Shenendehowa Wins NYSPHSAA Girls Wrestling State Title; 13 Different Individual Champions Also Crowned in Albany

Freestyle format delivers stunning upsets as Delaney Dixon and Naomi Gonzalez dethrone returning champs, while Ava Guilmette leads Shenendehowa to the team crown at MVP Arena.

Billy Buckheit | 1 Hour Ago

Ava Guilmette wins her second straight NYSPHSSA state title, helping lead Shenendehowa to the team championship. / Shenendehowa Wrestling

Two years ago, New York’s Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) made the decision to change the format of their Girls’ Wrestling State Championships, and seasons, to reflect the college and beyond landscape, adopting Freestyle as their modus operandi.

Freestyle Era Produces Parity: 13 Weights, 13 Champions

The MVP Arena in Albany, New York was the scene of Thursday’s one-day affair, which culminated in Shenendehowa being crowned team champs over Bellport (102-81) and no team having multiple champions. There were 13 champs from 13 different schools.

Major Upsets Rock the Finals

Two of the biggest surprises came when defending champions fell in the finals at 145 and 235 pounds. Warwick Valley’s Victoria Alvarado is ranked 7th in the nation at 145 by High School on SI. Alvardo was looking to take home title number two over unranked nationally, Delaney Dixon (Windsor), who was a two-time runner-up.

This encounter was all Dixon as she started attacking early on and never relented, picking up multiple sets of exposure points in the opening period (two, 3-minute period in FS). Another set of exposure points led to Dixon keeping Alvarado on her back and picking up the fall with six seconds left, 2:54.

At 235 pounds, it is our understanding that many in attendance believed that No. 26 Peyton Mullin (Dundee) had not allowed a point to be scored on her all season. Valley State’s unranked Naomi Gonzalez changed that narrative in the first round. Mullin, a returning champion, was denied a second title when after building a 4-0 lead, she attempted to Bear Hug Gonzalez, who countered that with a headlock and the stick at the 1:22 mark.

A defending champion falling in the 165-pound finals was inevitable as both No. 14 Ava Guilmette (Shenendehowa) and Michaela Thomas (Clarence) were in search of second straight titles. The entertainment provided by this one didn’t last long as Guilmette used a hip-toss 55 seconds into the match to deck Thomas.

Shenendehowa Piles Up Podium Points for Team Title

Four more Shenendehowa Girls joined Guilmette on the state podium. Bringing home bronze was Madalyn Hill (120 pounds) and Makenzie Harbour (138). Placing fourth was Kaitlyn Young (145) with Sydney West coming in sixth at 107 pounds.

Another return titlist being rebuffed came at 114 pounds when Isabella Phelps (Sidney) jumped out to a big first period lead on Port Chester’s returning champ, Laila Builes. With the match well in hand, a technical superiority victory was achieved by Phelps in 1:41, 11-1.

A high-powered showdown occurred at 120 pounds between two nationally ranked stars, No. 18 Gail “Gigi” Sullivan (Monroe Woodbury) and No. 24 Gabrielle Severin (Bethpage). Sullivan has only wrestled a handful of matches after returning from injury.

Severin is a two-time state silver medalist and will attend Oklahoma State next year. Sullivan was up 2-0 after the first but never pulled away. Severin was able to get back in it, and with time expiring, went hard at the end and was able to get a spin behind takedown for the winning points of the 6-4 outcome.

Two who were attempting to secure second titles were able to avoid disappointment and secure their second crowns. Bucking a trend of champions losing were No. 4 Charlie Wylie (Port Jervis) and No. 25 Haley Gonzales (Hicksville).

Wylie (107 pounds) had little trouble and no drama in her encounter with Rocky Point’s Katie Porcelli, rolling to an easy 10-0 tech in 1:23. Gonzales also easily handled her foe, Carmen Bishop (Grota), kicking her to the curb with a 10-0 technical fall in 1:45 at 132 pounds.

Gonzales is rated at 130 pounds nationally and her semifinal opponent, Bellport’s Caitlin Maragioglio, is ranked 24th at 135 pounds. The national weight classes vary from New York’s in a few places, this being one of them. Gonzales used a 4-1 decision to get past Maragioglio.

Three girls improved their positioning from a year ago as they made the final step to the top of the podium. Shedding silver for gold were, No. 13 Jasmine Brucato (Alexander-Pembroke), No. 17 Sara Pauls (Minisink Valley), and No. 5 Teagan McGuinness (Union Endicott).

Brucato worked into the second round at 100 pounds on the way to blanking Pearl Jewett (General Brown), 10-0. Pauls went up early, but Calhoun’s Reese Adams fought back with a headlock in the opening frame at 126 pounds. Pauls rallied back and ended the first up, 10-4.

More challenges from Adams presented themselves to Pauls. As she was fighting off a torrid rush from Adams that saw her bring the score to 14-8, Pauls hit a throw by and stuck her rival with 17 seconds left, 5:43.

Pauls, on paper, was expected to face the girl who defeated her in last year’s finals, No. 19 Julianna Hernandez of Rocky Point. Hernandez’s repeat bid was derailed by sixth place finishing No. 18 Gabriella Frankian (Glens Falls) in the quarterfinals and was then eliminated in the blood round.

McGuinness also used a pin to gain her supremacy over Kyah Nelson (Tioga) at 185 pounds. While Pauls had to survive a scare from her foe, McGuinness was in the driver's seat all match piling up points before hitting a devastating front headlock from her feet to end Nelson’s night at the 3:49 mark of the final frame.

Tioga’s Amelia Toomey at 138 pounds had to battle back in her bout with Noli Paddock (Chautauqua Lake). Paddock was on the way to the win in the last round, holding a 14-9 advantage when Toomey came through with a dump and the stick with just over a minute remaining, 4:57.

Bellport’s Aaliyah Morrow gained her title with an 8-0 shutout versus Ja’ Niyah Simmons (Canandaigua) at 152 pounds. The 94-pounders contested a tight one with two-points being needed for Eastchester’s Tatiana Alexander to claim victory over General Brown’s Pearl Jewett, 2-0. Pearl beat her older sister, Fern, in the semis (NY allows multiple entries from teams).

Team Scores (Top 10)

1-Shenendehowa 102

2-Bellport 81

3-Minisink Valley 64.5

4-Valley Central 57

5-Chautauqua Lake 55

1st Place Match

Naomi Gonzalez (Valley Stream) 17-1, Sr. over Peyton Mullin (Dundee/Bradford/Penn Yan) 34-1, Jr. (Fall 1:22)

3rd Place Match

Ava Gregg (Shaker) 42-4, Fr. over Ellisa Bly (Horseheads) 39-5, So. (Fall 1:55)

5th Place Match

Sydney Fisher (Bay Shore) 22-3, Jr. over Madeira Monchery (Middletown) 22-11, So. (Fall 0:35)

Published 1 Hour Ago

BILLY BUCKHEIT

Billy Buckheit is a long-time high school wrestling expert and journalist who has been doing the individual national high school wrestling rankings for SBLive Sports since 2022. He also provides coverage a major high school wrestling tournaments throughout the year. Billy previously served as the senior wrestling writer for Varsity Sports Network and the Baltimore Banner. He has also served on the seeding committees for many prestigious regional and national tournaments. In addition, he is the editor of Billy B's Wrestling World, a popular Facebook page dedicated to high school wrestling, and is an editorial contributor for the Maryland State Wrestling Association (MSWA).