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HERSHEY >> Saturday afternoon will be a spectacle never seen in the Giant Center in Hershey.
Three mats lined up next to each other will feature the Class 3A, Class 2A and inaugural girls state finals, slated to begin at 4 p.m.
The finest wrestlers will be on display, and District 1 has five girls who will be competing for state gold.
Downingtown West’s Sienna Landrum (142 pounds) was in the state finals two years ago, as a freshman, but this will be different. Now it’s official and now it’ll be in an arena packed with fans.
“It’s so big,” Landrum said of her accomplishment. “This is the second time I’ve been in the finals but it’s so cool to be here. It’s so fun. It’s so inspiring.”
She will follow Kennett’s Haylie Jaffe (136), who will be competing for her fourth state title, but first official. Both Jaffe and Landrum have pinned their way to the finals but both expect to face stiffer competition with a trip to the top of the podium on the line.
Jaffe wasted no time Friday night’s semifinals, pinning Kiki’s Ava Golding in 65 seconds. Next, she’ll take on Bishop McCourt’s Jordyn Fouse.
“I’ve been really wanting this match the finals, especially with a good opponent, so that’s what I’ve been preparing for,” Jaffe said. “The other matches I just look at them all the same but the finals match is what I’ve been looking forward to.”
Earlier in the session, Neshaminy’s Grace Nesbitt continued her historical run with an 8-3 win over Mounter’s Kristen Walzer. Being the lightest of all District 1 qualifiers, Nesbitt continues to be the first to hit milestones, and becoming the district’s first state finalist is another on the list.
“It means a lot to me,” Nesbitt said. “To get to the state finals as a freshman is a big accomplishment. I always looked forward to wrestling in high school and at states and I’m doing pretty well so far.”
Also in the finals from Bucks County is Bensalem’s Maya Krieger (170), who was the fourth-place finisher at the South East Regional tournament, but has won three straight decisions.
Souderton’s MacKenna Atkinson hadn’t gotten out of the second round her first two matches, but in the semis she used a 6-2 decision to defeat Cumberland Valley’s Aja’nai Jumper. She will see a familiar foe, Panther Valley’s Brenda Banks, in the finals.
“I’ve wreslted this girl three times and it hasn’t gone my way,” Atkinson said. “I’ve been working for this all season and dreaming of this. As long as I work and don’t make stupid mistakes I think I can be able to win.”
Also clinching state medals from District 1 on Friday were Bensalem’s Payton Hinkle (100), Garnet Valley’s Reese Dewar (106) and Jessica Ayala (142), Souderton’s Emily Sara (106), and Kayla Husti-Luca (130), Upper Dublin’s Rylee Netter (142), Sun Valley’s Jameson Strickland (148), Avon Grove’s Kaitlynn Arnold (155) and Quakertown’s Caroline Hattala (190) and Peyton Fries (235).
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