The ladies have medaled! The Mt. Pleasant wrestling team has for the first time ever entered into an all female wrestling tournament, the Chemic Clash, in Midland, Michigan. Mt. Pleasant freshman, Chloe Churchman and Rhianna Armstrong, both have made it to the finals, competing in the B division. Rhianna, wrestled fiercly and won gold in the female 120 pound division, her second time placing at the highschool level. Both matches contained injury time spent for Rhianna’s opponent. Rhianna won by fall at 2 minutes and 24 seconds in her first match, her championship match followed suit with a pin at 2 minutes and thirty five seconds. Her record currently stands at 6-6 as a second year wrestler and freshman. “I placed at my first ever girls tournament and I am so excited for the postseason!” says Chemic Clash Champion Rhianna Armstrong.

Chloe Churchman won her second match by fall at one minute and forty nine seconds against a Frankenmuth opponent who had previously beat Churchman. “It felt amazing to be able to beat someone who had beaten you before, definitely helped me get over the mental aspect of the game that’s so tough,” says Chloe. This bumped Chloe into the number two spot in the tournament. Her next match was a 6-1 decision in Chloe’s favor. In the finals, Churchman nearly made it to the third period before being pinned at three minutes and forty one seconds. She took second place, which made it her first high school tournament placing. Her record is currently 3-6. “It was a very rewarding day for the lady oilers!” says Chloe. 

Senior Felicia Saunders was entered into the 125 A bracket with other state ranked opponents. Her first match was a decision of 10-8, with Felicia scoring early and scoring often. “I had to thug it out, I was so tired by the end” says Felicia. In her next match she was defeated by fall at two minutes and nineteen seconds to the first seed wrestler. Automatically, she moved to the third place match due to a medical forfeit from her third opponent. She wrestled back and finished in third place by pinning her opponent at two minutes and sixteen seconds. Felicia claims her success was due to “the support from my teammates”.

At this point in the season the three ladies are diligently preparing and perfecting their game for the all-girls Wrestling Regional on February 18, 2024. If they all place in the top four it will be the first time Mt. Pleasant has ever sent three female athletes to the state championship!