Next month, she will be inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame.

This afternoon, 11 local girls will look to make their own wrestling history as NYSPHSAA conducts its second ever Girls Wrestling Invitational.

“This is an exciting time for us as we host our second formal event for only girls wrestlers to compete in a statewide invitational tournament,” said Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA executive director. “There are over 1,000 girls competing on girls wrestling teams across the state and we’re pleased to be able to have an event to showcase them. We are hopeful this will develop into a state championship in the near future.”

Dunkirk sophomore Sheila Vega will be the first local wrestler in action when she takes on Section III General Brown freshman Fern Jewett at 94 pounds. Also in the 94-pound bracket, Fredonia senior Meyah Aponte will face Section IV Horseheads eighth-grader Sonya Dordoni.

Sophia Gervasio

Fredonia sophomore Leah Waite will start her day at 107 pounds against Section VIII Jericho senior Ava Zucker.

Fredonia seventh-grader McKella Hodkin will get her day underway against Section VII Northern Adirondack sophomore Kelsey Trowbridge at 120 pounds.

Chautauqua Lake’s first wrestler to see the mat will be eighth-grader Noli Paddock, who will open with Section III Fulton senior Reese Niver at 126 pounds.

The Eagles will then send out junior Mia Smith at 132 pounds to face Section IX Minisink Valley sophomore Jaida Macaluso.

Chautauqua Lake will be featured in its third straight weight class when junior Gabriella Testa takes the mat at 138 pounds against Section III Phoenix senior America Figueras.

Mia Smith

Fredonia senior Lyn Cuthbert will take on Section XI Rocky Point freshman Madison Hernandez at 145 pounds. Chautauqua Lake will also have a wrestler at 145 pounds as senior Sophia Gervasio is matched up with Section III Sherburne-Earlville senior Selina Moore.

At 152 pounds, Gowanda will send its lone wrestler to the mat when freshman Kiernon Quinn takes on Section IX Liberty senior Zoe Kip.

Chautauqua Lake junior Kristina Dickey will be the Eagles’ final competitor to see the mat for the first time when she takes on Section IV Vestal junior Kiera Devantier at 185 pounds.

This event was established after girls wrestling was approved in August 2022 as an “emerging sport,” which is when there are at least four teams in four or more sections. Emerging sport status means a sport committee may be established and an event may be developed. The sport has grown exponentially and in July 2023, the NYSPHSAA Executive Committee approved girls wrestling to begin a state championship in winter of 2025 due to now having six sections with four or more programs.

This January, the association fielded over 700 registrations of interest for the event and planned the largest feasible one-day event with 16 girls in each of 13 weight classes. It resulted in selecting 208 girls to compete by invitation based on experience, grade and representation across the state.

Kristina Dickey

Opening ceremonies this afternoon get underway at 12:45 p.m. at the SRC Arena and Events Center on the campus of Onondaga Community College in Syracuse with wrestling beginning at 1 p.m. Semifinals are planned for 4 p.m. with consolation finals at 5:15 p.m. and championship finals at 6 p.m.

The invitational is an all-digital ticketed event on the GoFan platform. Cash sales will not be available at the gate.

Noli Paddock

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer’s Noli Paddock will wrestle Fulton’s Reese Niver of Section III at 126 pounds in the Girls Invitational. P-J photo by Christian Storms

Sheila Vega

Kiernon Quinn

Leah Waite

Lyn Cuthbert

McKella Hodkin

Meyah Aponte