Girl wrestlers to hit state mats

Forget "sugar and spice, and everything nice," because for some girls in the tri-county area, when winter rolls around it becomes time for "cross-faces, reversals and hopefully pinfalls."

Citing a statewide increase in the number of high school girls who participate in wrestling, the California Interscholastic Federation announced July 14 that it will hold a Girls Wrestling State Invitational, with the first-ever meet scheduled for Feb. 25-26 at Lemoore High School.

"I'm glad to see a state tourney just for girls," said Jim Maxwell, wrestling coach at Los Molinos High. "They deserve it and there are some great girl wrestlers out there."

Maxwell said girls wrestling is increasing at a rate of 18 percent each year, and that interest is growing across the nation.

"Alaska just had its first girl state champion in high school wrestling last year, and she wrestled all boys," he said.

The Girls Wrestling State Invitational is the first event of a CIF Regional and State Championship master plan to balance the number of postseason athletic experiences for both boys and girls.

"The CIF has been building up to this event the last couple years." said Marie M. Ishida, executive director of the state CIF. "As the popularity and number of female wrestlers continues to increase, the CIF is committed to the philosophy, 'If you build it, they will come.'"

She added, "The CIF is pleased to offer this new event and we are hopeful it will grow into an event that will mirror the boys' championships."

Weight classes will be 98, 103, 108, 114, 118, 122, 126, 132, 138, 146, 154, 165, 189 and 235 pounds.

Girls wrestling in the invitational must have completed the Weight Assessment Program and be listed on the school's National Wrestling Coaches Association Pre-Match Weigh-In Form presented at the event weigh-ins, and have qualified at a section qualifier by Feb. 19. Qualifiers in Northern California are the Sac-Joaquin Section/Northern Section, North Coast Section/Oakland Section and Central Coast Section/San Francisco Section girls' tournaments.

In addition, a wrestler must be eligible in accordance with school, league and CIF rules, and be accompanied by a certified coach from her school.

Individual awards will be presented for first- through sixth-place winners, and team awards will be presented for first and second place. The number of awards will increase as the bracket size increases.