by Jamie Harris
This coming weekend in Huntington, history will be made at the West Virginia State Wrestling Championships. For the first time ever there will be a girls’ state wrestling tournament going on in conjunction with the boys’ state wrestling tournament. While the boys will start wrestling on Thursday, the ladies will start action on Saturday morning at the Mountain Health Arena.
On Saturday night three mats will be ran for the championship finals for the Class A/AA, Class AAA and the girls’ state finals. It has been a long time coming but women’s wrestling in West Virginia is coming full circle.
Four Berkeley Springs Lady Indians wrestlers will enter the state tournament with dreams of a state title or placing in the top six and earning all-state honors. Senior Lilly Morgan, junior Delilah Rhoten and freshmen Bailee Diehl and Willow Rhoten will all have tough draws in their respective weight classes but all four are very capable of advancing to Saturday night’s championship finals.
Bailee Diehl has had an outstanding freshman season winning the Belle of the Baker Brawl, the 2024 PVC Girls Championship and was second at the Max Horz Holiday Invitational. Diehl will be at the 114 lb. weight class and has earned the #3 seed overall. She is the only seeded wrestler for Berkeley Springs.
Willow Rhoten won the middle school girls state title last year at W arm Springs Middle School. While the adjustment to high school competition has been tough, Rhoten is capable of pulling off some upsets and competing for a chance to represent the Tribe in the finals at 138 lbs.
Lilly Morgan and Delilah Rhoten both will be wrestling in the 120 lb. weight class and both had successful seasons this year. Both placed at the Max Horz Holiday Invitational and the Belle of Baker Brawl.
Morgan also captured the PVC title this season as well.
Whatever happens history is being made and Berkeley Springs is sending four fierce competitors to compete in the state girls’ championship.