic Memorial Gym in Kokomo where both Kunz and Shea look to end their seasons on a high note.
