Historical Match Up: LPS hosts first citywide girls’ wrestling competition

East High School won the inaugural Lincoln Public Schools Girls Wrestling Showcase on Jan. 20 as 36 student-athletes made history competing in the first-ever tournament. LPS added the sport to its winter athletics lineup during the 2022 - 2023 school year. All seven LPS high schools and Lincoln Pius X competed in the citywide tournament.

“It was really fun just to try. You’ve got to have confidence. You can’t halfway do it. You will have to go into it and fight,” said Thalia Rivera, a sophomore who wrestles for the Southeast High School Knights.

The Nebraska School Activities Association started offering girls’ wrestling as a sanctioned sport in 2021. Before that, girls joined boys’ teams and competed against them. Now, all LPS seven high schools have girls’ teams. Grace Frahm is a wrestler from East high school. This season, her school has the most girls competing in the sport.

“It’s known as a guy's sport and I think it's cool girls are showing up saying ‘we can do it too.’ I think that’s really cool and important,” Frahm said.

“I 100% wish girls wrestling was an option when I was a teen,” Southeast assistant coach Kim Hall said. 

Hall is among the group of women who are helping coach teams at LPS. The trailblazer who wrestled in elementary school was introduced to the sport as a kid by her dad who was a head coach for more than 30 years. Now, she’s grateful to build relationships with her athletes and foster an appreciation of the sport for the next generation of young female wrestlers. 

“It’s a sport near and dear to my heart and I hope I'm able to share my love of the sport with them,” Hall added.

Girls’ wrestling has grown over the years. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, there were 8,727 athletes in girls’ wrestling in 2013. The association reported more than 21,000 girls competing in 2019, which is greater than double the number six years prior. It’s a trend LPS hopes continues – creating more opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities.

“This is an exciting moment at Lincoln Public Schools,” said LPS Athletics and Activities Director J.J. Toczek. “My hope for the future of girls’ wrestling, and really all of our athletic and activity programs, is to continue to create inclusive and collaborative environments of engagement and learning. Student participation in school athletics and activities supports academic progress and promotes physical, social, emotional, and character development while creating a sense of community in a global society.”

You can view all the tournament photos and download your favorites from our special gallery.

Tournament results

100

1st Place - Mileena Notaro of Lincoln East Girls
2nd Place - Basmala Sheruza of Lincoln High Girls
3rd Place - Michelle Li of Lincoln East Girls

Round 1
Basmala Sheruza (Lincoln High Girls) 3-3, Jr. over Michelle Li (Lincoln East Girls) 1-13, So. (Fall 0:38)

Round 2
Mileena Notaro (Lincoln East Girls) 19-0, So. over Michelle Li (Lincoln East Girls) 1-13, So. (Fall 0:10)

Round 3
Mileena Notaro (Lincoln East Girls) 19-0, So. over Basmala Sheruza (Lincoln High Girls) 3-3, Jr. (Fall 0:17)

105

1st Place - Taylor Siefken of Lincoln Southwest Girls
2nd Place - Lilli Walahoski of Lincoln Northwest Girls
3rd Place - Thalia Rivera of Lincoln Southeast Girls
4th Place - Mari Cortez-Goitia of Lincoln High Girls

Round 1
Taylor Siefken (Lincoln Southwest Girls) 18-4, Fr. over Mari Cortez-Goitia (Lincoln High Girls) 1-7, So. (Fall 3:37)
Lilli Walahoski (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 8-11, Fr. over Thalia Rivera (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 6-13, So. (Fall 0:57)

Round 2
Taylor Siefken (Lincoln Southwest Girls) 18-4, Fr. over Thalia Rivera (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 6-13, So. (Fall 0:30)
Lilli Walahoski (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 8-11, Fr. over Mari Cortez-Goitia (Lincoln High Girls) 1-7, So. (Fall 3:34)

Round 3
Taylor Siefken (Lincoln Southwest Girls) 18-4, Fr. over Lilli Walahoski (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 8-11, Fr. (Fall 1:48)
Thalia Rivera (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 6-13, So. over Mari Cortez-Goitia (Lincoln High Girls) 1-7, So. (Fall 1:16)

110

1st Place - Lesli Guerra-Avalos of Lincoln High Girls
2nd Place - Libby Kotik of Lincoln East Girls
3rd Place - Aspen Wolsleger of Lincoln Pius X Girls

Round 1
Libby Kotik (Lincoln East Girls) 2-12, Jr. over Aspen Wolsleger (Lincoln Pius X Girls) 0-2, So. (Fall 5:07)

Round 2
Lesli Guerra-Avalos (Lincoln High Girls) 17-7, So. over Aspen Wolsleger (Lincoln Pius X Girls) 0-2, So. (Fall 0:18)

Round 3
Lesli Guerra-Avalos (Lincoln High Girls) 17-7, So. over Libby Kotik (Lincoln East Girls) 2-12, Jr. (Fall 3:36)

115

1st Place - Deja Judd of Lincoln North Star Girls
2nd Place - Maia Ruben of Lincoln Southeast Girls
3rd Place - Bayan Sheruza of Lincoln High Girls

Round 1
Deja Judd (Lincoln North Star Girls) 3-15, Fr. over Maia Ruben (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 6-20, Fr. (Fall 3:30)

Round 2
Deja Judd (Lincoln North Star Girls) 3-15, Fr. over Bayan Sheruza (Lincoln High Girls) 4-11, Jr. (Dec 10-9)

Round 3
Maia Ruben (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 6-20, Fr. over Bayan Sheruza (Lincoln High Girls) 4-11, Jr. (Dec 7-3)

120

1st Place - Morgan Sindel of Lincoln East Girls
2nd Place - Campbell Colborn of Lincoln Southeast Girls
3rd Place - Grace Frahm of Lincoln East Girls
4th Place - Rachel Feldhaus of Lincoln Pius X Girls

Round 1
Morgan Sindel (Lincoln East Girls) 18-9, Sr. over Campbell Colborn (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 3-18, So. (Fall 1:11)
Grace Frahm (Lincoln East Girls) 8-9, So. over Rachel Feldhaus (Lincoln Pius X Girls) 5-5, So. (Fall 2:42)

Round 2
Morgan Sindel (Lincoln East Girls) 18-9, Sr. over Grace Frahm (Lincoln East Girls) 8-9, So. (Fall 1:36)
Rachel Feldhaus (Lincoln Pius X Girls) 5-5, So. over Campbell Colborn (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 3-18, So. (Dec 12-5)

Round 3
Morgan Sindel (Lincoln East Girls) 18-9, Sr. over Rachel Feldhaus (Lincoln Pius X Girls) 5-5, So. (Fall 0:37)
Campbell Colborn (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 3-18, So. over Grace Frahm (Lincoln East Girls) 8-9, So. (Fall 5:50)

125

1st Place - Mariposa Thonen of Lincoln East Girls
2nd Place - Sydney Chubbuck of Lincoln North Star Girls
3rd Place - Nataly Miller of Lincoln Southwest Girls

Round 1
Mariposa Thonen (Lincoln East Girls) 2-4, Fr. over Nataly Miller (Lincoln Southwest Girls) 6-10, Sr. (Fall 0:16)

Round 2
Sydney Chubbuck (Lincoln North Star Girls) 12-7, Jr. over Mariposa Thonen (Lincoln East Girls) 2-4, Fr. (Fall 0:49)

Round 3
Nataly Miller (Lincoln Southwest Girls) 6-10, Sr. over Sydney Chubbuck (Lincoln North Star Girls) 12-7, Jr. (Fall 2:22)

130

1st Place - Savanna Wright-Brase of Lincoln Southwest Girls
2nd Place - Charlee Taylor of Lincoln Northwest Girls

Round 1
Savanna Wright-Brase (Lincoln Southwest Girls) 7-17, So. over Charlee Taylor (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 8-13, Jr. (Fall 3:07)

Round 2
Savanna Wright-Brase (Lincoln Southwest Girls) 7-17, So. over Charlee Taylor (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 8-13, Jr. (Fall 1:26)

135

1st Place - Katelyn Ruttledge of Lincoln Southeast Girls
2nd Place - Abby Moorehead of Lincoln East Girls

Round 1
Katelyn Ruttledge (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 19-6, Sr. over Abby Moorehead (Lincoln East Girls) 3-13, Fr. (Fall 1:11)

Round 2
Katelyn Ruttledge (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 19-6, Sr. over Abby Moorehead (Lincoln East Girls) 3-13, Fr. (MD 15-2)

140

1st Place - Jazleen Alvarez of Lincoln High Girls
2nd Place - CadiJohn Rivera of Lincoln Northwest Girls

Round 1
Jazleen Alvarez (Lincoln High Girls) 14-5, Fr. over CadiJohn Rivera (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 11-8, Jr. (Fall 0:26)

Round 2
Jazleen Alvarez (Lincoln High Girls) 14-5, Fr. over CadiJohn Rivera (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 11-8, Jr. (Inj. 2:15)

145

1st Place - Raye Aldag of Lincoln Southeast Girls
2nd Place - Averyle Haase of Lincoln North Star Girls

Round 1
Raye Aldag (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 10-6, Fr. over Averyle Haase (Lincoln North Star Girls) 0-7, Fr. (Fall 1:40)

Round 2
Raye Aldag (Lincoln Southeast Girls) 10-6, Fr. over Averyle Haase (Lincoln North Star Girls) 0-7, Fr. (Fall 1:36)

155

1st Place - Feryal Akpo-Idrissou of Lincoln Northwest Girls
2nd Place - Mekinzie Martin of Lincoln East Girls

Round 1
Feryal Akpo-Idrissou (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 19-5, Jr. over Mekinzie Martin (Lincoln East Girls) 7-7, Sr. (MD 14-0)

Round 2
Feryal Akpo-Idrissou (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 19-5, Jr. over Mekinzie Martin (Lincoln East Girls) 7-7, Sr. (Fall 5:24)

170

1st Place - Azariah Valenzuela of Lincoln North Star Girls
2nd Place - Carson Shank of Lincoln East Girls
3rd Place - Ivy Theewen of Lincoln Southwest Girls

Round 1
Azariah Valenzuela (Lincoln North Star Girls) 10-9, Sr. over Ivy Theewen (Lincoln Southwest Girls) 1-8, Fr. (Fall 1:25)

Round 2
Carson Shank (Lincoln East Girls) 15-11, So. over Ivy Theewen (Lincoln Southwest Girls) 1-8, Fr. (Fall 0:29)

Round 3
Azariah Valenzuela (Lincoln North Star Girls) 10-9, Sr. over Carson Shank (Lincoln East Girls) 15-11, So. (Fall 1:23)

190

1st Place - Ra`Kyah Bass of Lincoln Northeast Girls
2nd Place - Amariah Roberts of Lincoln Northwest Girls
3rd Place - Alexa Bailey of Lincoln East Girls

Round 1
Amariah Roberts (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 6-10, Jr. over Alexa Bailey (Lincoln East Girls) 0-4, So. (Fall 0:13)

Round 2
Ra`Kyah Bass (Lincoln Northeast Girls) 9-4, Fr. over Alexa Bailey (Lincoln East Girls) 0-4, So. (Fall 0:35)

Round 3
Ra`Kyah Bass (Lincoln Northeast Girls) 9-4, Fr. over Amariah Roberts (Lincoln Northwest Girls) 6-10, Jr. (Fall 0:20)


Published: January 23, 2023, Updated: January 23, 2023