Girls wrestling enters second sanctioned season

After a well-supported first showing at the OHSAA state tournament by Ohio's girls wrestlers, the sport enters its second season sanctioned by the state governing body. Locally, Sandusky sophomore Nikera Johnson returns as the star. She was state runner-up as a freshman at 105 pounds. "Nikki knows what she has to do," Sandusky girls coach Andre Grant said. "She's probably gonna stay down at a low weight class. She's upset and disappointed in herself from last year, thought she could've done better. She's looking to get on top of the podium this year. We'll see if she has her mind right, and if she puts the work in, we'll get there." In the state final, Johnson fell to Harrison's Chloe Dearwester by first-round pin. Dearwester is a senior this winter. Johnson will wrestle this weekend at the prestigious Ironman tournament at Walsh Jesuit. It's the first year the Ironman has featured a girls competition. "With Nikki, she can beat people more with her strength, but she has to get better with her technique," Grant said. Sandusky's group, up to about 10 high school girls wrestlers, includes returning state qualifier Kathleen Newfield-Ekleberry and promising freshman Jordyn Palmer. She was runner-up at 170 pounds at the high-level Watkins Memorial middle school meet last winter. Grant is also intrigued by the potential of heavyweight Savannah Palmer. The area's other returning state placer is Vermilion senior Lauren Ficker, who is committed to Tiffin University. She was fifth a season ago in Columbus at 105. The Sailors' girls roster now includes 13 wrestlers. Alyssa Woodward, a talented sophomore, opens the season ranked No. 13 at 120 pounds by American Women's Wrestling. Woodward was fifth at the regional meet last year, one spot shy of a state berth. Port Clinton brings back state qualifier Mya Reeves. She opens the season slotted at No. 10 at 155 pounds. The Redskins graduated two state placers: Cadence Wallace (2nd-130) and Serena Lewis (8th-235). PC will host its second-annual girls wrestling invitational on Sunday, Feb. 11. Clyde and Norwalk are among the teams scheduled to attend. Clyde sophomore Avery Gaskalla placed sixth at regional as a freshman in the 100-pound bracket. The presence of the girls wrestling tournament at Ohio State's Schottenstein Center last March, running simultaneously with the three boys divisions, helped boost the state tournament's three-day attendance (66,236) to the highest point it had been since 2007. "Obviously they brought a lot of energy to the event," OHSAA wrestling administrator Beau Rugg told the Register after the state championships. "Everyone just loved having it. The wrestling community really welcomed them and that was really neat."