Fort Campbell had three wrestlers reach the medal podium, which helped produce a top-20 finish at the KHSAA Girls’ State Wrestling Tournament at Alltech Arena in Lexington.
Kayla Maslonka and Eliza Allen both captured sixth-place finishes for the Lady Falcons.
Wrestling in the 126-pound class, Maslonka (41-12) won her first two matches to advance to the semifinals. Her second win came against Conner’s Rose Thomas – a ranked wrestler – by way of a second-round pin.
The sledding got tougher for Maslonka – ranked No. 5 in the weight class – as she faced top-ranked Tatum Millet of Oldham County. Millet got out to a 7-0 lead in the first period and scored a second-round pin. Millet would go on to win the state title.
Maslonka faced No. 4 Abbie Oliver of Taylor County in the consolation semifinal and dropped a 10-4 decision.
Maslonka faced off against Union County’s Sutton Fuller for fifth place. Fuller came into the day as the top-ranked wrestler at 126, but a second-round loss dropped her to the consolation round.
Fuller got out to a 7-0 lead, but Maslonka twice got the advantage to get to within 7-5, but Sutton pulled a reversal with 15 seconds left to claim a 9-8 win and fifth place.
It was a second podium finish at state in as many years following a 7th place finish last year.
Eliza Allen, the region champion at 152, breezed into the semifinals with a first-round pin and 12-5 decision.
In the semifinals, Allen faced off with Pike County Central’s Bralyn Maynard, the No. 2 wrestler in the state and eventual state champion in the class. Allen fell behind 3-0 but got back to within 3-2 in the second round before Maynard (27-1) ended the match with a pin.
Allen (42-9) lost a 6-3 decision to Green County’s Scout Brockman that dropped her into the fifth-place match where she met Simon Kenton’s Devon Banks. Allen got out to an 8-1 lead and was up 8-4, but Banks got position on top and scored a second round pin.
Thursday was a return trip to the state medal podium for Allen, who was eighth at 152 pounds a year ago.
Cassidy Harrington took the long road to the seventh-place medal in the 132-pound class.
The sophomore dropped her opening match to Moore’s Diva Hall, trailing from the start and getting pinned in the second round.
Harrington rallied with a nine-second pin of Ryle’s Reagan McNerney in the consolation bracket. She followed that with a 39-second win over Laila Buckley of Frederick Douglass.
Harrington (53-8), the No. 7 wrestler, met No. 6 Isabell Bryant of Harrison County in the next round. Harrington fell behind 3-2 after one period and was down 10-2 when Bryant finished the match with a pin in the second round.
In the 7th place match, Harrington finished her day with a second round pin of Taylor County’s Alyvia Cutler, the No. 8 wrestler in the state. Jumping out to an 11-4 lead, Harrington finished with a pin in the second round.
Lillianah DeWitt (35-8) wrestled at 120 and dropped her opening match to Greenup County’s Alexis Gibson with a third-round pin.
DeWitt came into the day ranked No. 2 at 120 and defeated No. 5 Allison Dye with a pin with 20 seconds left in the first round.
DeWitt’s day ended with a consolation loss to DuPont Manual’s Camara Carter.
Fort Campbell finished in 17th place with 33 points.
