Caldwell County sent three wrestlers to the podium at the KHSAA Girls’ State Tournament on Thursday at Alltech Arena in Lexington.
Sophie Parrish medaled for the second time at the state tourney in as many seasons, bringing home sixth place.
She quickly began her day with two matches lasting less than a minute.
However, Parrish, ranked No. 3 in the state in the 100-pound class, was taken to the mat quickly by top-ranked Emma Moore of Walton-Verona, who finished the match at the 1:39 mark. Moore went on to win the state title in the 100-pound class.
In the consolation semifinal, Parrish faced Nelson County’s Madyson Votaw, whom she had defeated for the region title earlier in the month. Parrish fell behind 9-2 and succumbed to a pin in the third round.
In the fifth-place match, Parrish again wrestled from behind against North Hardin’s Mia Green and lost a 13-4 major decision. Parrish’s season ended with a 38-9 record and a second straight state medal. She was fourth last year.
Lexie Gobin finished in eighth place in the 138-pound class. She came into the state tourney ranked in the top five in her weight class and opened with a win over East Carter’s Keiona Skaggs in a third round pin while holding an 11-8 lead.
Gobin fell to Moore’s Amirah Macklin in a second round pin that dropped her to the consolation bracket. Macklin finished as the state runner-up in the class
Gobin made quick work of Perry County Central’s Brianna Stone with a 45-second win but fell behind early to Butler’s Kamilah Nana, the No. 5 wrestler in the class, and lost a 12-5 decision.
A rematch with Skaggs in the seventh-place match concluded her day. Gobin (31-15) fell behind 11-4 but battled back to get to within 11-8 before Skaggs ended the match with a reversal that led to a pin in the second round.
Virginia Stewart took eighth place in the 235-pound class with a pair of wins.
She opened with a win over Simon Kenton’s Destany Tapp in the opening round, pinning her in less than a minute.
Stewart (30-17) faced Madison Central’s Eryah Reese in the second round and was up 3-0, but a quick reversal by Reese led to a pin in the second round. Reese would go on to win the state title at 235.
Stewart’s day ended with a pair of matches against ranked opponents. Harrison County’s Layla Davis, ranked No. 2, scored a 10-0 major decision in the third consolation round.
In the seventh-place match against No. 6 Jazzmin Coulter of Taylor County, Stewart got out to an early 3-0 lead and was up 3-2 in the second period before Coulter made a quick move and got the winning position that led to a pin.
Keirli Herran made her state tournament debut in the 145-pound class and dropped her two matches.
As a team, Caldwell County scored 24 points and tied for 23rd place.
