Harrison girls wrestling takes OHSWCA duals state title in finals over Olentangy Orange

The Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association hosted its girls team duals championship at Marysville High School on Saturday, Feb. 10. In the leadup to the Ohio High School Athletic Association postseason, the Harrison Wildcats continued state domination by taking home the duals championship.

Harrison got the better of defending champions Olentangy Orange in the finals. Harrison, who finished third in last season's duals after falling to Marysville in the second round, added another win over the Pioneers in what has become a fierce rivalry.

Jess Edwards seals the deal with finals pin

Harrison's course to the finals began with an opening-round, 57-24 decision over Columbia. The Wildcats then topped Delaware Hayes 66-18 in the semis to set up the meeting with Olentangy Orange.

In the championship round, the Pioneers took the first match before Harrison's Chloe Dearwester evened the score at 6-6. After pins from Leah Willen, Raegan Briggs, Lilly Kinsel, Rylee Dearwester and Veronica Decaluwe, Harrison had a 36-21 lead through the 145-pound weights.

At 155 pounds, 170 pounds and 190 pounds, Orange notched three consecutive wins to take a 39-36 lead heading into the final match.

In the 235-pound bout, Harrison's Jess Edwards and Orange's Jenny Huaracha-Arellanos battled to secure the state championship. It was Harrison, by way of Edwards' pinfall in 2:39, that hoisted the championship trophy.

Harrison gets another win over Olentangy Orange

In the young but thriving girls wrestling scene in Ohio, Harrison and Olentangy Orange have been two of the top programs in the sport.

It was Orange that took the duals title last season while Harrison secured the inaugural OHSAA crown and Orange finished as the state runner-up. This season, the two programs met in the finals of Olentangy Orange's Citrus Duals back in mid-December.

At the Citrus Duals finals, Harrison took down the Pioneers by the same 42-39 score that happened in the state duals finals. Harrison had a 42-24 advantage before Orange won the final three bouts, but a 5-3 decision for Orange's Josie Nickoloff over Harrison's Leah Willen rather than a pin left Harrison's lead intact.

Lebanon finishes in eighth

As the other representative from the southwest region, Lebanon opened the day facing Olentangy Orange, falling 54-30 after the Pioneers scored six points in six of the first seven weight classes. Lebanon took five classes overall in the opening match, getting pinfall wins from Precious Broadus, Andi Addis, Chanelle Trammel, Hannah Briner and Taryn Nail.

Lebanon went into the consolation side of the bracket, falling to Warren 42-30 in the second round and Columbia 48-30 in the seventh-place match.

Last season, Lebanon placed fifth in the duals after beating Alliance and Minerva following a first-round defeat to Delaware Hayes.