Even though Paddock was the area’s top finisher at the inaugural girls wrestling championships, she left Albany hungry to go even higher on the podium as a sophomore.

Paddock certainly came back hungry this season as she feasted on her competition, putting together a nearly perfect season.

Moving up to 138 pounds was an easy adjustment for the Chautauqua Lake sophomore, as she wreaked havoc on the competition at the Rich Morton/Salamanca Invitational with three first-period pins and a second-round technical fall in the championship to earn her first title of the year while also being named the event’s Most Outstanding Wrestler.

The run continued with another first-place finish at the fifth annual Linda C. Knuutila Memorial girls wrestling tournament in which she won with a forfeit, a pair of pins and then a flawless 10-0 technical fall in the championship.

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Panama/Clymer’s Noli Paddock won eight tournaments and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler in half of those events while compiling a 40-1 record in her sophomore season. File photo

That was followed up with an even more dominant performance at the 2nd Midlakes “Frosty’s Freestyle Festival” Tournament where she earned another Most Outstanding Wrestler award. She put on a masterclass in the 138-pound bracket again with four 10-0 technical-fall victories en route to her third tournament win of the season.

Paddock was again triumphant at her home tournament, flawlessly carving the competition at the fifth Chautauqua Lake Invitational with three technical falls and a first-period pin.

Then came one of her more impressive wins as she fought through a difficult bracket to win the Eastern States Tournament with two pins, including one in the final.

She kept things going at the Lockport Tournament with four quick victories that totaled just 1:59 of total action en route to another title.

Nearing the postseason, Paddock locked into her best form and it showed with another Most Outstanding Wrestler award with a win at the Revolution Tournament in Canandaigua. The top-seeded Paddock posted three technical falls and a pin in the semifinals as she claimed her seventh title of the regular season.

Chautauqua Lake sophomore Noli Paddock was the runner-up in the 138-pound bracket at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association girls wrestling championships this season. For the second year in a row she is the OBSERVER/Post-Journal Girls Wrestler of the Year. File photo

Seeking her second sectional title, Paddock also made it two for two with Most Outstanding Wrestler awards in the Section VI state qualifier, mowing down the competition at 138 pounds. She did not give up a single point with three 10-0 technical falls, each in 33 seconds or shorter and she also picked up a pin at 2:04 in the quarterfinals.

Paddock returned to the second-ever girls state tournament as the No. 3 seed at 138 pounds and a perfect 37-0 record.

Paddock began her state run with a 1:09 pin over Aubrey Dignean of Section III’s Phoenix and then returned to the semifinals posting another pin in 58 seconds against Taylor Brock of Section VIII’s MacArthur. She then reached the spot she faltered her freshman season and instead of wrestling scared, Paddock instead was on the attack against No. 2 seed Makenzie Harbour of Section II’s Shenendehowa. She secured an emphatic 10-0 technical fall.

It looked like Paddock was on her way to an undefeated season capped off with a state championship, but despite controlling most of the final match against Amelia Toomey of Section IV’s Tioga, an injured shoulder proved to be her downfall as she was pinned one step short of her goal.

The year may have left a sour taste in Paddock’s mouth, but when she looks back it will include 40 impressive victories, eight tournament wins, four Most Outstanding Wrestler awards and now her second straight Post-Journal/OBSERVER Girls Wrestler of the Year award.

Chautauqua Lake sophomore Noli Paddock stands on the podium as the runnerup at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association girls wrestling championships in the 138-pound bracket at the MVP Arena in Albany last month. File photo