In just her first year of wrestling at the high school level, Hopkinsville’s Isabell Walker won a match at Thursday’s KHSAA Girls’ State Wrestling Tournament.
Walker (9-12), competing in the 107-pound division, got the early lead on McCreary Central’s Brooklyn Sammons – the state’s second-ranked wrestler in the class according to Kentuckywrestling.com – and scored a pin in the second round.
In the quarterfinals, Walker lost to Woodford County’s Ana Tierney by a fall 1:04 into the match.
Walker and North Oldham’s Iris Wells engaged in a back-and-forth affair in the consolation round. Walker led 12-9 after the second round but fell behind 16-12 in the third. Up 18-16 with 18 seconds left in the match, Walker (22-10) was able to reverse into a pin and win the match.
Isabell’s sister Rheanna qualified for the state tournament for the second consecutive year. Lyla Smith, the No. 4 wrestler in the 114-pound class, held the advantage for most of their first-round match, jumping out to a 6-1 lead. Walker got to within 6-4 and had a near pin at the end of the second round but couldn’t get Smith down before the whistle.
Down 8-6, Smith rallied and scored a pin for the victory. Smith went on to win the state title at 114.
In the consolation bracket, Walker was the aggressor against Walton-Verona’s Emily Stephenson (11-9) and claimed a 6-0 decision.
Rheanna’s day ended in the next round as Scott County’s Samantha Oliver scored an 11-2 major decision. Walker fended off several close calls and would not be pinned in the match.
Anna Clark (6-13) was making her first appearance at the state tournament. Wrestling in the 152-pound class, she dropped her opener to Pike County Central’s Bralyn Maynard, the No. 2 wrestler in the class in a first match pin. Maynard would go on to win the state title at 152.
Her day ended in the consolation round with a loss to Lafayette’s Parfaite Eliada.
Hoptown’s two wins gave them five points, which resulted in a 56th-place team finish.
