Sophomore Julianna Figueroa became Pottstown’s first medalist at the Pa. Girls Wrestling Championships Sunday in Gettysburg.
Figueroa made a run to the finals at 122 pounds but ran into five-time national champion Vayle Baker in the championship. Figueroa settled for silver, taking a pin in 3:52 from the highly-touted 18-year-old from Wyoming Seminary.
Figueroa, one of three Trojan competitors in the tournament, reached the final pairing with a 12-0 major decision of Hatboro-Horsham’s Alanna Barberio and 11-5 decision of South Side’s Jane Turek in semifinals.
“It was a great experience,” Figueroa said. “I was more confident because I know I have the background of wrestling a guy … everyone was with me, a little bit ahead of me, or a little bit behind me – we were all around the same (skill level) so it helped knowing we’re all going through the same stuff.”
Figueroa, who was 11-9 during the high school season, was making her first appearance at the Pa. girls championships, which is currently an independent tournament since girls wrestling in not currently a PIAA-sanctioned sport.
“I was excited because it was a spot where I could actually place, do good and show people what I can do,” Figueroa said. “I felt like I performed the best I have so far. A lot of my execution was much better.”
Boyertown’s Samantha Reitnour went 2-2 at 108 pounds. After an opening-round bye, the junior lost 2-1 to Fort LeBouef’s Andie Przybycien. She won a pair of consolation matches – 5-2 over Chambersburg’s April Rump and 3-1 sudden victory over North Allegheny’s Massima Curry – before another one-point loss ended her run, this time a 3-2 defeat to Grace Gundrum of Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club Team Athena.
Pottstown sophomore Zoe Earle went 1-2 at 108 pounds. She dropped her opening match, but pinned Valley’s Jeniah Allen in 3:57 in the opening round of consolations. Big Springs’ Abi Sweger ended Earle’s run via first-period fall in the next round.
Pottstown freshman Mia Bumbarger also competed in the tournament. She went 0-2 at 140 pounds.
