ORDER GAME PHOTOS

The 2023 – ’24 season marks the third season that girl’s prep wrestling in Idaho is a sanctioned sport along with the boys. Prior to the 2022 State Championships, the girl’s division conducted an open state tournament, the first being held at Pocatello High School in 2019. Since the first open tournament, girl’s wrestling in the Gem State has been growing at an accelerated rate, especially at the grassroots and middle school levels. As a matter of fact, the growth at the national high school level has increased from 35,653 in 2022 to 52,406 in 2023, an increase of 16,753 (~47%). Since 2019, the total participation numbers in Idaho have gone from 132 to 661 in 2023, an exponential increase of 401% (highest increase among the incoming freshman).

This year’s field returns 7 individual State Champions and a total of 41 returning state placers. The leaders among this strong contingent is Lewiston’s Joely Slyter and Amie Hartman of Mountain Home (235s). Seeded number one at 114s, Slyter is a returning State Champion, 2x Fargo All-American, and ranked among the top lightweights in the nation. Entering the State Championships with a 31-1 record, Hartman is rated among the top wrestlers in her weight group nationally, a Fargo All-American, and joins Slyter among the strong favorites to win a second title. Other returning State Champions include American Falls’ Allister Dillow (120s), Elise Twait (152 – Meridian) in addition to 2x finalist’s Krya Richards (165 – Nampa), Jordyn LeBeau (185 – Eagle), and multiple All-American Claire Wait of Boise (145s) committed to compete at North Central College in Illinois.

Other returning state placers expected to challenge for the top spot include Southern Oregon commit and 3x medalist Holland Weiber of Eagle, Zoe Fries (138 – Kuna), returning finalists Nevaeh Therrien (107 – Bonners Ferry), Courtney Hunt (145 – American Falls), Shauna Anderson (185 – Thunder Ridge), Cara Brown (145 – Coeur d’ Alene), and the Avelino sisters of Caldwell, Nia (107s) and Toni (114s). Nia is committed to compete for Eastern Oregon while her sister, Toni, will be competing for Central Methodist University in Missouri. Additionally, keep an eye on U14 National/District III Champion Talea Nichols of Rocky Mountain (114s) in addition to 2x state placer and All-American Josie Newby of Grace (132s).

The early pioneers of girl’s wrestling in Idaho paved the way for the strong talent we are observing today. These early pioneers include All-Americans Annelies DeAragon, Cierra Foster, and Brelan Huber and more recently were followed by the next generation consisting of State Champions and All-Americans Alyssa Randles, Marissa Jimenez, Mia Furman, Liv Wieber, Joely Slyter, Claire Waite, and Amie Hartman to name a few. I truly believe that this season’s freshman class is by far the best to date in Idaho. With girl’s wrestling being the fastest growing sport in the nation at the high school level coupled by the increase in opportunities at the grassroot levels in Idaho as well as past pioneers setting a strong precedent, it doesn’t surprise me. Keep an eye on the following freshman competing at these championships. They include Ava Bui (100 – Centennial), Ali Svancara (107 – Buhl), Kinzie Williams (114 – American Falls), Olivia Bezdicek (120 – Jerome), Keanna Conrad (126 – Blackfoot), and Roxy Sheen of Buhl (138s), all seeded in the top 3 and will challenge for the top spot this weekend.

Once again, I encouraged by the growth of girl’s wrestling in the Gem State of Idaho. For the last few years, I have observed the competition level increase in volume, as well as more underclassman placing at the state meet. I look forward to this state tournament and the future of girl’s wrestling in Idaho. The pioneers of girl’s wrestling have set a strong precedent for future generations to meet or exceed and I am optimistic that Idaho will become a power state in the future years to come. Below is a list of top teams, returning State Champions, state placers, All-Americans, freshman to watch, and wrestlers ranked in the nation. Enjoy!

TOP TEAMS TO WATCH

THUNDER RIDGE (8)

Returning State Placers

107 – Mia Ragan (Sr.), 5^th State

185 – Shauna Anderson (Soph.), 2nd. State

Returning State Qualifiers

235 – Ashley Barnes (Sr.), 2^nd. Dist. (2x)

State Qualifiers

100 – Gracie Price (Fr.), 5^th Dist.

100 – Tayler Brown (10), 3^rd Dist.

132 – Ava Price (10), 7^th. Dist.

145 – Christina Reese (Sr.), 3^rd. Dist.

235 – Olivia Silvester (Fr.), 5^th. Dist.

EAGLE (7)

Returning State Placers

145 – Holland Wieber (Sr.), 6^th, 6^th, 3^rd. State

185 – Jordynn LeBeau (Sr.), 2^nd., State Champion

235 – Emry Woods (Jr.), 5^th, 4^th State

Returning State Qualifiers

107 – Tommy Stone (Soph.), 3^rd. Dist. (2x)

State Qualifiers

126 – Eden Garner (Sr.), 3^rd. Dist.

138 – Bryn Beardoll (Fr.), 4^th Dist.

165 – Paige Cantwell (Sr.), 3^rd. Dist.

CANYON RIDGE (8)

Returning State Placers

165 – Riana Walter (Jr.), 3^rd. State

Returning State Qualifiers

100 – Daniele Holt (Sr.), 1^st. Dist. (2x)

114 – Jasmin Fedaie (Jr.), 3^rd Dist. (2x)

145 – Kadee Haderlie (Sr.), 1^st. Dist. (2x)

State Qualifiers

132 – Alpine Brown (Sr.), 3^rd Dist.

152 – Alexis Hall (Sr.), 2^nd. Dist.

165 – Aliza Powlus (Sr.), 3^rd. Dist.

235 – Guadalupe Huerta (Fr.), 3^rd. Dist.

OTHER TEAMS TO WATCH: American Falls (5), Bonners Ferry (6), Columbia (6), Jerome (5), Middleton (5), Rocky Mountain (7), and Skyline (6).

1X STATE CHAMPIONS (7)

Joely Slyter (Lewiston, 11)

Allister Dillow (American Falls, 12), ‘22

Elise Twait (Meridian, 11)

Claire Waite (Boise, 12)

Kyra Richards (Nampa, 12), ‘21

Jordyn LeBeau (Eagle, 12)

Amie Hartman (Mountain Home, 11)

3X STATE PLACERS (1)

Holland Weiber (Eagle, 12), 6^th, 6^th, 3^rd

2X STATE PLACERS (14)

Joely Slyter (Lewiston, 11), 6^th, 1^st

Nia Avelino (Caldwell, 12), 4^th, 4^th

Toni Avelino (Caldwell, 12), 5^th, 6^th

Allister Dillow (American Falls, 12), 1^st, 5^th

Makayla Smith (Mountain Home, 11), 3^rd, 4^th

Audrey Deleon (Weiser, 12), 3^rd, 6^th

Josie Newby (Grace, 11), 3^rd, 5^th

Claire Waite (Boise, 12), 1^st., 2^nd

Zoe Fries (Kuna, 11), 3^rd, 3^rd

Jordyn Kearn (American Falls, 12), 5^th, 4^th

Kyra Richards (Nampa, 12), 1^st, 2^nd

Jordyn LeBeau (Eagle, 12), 2^nd, 1^st

Savannah Rickter (Bonners Ferry, 12), 3^rd, 4^th

Amie Hartman (Mountain Home, 11), 2^nd, 1^st

Emry Woods (Eagle, 11), 5^th, 4^th

1X STATE PLACERS (27)

Raelynn O’Conner (Salmon, 11), 3^rd Place

Lydia Townsend (Marsh Valley, 10), 4^th Place

Aly Stewart (Ririe, 11), 5^th Place

Ryliegh Slocum (Borah, 11), 6^th Place

Myriam Riley (Blackfoot, 12), 4^th Place ‘21

Nevaeh Therrien (Bonners Ferry, 10), 2^nd Place

Dahila Yerby (Emmitt, 11), 4^th Place

Mia Ragan (Thunder Ridge, 12), 5^th Place

Keira Zimmerman (Moscow, 11), 3^rd Place ‘22

Rihanna Mora (Vallivue, 11), 6^th Place ‘22

Kyler Scott (Century, 10), 3^rd Place

Courtney Hunt (American Falls, 10), 2^nd Place

Kaisa Hanks (Burley, 11), 6^th Place

Madi Cook (Lake City, 12), 3^rd Place

Mariah Skelly (Fruitland, 12), 5^th Place ‘22

Zoe Ortiz (Bonneville, 12), 4^th Place ‘22

Elise Twait (Meridian, 11), State Champion

Elena Guerena (Owyhee, 12), 4^th Place

Abby Wegner (Skyline, 12), 5^th Place

Hayley McNeal (Potlatch, 11), 4^th Place

Brooklyn Anderson (Coeur d’ Alene, 10), 5^th Place

Cara Brown (Coeur d’ Alene, 12), 2^nd Place

Rian Walter (Canyon Ridge, 11), 3^rd Place

Annika Thompson (Lakeland, 12), 6^th Place ‘22

Shauna Anderson (Thunder Ridge, 10), 2^nd Place

Olivia Burciaga (Kuna, 12), 6^th Place

Cossette Desrosiers (Columbia, 12), 4^th Place ‘22

FRESHMAN TO WATCH

100 – Ava Bui (Centennial), 1^st Dist.

100 – Mackenzee Donefield (Sandpoint), 1^st Dist.

107 – Ali Svancara (Buhl), 1^st. Dist.

114 – Kinzie Williams (American Falls), 1^st. Dist.

120 – Olivia Bezdicek (Jerome), 1^st. Dist.

120 – Dusty Longtin (Tri-Valley), 2^nd. Dist.

120 – Maliyah Garcia (New Plymouth), 3^rd. Dist.

126 – Keanna Conrad (Blackfoot), 1^st. Dist.

138 – Roxy Sheen (Buhl), 1^st. Dist.

ALL-AMERICANS (FS/GR/FOLKSTYLE)

Joely Slyter (Lewiston, 11)

Claire Waite (Boise, 12)

Amie Hartman (Mountain Home, 11)

Josie Newby (Grace, 11)

Zoe Fries (Kuna, 11)

Talea Nichols (Rocky Mountain, 10)

Olivia Burciaga (Kuna, 12)

COLLEGE COMMITS (4)

Nia Avelino (Caldwell, 4A), Eastern Oregon (NAIA)

Toni Avelino (Caldwell, 4A), Central Methodist University (NAIA)

Clare Waite (Boise, 5A), North Central College – Illinois (DIII)

Holland Weiber (Eagle, 5A), Southern Oregon (NAIA)

GIRLS DIVISON WRESTLERS RECOGNIZED IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

115 – Joely Slyter (Lewiston, 11) #23 (USA Wrestling/NWHOF/FLO)

235 – Amie Hartman (Mountain Home, 11) #12 (USA Wrestling/NWHOF/FLO)