ORDER GAME PHOTOS

The 2022-’23 season marks the second season that girl’s wrestling is a sanctioned sport with the boy’s division in the state of Idaho. Prior to 2022, the girl’s division conducted an open state tournament, the first being held at Pocatello High School in 2019.  Since the first open state tournament, girl’s wrestling in Idaho has been growing at an exponential rate and is experiencing greater interest at the grassroots and middle school levels. As a matter of fact, the total number of participants in 2023 has surpassed 500 girls with the current trend moving in an upward trajectory.

This year’s field returns 9 individual State Champions and a total of 44 state placers. The leader among this strong contingent is Coeur d’ Alene’s Alyssa Randles at 126s. A senior, Randles is a 3x State Champion and the favorite to earn title number four (Note – Lita Cruz of Minico became the first 4x State Champion in 2022). She is also ranked #2 in the nation and has earned a total of five All-American honors. Seed number two, Eagle’s Olivia Woods is also a 3x State Champion and a strong contender to win a fourth at 235s. The remaining returning State Champions are all seeded in the top 3 and will challenge for another title. They include Kadence Beck (114 – Highland-C), Allistar Dillow (114 – American Falls), Skyla Zimmerman (120 – Moscow), Clare Waite (138 – Boise), 5x All-American Mia Furman (145 – Rocky Mountain), Hallie Campbell (152 – Columbia), and Reece Woods of Eagle at 185s.

Other top seeds to watch include All-American Joely Slyter (100 – Lewiston), Taylor Call (107 – Hillcrest), Jordan Barrett (132 – Payette), Jordan LeBeau (165 – Eagle), and Amie Hartman of Mountain Home. Additionally, Post Falls’ Abigale Piper (145), Maria Sifuentes (145 – Columbia), and Ornella Kero of Boise (152) each are returning state finalists and will challenge for the top podium this weekend. Also keep an eye on sophomore standouts Elise Twait of Meridian (top seed at 138s) and Lizzy Hodges of Capital. At Districts, Hodges defeated returning State Champion Claire Waite of Boise in the semis, but lost a close match to Twait in the final. The 138 pound weight group is among the top in the tournament and is expected to be highly contested.

A positive leading indicator that Idaho is not only growing at an exponential rate in its infancy as a sport, but concurrently producing several nationally ranked wrestlers in the process. This is a positive trend that should be noted and I hope to observe continue in the years to come. The February rankings by USA Wrestling, Flo Wrestling, and National Hall of Fame and Museum feature seven wrestlers from Idaho ranked in the top 25 weight-by-weight rankings. They include Joely Slyter (Lewiston), Skyler Zimmerman (Moscow), Kadence Beck (Highland-C), Alyssa Randles (Coeur d’ Alene), Mia Furman (Rocky Mountain), Reece Woods (Eagle), and Amie Hartman of Mountain Home.

In 2022, Eagle High School won the team title and enters this year’s state meet the favorites to repeat. With five returning state placers and seven qualifiers overall, they will be tough to beat. Other teams to watch are Columbia (runner-up in 2022), Thunder Ridge, and Canyon Ridge with 12 qualifiers.

Once again, I am encouraged by the growth of girl’s wrestling in the state of Idaho. For the last few years, I have observed the competition level increase in volume, as well as more underclassman placing at the state meet. Without a doubt, it is increasingly becoming tougher each year to earn a spot on the medal stand at state. I look forward to this weekends state tournament and the future of girl’s wrestling in the Gem State. Below is a list of returning state champions, state placers, All-Americans, and wrestlers ranked in the nation. Enjoy!

TOP 5 TEAMS

EAGLE (7 QUALIFIERS w/5 RETURNING STATE PLACERS)

126 – Holland Wieber (11), 6^th State

165 – Jordynn LeBeau (11), 2^nd State

185 – Reece Woods (12), State Champion

235 – Emry Woods (10), 5^th State

235 – Olivia Woods (12), 3x State Champion

COLUMBIA (4 QUALIFIERS w/2 RETURNING STATE PLACERS)

145 – Maria Sifuentes (Columbia, 12), 2^nd State

152 – Hallie Campbell (Columbia, 12), State Champion

THUNDER RIDGE (3 QUALIFIERS)

CANYON RIDGE (12 QUALIFIERS)

BOISE (6 QUALIFIERS w/2 RETURNING STATE PLACERS)

138 – Clare Waite (11), State Champion

152 – Ornella Kero (12), 2^nd State

RETURNING STATE CHAMPIONS (3X)

126 – Alyssa Randles (Coeur d’ Alene, 12)

235 – Olivia Woods (Eagle, 12)

RETURNING STATE CHAMPIONS (1X)

114 – Kadence Beck (Highland-C, 12)

114 – Allistar Dillow (American Falls, 11) 

120 – Skyla Zimmerman (Moscow, 12)

138 – Clare Waite (Boise, 11)

145 – Mia Furman (Rocky Mountain, 12)

152 – Hallie Campbell (Columbia, 12)

185 – Reece Woods (Eagle, 12)

RETURNING STATE PLACERS (3X)

107 – Taylor Call (Hillcrest, 12), 6^th, 2^nd, 5^th

114 – Kadence Beck (Highland-C, 12), 2^nd, 1^st, 2^nd

120 – Kayla Vail (Bonneville, 12), 3^rd, 2^nd, 2^nd

126 – Alyssa Randles (Coeur d’ Alene, 12), 1^st, 1^st, 1^st

145 – Mia Furman (Rocky Mountain, 12), 2^nd, 1^st, 3^rd

235 – Olivia Woods (Eagle, 12), 1^st, 1^st, 1^st

RETURNING STATE PLACERS (2X)

114 – Allistar Dillow (American Falls, 11), 1^st, 2^nd

185 – Riley Bodily (Preston, 11), 2^nd, 6^th

RETURNING STATE PLACERS (1X)

100 – Nia Avelino (Caldwell, 11), 4^th State

100 – Joely Slyter (Lewiston, 10), 6^th State

107 – Myriam Riley (Blackfoot, 11), 4^th State ‘21

107 – Toni Avelino (Caldwell, 11), 5^th State

107 – Rihanna Mora (Vallivue, 10), 6^th State

114 – Taylor Hood (Buhl, 12), 5^th State

114 – Alice Smith (Filer, 12), 6^th State ‘21

120 – Skyla Zimmerman (Moscow, 12), State Champion

120 – Makayla Smith (Mountain Home, 10), 3^rd State

120 – Audrey Deleon (Weiser, 11), 3^rd State

120 – Piper Anderson (Grace, 11), 4^th State

120 – Mitzie Hunt (Bear Lake, 11), 4^th State ‘21

126 – Sophie Sarver (Mountain View, 12), 3^rd State

126 – Holland Wieber (Eagle, 11), 6^th State

132 – Jordan Barrett (Payette, 12), 2^nd State

132 – Josie Newby (Grace, 10), 3^rd State

132 – Zoe Ortiz (Bonneville, 11), 4^th State

132 – Kiana Dullanty (Fruitland, 11), 5^th State ‘21

132 – Gianna Coburn (Emmett, 10), 5^th State

132 – Anjolina Espinoza (Mountain Home, 12), 5^th State

132 – Hallie Stone (Pocatello, 12), 6^th State

138 – Clare Waite (Boise, 11), State Champion

138 – Lizzy Hodges (Capital, 10), 6^th State

145 – Abigale Piper (Post Falls, 12), 2^nd State

145 – Maria Sifuentes (Columbia, 12), 2^nd State

145 – Zoe Fries (Kuna, 10), 3^rd State

145 – Hayley McNeal (Potlatch, 10), 6^th State

152 – Hallie Campbell (Columbia, 12), State Champion

152 – Ornella Kero (Boise, 12), 2^nd State

152 – Jordyn Kearn (American Falls, 11), 5^th State

165 – Jordynn LeBeau (Eagle, 11), 2^nd State

165 – Savannah Rickter (Bonners Ferry, 11), 3^rd State

185 – Reece Woods (Eagle, 12), State Champion

235 – Amie Hartman (Mountain Home, 10), 2^nd State

235 – Emry Woods (Eagle, 10), 5^th State

235 – Hildee Foster (Salmon, 10), 6^th State

ALL-AMERICANS (Fargo/Folkstyle/UWW)

100 – Joely Slyter (Lewiston, 10) 2x

126 – Alyssa Randles (Coeur d’ Alene, 12) 5x

144 – Mia Furman (Rocky Mountain, 12) 5x

IDAHO GIRLS RECOGNIZED IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS

100 – Joely Slyter (Lewiston, 10), #21

114 – Skyler Zimmerman (Moscow, 12), #10

114 – Kadence Beck (Highland-C, 12), #25

126 – Alyssa Randles (Coeur d’ Alene, 12), #2

145 – Mia Furman (Rocky Mountain, 12), #6

180 – Reece Woods (Eagle, 12), #24

225 – Amie Hartman (Mountain Home, 10), #20