The best girls in New York State will embark on MVP Arena on Thursday, February 26 with hopes of ending their seasons with a state title. To get everyone prepared for some great wrestling we’ve put together some light reading for your enjoyment that hopefully creates some excitement for an incredible weekend of wrestling.
Opening ceremonies for the girls will start at 9:00am ET with the first whistle at 9:30am ET. Best of luck to all wrestlers, and congratulations on amazing seasons.
94lbs
The biggest thing to note here is that returning state medalist Tatiana Alexander (Eastchester) made the drop from 100lbs to 94lbs for the postseason and was subsequently rewarded with the #1 seed at the weight. Alexander is the highest returning placer from a year ago. Challenging her will be the Jewett sisters from General Brown. Both of them had been ranked #1 and #2 in the state for the entire year, and it was Pearl Jewett who would beat her older sister Fern at the Section III tournament. It looks like they may potentially get a rematch in the state semifinals!
Someone to keep an eye on here has to be Lorilye Beardsley (Avon-Geneseo). She was ranked 3rd in the last set of rankings we issued and she has been dominate all year long. As a matter of fact, she is the only undefeated wrestler in her weight! Her path to the finals, however, is full of roadblocks. Anastazia Hale (Falconer) and Anabelle Wessel are always tough customers and she’ll need to string together four great matches to win a title this weekend.
Best Quarterfinal Matchup
Fern Jewett (General Brown) vs Zoey Hernandez (Rocky Point)
Commentary: Hernandez lost 4-4 on criteria to Beardsley earlier in the year and has beaten Marnika, Farberman, Dharaleen, and Connors. Although Jewett is the favorite here, Hernandez can’t be counted out.
Sleeper Pick
Avery Mancini (Burnt Hills) at the #8 seed is tough. She’s had a great year and notched wins over Shane Dharaleen, Madison Farberman, and Annabelle Wessel. She was ranked as high as 4th in the state earlier in the year. Don’t be surprised if she goes on a run this week!
Placement Predictions
1) P. Jewett 2) Beardsley 3) Alexander 4) F. Jewett 5) Mancini 6) Hernandez
100lbs
This weight features four returning state medalists in Jasmine Brucato (Alexander), Zoey Jewett (General Brown), Cadence Guy (Walton-Delaware), and Olivia Anello (Bellport). Brucato and Jewett are presumably the frontrunners at the weight but their path to win is far from easy.
Early Bird Matchup to Watch
Alianna Lyon (Mechanicville-Stillwater) vs Brianna Marquez (Uniondale)
Commentary: This is a crazy first round matchup you have to keep your eye on! Marquez was ranked 7th in our last set of rankings while Lyon was ranked 10th. Marquez has beaten Zoe Long, Sophia Lombardo, and Tatiana Alexander this year while Lyon has beaten Angelica Smiech and Kendall Harrington. This should be a lights out match!
Sleeper Pick
Kendall Harrington has put together a solid 37-8 senior campaign for Shaker this year. She is the favorite to win her first round match where she would then draw Olivia Anello in the quarters. Harrington has wrestled close matches with Sydney West and Alessia Lilly this year while also beating Fern Jewett who is the #3 seed at 94lbs. It’s not far fetched to think she pulls together a nice run this week.
Placement Predictions
1) Brucato 2) Z. Jewett 3) Guy 4) Harrington 5) Anello 6) Stone
107lbs
This should be a two horse show between nationally ranked girls Charlie Wylie (Port Jervis) and Samantha Massey (Mount Markham). Wylie has already beaten Massey twice this year, but as we all know, it gets harder and harder to beat the same person multiple times. Can Massey right the ship this weekend and keep her quest for six state titles alive?
Outside of the top two, 107lbs this year has been a wildfire of results this year. All of these girls have beaten each other and the 3-6 spots on the podium are wide open.
Best Quarterfinal Matchup
Alicia Cardona (East Islip) vs Katie Porcelli (Bay Shore)
Commentary: Alicia Cardona (East Islip) comes in as the #6 seed but beat the #3 seed in Katie Porcelli at the Section XI tournament a couple weeks ago. They’ll likely get a rematch in the quarterfinals. She has also had a close match with Kyrsten Yadlosky (Windsor) where she lost 6-4 earlier in the year. If she beats Porcelli, she gets a shot at Sammy Massey in the semis. Loser of that match likely gets Sydney West in a match to place. Tough!
Sleeper Pick
Sydney West (Shenendehowa) comes in as the #7 seed but has beaten Alicia Cardona, Katie Porcelli, and Kendall Harrington this year. She also avenged her lost to Rileigh Dean at the Section II tournament. As mentioned above, she will either get Porcelli (who she beat already) or Cardona (who she beat already) in the match to place.
Placement Predictions
1) Wylie 2) Massey 3) Porcelli 4) Yadlosky 5) Schmidt 6) West
114lbs
This is an absolutely loaded bracket and probably our favorite weight of the weekend. After not competing in the girls division all year long, returning state champ Laila Builes decided to shake things up and was entered in at the Section I tournament. She would dominate her way to Section I gold. Despite only having six matches under her belt this year, she is your #1 seed.
Her primary challenger this weekend has to be Section IV standout Isabella Phelps (Sidney). She’s put together a 41-1 record this year with her only loss being out of state to Riley Karwowski (Wyoming Seminary). Phelps has wrestled the best competition all year long and continues to win – she holds wins over Madalyn Hill, Gabriella Barone, Mia Severino, Keira Filip, and Gianna Cruz. All tough wrestlers and many of the aforementioned individuals being returning medalists. The best part of it all, for the most part she’s dominated every match.
Others to keep an eye on include Mia Severino, Gabriella Barone, Sonia Munetz, and Keira Filip.
Severino and Filip have split matches this year, Barone has beaten Severino, and Munetz has split matches with Barone and beaten Filip. A carousel of wins and losses means a great bracket for everyone to keep their eyes on.
Best Quarterfinal Matchup
Gabriella Barone (Niagara Wheatfield) vs Mia Severino (Copiague)
Commentary: The returning 4th and 5th place finishers from a year ago get to meet up in the quarterfinals where Barone previously beat Severino earlier in the year. When Severino is on she wrestles lights out – including her win over Gianna Cruz earlier in the year. Can she right the ship and get the win over Barone?
Sleeper Pick
Keira Filip (Minisink Valley) has been a staple in our girls rankings over the last two years and comes in as the #6 seed. With a tough draw last year, she was missing on the podium at the state tournament. In her last ride for Minisink Valley she’s put together an impressive 41-4 record. She’ll likely get Isabella Phelps (Sidney) in the quarters who she lost to earlier in the year, however, if she were to manage to win that she should be a favorite to make the finals. If she loses, she could very well be a bracket buster and run her way back to third. She did beat Severino earlier in the year, and a possible consolation semifinal matchup between them isn’t out of the question.
Placement Predictions
1) Phelps 2) Builes 3) Filip 4) Munetz 5) Severino 6) Barone
120lbs
The big surprise here at this weight is that Gigi Sullivan (Monroe Woodbury) entered for the postseason after being injured all year. After not competing in the girls postseason last year, and only having four matches on the season, she is unseeded at the state tournament. Thankfully she is opposite of Gabi Severin (Bethpage), so we will likely get a nationally ranked matchup in the finals. Also of note is that returning state finalist Gianna Cruz (Ursuline) had last competed at 120lbs and is not wrestling in the postseason.
Surprised to see Madalyn Hill (Shenendehowa) at the 5 seed here. She’s been phenomenal all year.
Also interesting here is that the loser of Bout 138 (Hill and winner of Phillips/Gelnett) will likely have to wrestle Breyana Montalvo from Amsterdam. All three are clear podium threats and only 1 likely places. Bananas.
Early Bird Matchup to Watch
Ava Phillips (East Islip) vs Gabriella Gelnett (Lockport)
Commentary: Gelnett is a returning state medalist at 100lbs from a year ago but Phillips has had an outstanding year with only four losses. There could be an early “upset” in round one, with the winner getting Madalyn Hill.
Sleeper Pick
Ava Phillips (East Islip) is unseeded and has been a staple in our state rankings all year. She just won a Section XI title and her last loss was at Eastern States. She looks primed for a nice run in MVP Arena, and don’t be surprised if she lands on the podium.
Breyana Montalvo (Amsterdam) also just knocked off Vivianne Moyer at the Section II tournament had a very close match with Hill. Don’t count out a deep run from her as well!
Placement Predictions
1) Sullivan 2) Severin 3) Hill 4) Montalvo 5) Beach 6) Phelps
126lbs
Julianna Hernandez (Rocky Point) got injured at Eastern States and came back for the postseason, which sets up what is a two horse race between her and Sara Pauls (Minisink Valley). The two have had a ton of battles over the years. Hernandez won earlier in the year, with Pauls winning by injury default at Eastern States. The “rubber match” will likely get to happen in the state finals.
Others on a short list to make a run high onto the podium include Reese Adams (Calhoun), Alivia Cartwright (Keshequa-Filmore), Amy Erikson (Niskayuna-Schenectady), and Riley Butler (West Genesee). All in all, four returning state medalists at the weight.
Early Bird Matchup to Watch
Mya Locke (Groton) vs Gabriella Frankian (Glens Falls)
Commentary: Brutal first round match here. Frankian has two losses on the year and beat both Amy Erikson (the 7 seed) and a very tough Olivia Fox at the Section II tournament. Locke has also had a very solid season notching 35+ wins, some of those being over Vika Grovenger and Lilly Gullo. Winner gets Julianna Hernandez. Assuming whoever wrestles Hernandez losses, that sets up a blood round match between Locke/Frankian and Adams/Cartwright. Just brutal.
Best Quarterfinal Matchup
Olivia Phillips (Orchard Park) vs Riley Butler (West Genesee)
Commentary: Phillips qualified for the state tournament a year ago while Butler placed 5th. Only five combined losses all year between the two of them. Winner punches their ticker to the semifinals while the loser has to battle on the backside of the bracket and will get a trio of potential tough customers in Allison Carman, Mya Locke, or Gabriella Frankian.
Sleeper Pick
Gabriella Frankian (Glens Falls). As stated above, the 8 seed coming in after making it out of a tough and deep Section II. Her only two losses were to Sara Pauls and Amy Erikson…she avenged the Erikson loss in the Section II semis. Watch out!
Placement Predictions
1) Hernandez 2) Pauls 3) Adams 4) Cartwright 5) Butler 6) Erikson
132lbs
Best Quarterfinal Matchups
Haley Gonzales (Hicksville) vs Alexa Doxey (Niagara Wheatfield)
Commentary: Gonzales and Doxey were #1 and #2 in the state all year. Gonzales as everyone knows by now is a returning state champ and beat Julianna Hernandez earlier in the year. Doxey, however, pinned Fargo All-American Caitlin Maragioglio (also a returning state medalist) earlier in the year. Gonzales won round one between the two, we will see how round two transpires.
Another Quarterfinal Matchup
Carmen Bishop (Groton) vs Talulah Williams-Johnson (East Rochester)
Commentary: Two returning state medalists from a year ago link up in the quarters. Bishop placed 3rd a year ago at 126 while Williams-Johnson placed 5th at 138 and is now down a weight. Bishop is certainly battle tasted after wrestling Haley Proulx, Sara Pauls, Bella Satalino, and Emma Ponzi this year. Williams-Johnson took a couple lumps earlier in the year but righted the ship toward the latter half of the regular season and looks ready to roll.
Sleeper Pick
Rebecca Brennan (New Paltz) missed all of last season and didn’t start competing until the end of January. She is a former Fargo All-American and has beaten some of the best girls in NYS including Selina Moore, Maddie Westerberg, and Christian Evans. She’s unseeded and draws returning state medalist Brielle Nels off the rip. Buckle up!
Placement Predictions
1) Gonzales 2) Bishop 3) Maragioglio 4) Doxey 5) Brennan 6) Proulx
138lbs
Essentially a three person race here between Bella Satalino (Columbia), Noli Paddock (Chautauqua Lake), and Makenzie Harbour (Shenendehowa). Harbour surprised everyone at the Section II tournament after she knocked off returning state champ Satalino. Paddock has still yet to lose this year and comes in 37-0.
Teammates Brooke-Lynn Murray and Melania Turano will get what seems to be their 20th match against each other in the quarterfinals, with the winner getting Satalino.
Early Bird Matchup to Watch
Makenzie Harbour (Shenendehowa) vs Josie Lamb (Canandaigua Academy)
Commentary: Lamb was a state qualifier a year ago while Harbour placed 3rd at 120lbs. Lamb has only three losses this year and is fresh off a Section V title.
Best Quarterfinal Matchup
Jada Lee (Monroe Woodbury) vs Makenzie Harbour (Shenendehowa)
Commentary: Lee went on a nice state tournament run for Section IX last year and placed 4th. Although she comes in at 15-8 on the year she has wrestled tough competition including good performances at Iron Maiden, Dame of Thrones, and Eastern States.
Sleeper Pick
Taylor Brock (MacArthur) comes in unseeded after qualifying for the state tournament a year ago and is one match shy of notching 30 wins on the year. She’s a tough customer for anyone she comes across.
Placement Predictions
1) Paddock 2) Satalino 3) Harbour 4) Keeler 5) Murray 6) Toomey
145lbs
Welcome back, Victoria Alvarado! The returning state champ was injured the vast majority of the year and came back just in time for the postseason. Her main competition will be Delaney Dixon (Windsor) and Ella Gregg (Niskayuna-Schenectady) but there are four returning state placers plus the state champ in Alvarado at the weight. Loaded!
Dixon is currently 37-0 on the year and only one of her matches have went the distance, the other 36 wins have been by either pin or tech. Amazing.
Best Quarterfinal Matchup
Ella Gregg (Niskayuna-Schenectady) vs Veronica Sky Williams (Bellport)
Commentary: Four combined losses between the two of them with Gregg placing 3rd at 145lbs a year ago and Williams took 5th at 145lbs. We get a matchup of state placers in the quarters, and the two wrestled earlier in the year Eastern States with Gregg getting the win by fall.
Another Quarterfinal Matchup
Kaitlyn Young (Shenendehowa) vs Sofia Guadagna (Sweet Home)
Commentary: Young split matches with Ella Gregg earlier in the year and also beat Chloe Owen, Aubrey Dignean, Amelia Toomey, Talulah Williams-Johnson, and Nada Rose. Guadagna is a returning state medalist with only 1 loss on the year to Alexa Doxey. Winner gets Alvarado, loser likely gets returning state qualifier Rilee Kinsley in the match to place.
Sleeper Pick
Veronica Sky Williams (Bellport) is the 6 seed and placed 5th a year ago. It will be no surprise if she places above her seed.
Placement Predictions
1) Alvarado 2) Dixon 3) Gregg 4) Guadagna 5) Young 6) Williams
152lbs
The two frontrunners here both hail from Long Island. Aaliyah Morrow (Bellport) and Keishara Tulloch (Uniondale) come in as the #1 and #2 seeds and both have split matches this year. Two other state medalists in Arica Pearson-Leary (Valley Central) and Gabriella Gonzales (Phoenix) should be well into the mix as well.
Best Quarterfinal Matchup
Arica Pearson-Leary (Valley Central) vs Ja’Niyah Simmons (Canandaigua)
Commentary: Simmons is a returning state qualifier and just won the Section V title while Pearson-Leary took 5th at 165 a year ago and is now down to 152 for this years postseason. Only 8 combined losses between the two of them, it should be a great match.
Sleeper Pick
Leat Minaya (Shaker) is only an 8th grader and has already put together a record 35-4 on the year in the deepest section in New York State. Even more impressive is that her weight has been loaded with almost all upperclassmen. Keep an eye on her!
Placement Predictions
1) Tulloch 2) Morrow 3) Pearson-Leary 4) Gonzales 5) Minaya 6) Hodkin
165lbs
A little surprised to see returning state champ Ava Guilmette (Shenendehowa) get fielded the three seed here especially considering that Michaela Thomas (Clarence) and Chloe Hosier (Chautauqua Lake) split matches earlier in the year. Nonetheless, the bracket always works itself out.
The favorite on paper has to be Ava Guilmette with Michaela Thomas trailing closely behind. The other two big podium threats have to be Molly Sorenson and Jansen Derzanovich.
Best Quarterfinal Matchup
Jansen Derzanovich (Chenango Forks) vs Molly Sorenson (Homer)
Commentary: Derzanovich and Sorenson have split matches on the year so far and we will likely get the rubber match in the quarterfinals. In their first matchup Sorenson won by fall, and in the second matchup Derzanovich won 9-0. Expect fireworks!
Sleeper Pick
Melody Medina (Bay Shore) is the 7 seed and already holds wins over Sofia Calle and Isabella Steffa who are on this bracket. She’s also still undefeated!
Placement Predictions
1) Guilmette 2) Thomas 3) Sorenson 4) Derzanovich 5) Hosier 6) Medina
185lbs
After spending most of the year at 165lbs and going down to 152lbs for Eastern States, Minisink Valley’s Jaida Macaluso made the jump up to 185lbs for the postseason where both her and Teagan McGuinness should be vying for a state title.
Both McGuinness and Macaluso are seniors and returning state runner-ups. Both have their eyes set on the top of the podium and closing out their impressive high school careers with state titles. There can only be one!
Best Quarterfinal Matchup
Mackenzie Vetter-Higgins (Ken-Ton) vs Ryann Berner (Clarence)
Commentary: Vetter-Higgins was a state qualifier a year ago while Berner has had a breakout year with almost 40 wins. The two have met four times this year with all bouts being extremely close. Berner has yet to come out on the winning side of things, but wrestling someone so frequently will oftentimes close the margin of victory due to match-planning and familiarity. Can Berner pull out the win when it matters most?
Sleeper Pick
Kyah Nelson (Tioga) comes in as the 6 seed with her only losses coming to Teagan McGuinness this year. She’s beaten Jansen Derzanovich, Cadence Trinidad, among others to establish herself as a podium threat this year and should be in a position to potentially outplace her seed.
Placement Predictions
1) McGuinness 2) Macaluso 3) Nelson 4) Gritz 5) Vetter-Higgins 6) Morrison
235lbs
The champ is back! Junior Peyton Mullin comes in undefeated as the #1 seed and she has won every single match this year by pin or tech with the longest match lasting 75 seconds. Have not gone through all the match scores at time of victory, but 95% sure she has yet to be scored on all year long. Anything can happen on any given day, but she has to be a -10,000 favorite if sports betting lines were in place.
Outside of Mullin there are four other returning state medalists in Mia Flores, Naomi Gonzalez, Ava Gregg, and Khamya’J Maxwell making for a very deep and competitive weight. Another girl to keep your eye on is Sydney Fisher who is currently 19-1 and beat Naomi Gonzalez earlier in the year.
Best Quarterfinal Matchup
Mia Flores (MacArthur) vs Ava Gregg (Shaker)
Commentary: A battle of state medalists goes down in the quarters with the winner earning right to wrestle Peyton Mullin for a finals berth. The two have already wrestled this year with Flores coming out the victor both times. Is the third time the charm for the freshman out of Section II?
Sleeper Pick
Ava Bragg (Lockport) is currently 36-1 on the year and stuck returning state medalist Khamya’J Maxwell in a minute at the Section VI tournament. She also beat another state medalist in Jaslieen Salgado who did not qualify for the state tournament this year. Coming in as the 6 seed, she’ll be a tough match for anyone she comes across.
Placement Predictions
1) Mullin 2) Gonzalez 3) Bragg 4) Fisher 5) Flores 6) Gregg
