Yellow Jacket girls send four to district wrestling tournament

The Mount Vernon girls wrestling team had four advance through sectionals and on to district competition on Sunday.

Luci Parker, Ashlynn Brokaw, Alivia Zimmerman and Khadija Ndow will now be heading to the district after finishing in the top four in their respective weight classes in the sectional tournament at Licking Valley. Those four helped the Jackets finish sixth as a team, as well.

Brokaw, the defending state champion, cruised through the sectional, winning the title at 110 pounds. She won her first two matches via pin (1:51 and 2:33), then exploded to a 17-1 technical fall victory over Mirage Haverfield of Madison Plains in the championship match.

Ndow finished third at 170 pounds to move on. The senior won her first two matches via pin (2:15 and 5:01), but was beaten 7-3 in the semifinals. She bounced back with an 11-1 victory, then beat Rayne Dowdy of Teays Valley to finish third.

Two wrestlers finished fourth in their weight classes — Parker (100) and Zimmerman (145).

Parker, a freshman, lost her first match by pin, but bounced back to win the next wo. That secured her spot in districts, but she then fell by pin in her final match to place fourth.

Zimmerman, a sophomore, advanced to district for her second straight year. She lost her first match, but also bounced back to win two straight and secure her spot before getting pinned in the third-place match.

Two other wrestlers just missed advancing to districts. Jessie Blas-Perez came in sixth at 105 pounds, winning one match on the day. And, Mahayley Laverick finished sixth at 130, getting three wins on the day. Joy Mormon lost her two matches at 155.

In the sectional at Marysville, Fredericktown’s Ruthlynn Mejia-Evener earned a right to move on to district with a fourth-place finish at 235. She won one match on the day to advance.

Fredericktown’s Kerrigan Murray-Brook (120) also had one win, but fell short of advancing. Truth Yarman (115), Kristina Meszarosova (140) and Anna Miller (155) also participated.

Centerburg’ Emma Fisher (130) also participated in the sectional tournament.

The district tournament will be March 7-8 at Big Walnut.