Licking County sending four to first OHSAA girls wrestling tournament

On Mar 6, 2023

LEWIS CENTER — Heath assistant wrestling coaches George Gamble and Erin Carnahan leaped from their chairs as Taryn Gamble, George’s daughter, neared victory. As time ran out, it was a wave of excitement with a brief moment of disbelief mixed in.

Taryn Gamble had one season to make an impression on the wrestling mat. The Heath senior has made the most of it, placing fourth during Sunday’s regional championships at Olentangy Orange to qualify for the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s first girls state tournament.

“Being able to say you are a state qualifier is a huge thing, but it’s not just that,” said Taryn Gamble, a standout defensive player for Heath’s girls soccer team, joined the school’s first girls wrestling team this winter. “I wanted to prove to myself and my coaches that everything they’ve taught me is worth it. They are not putting energy into nothing.”

Heath senior Taryn Gamble attempts to pull Waverly junior Emma Davis back in bounds in a 125-pound match during the regional championships at Olentangy Orange on Sunday, March 5, 2023. Gamble placed fourth to qualify for the first OHSAA girls state tournament.

It was everything on Sunday. Gamble won her first two matches by pin, including when trailing Waverly junior Emma Davis in the third period, to reach the semifinals, where she lost to Hamilton Township junior Sienna Sanborn, the eventual champion.

Gamble was beaten up in that match, but she was not defeated. She returned in the consolation semifinals to edge Westerville North senior Ella Musser 11-8, countering a late shot to clinch the victory.

“I have to be honest, I really did not think I had a chance because I am a first-year and some of these girls have been wrestling since biddy,” said Gamble, who placed fourth after dropping a rematch to Davis. “After seeing some state (contenders) getting beat by first-years, I knew anybody’s beatable. I tried my best, and I made it.”

The girls will wrestle during the boys state tournament for the first time beginning Friday afternoon at Ohio State’s Value City Arena. Licking Valley freshman Addison Justice and Watkins Memorial juniors Meagan Justice and Emma Watkins added to Gamble gives Licking County four qualifying girls to join the 11 boys that qualified on Saturday.

Valley’s Addison Justice had three quick pins at 120 before dropping her semifinal match to Olentangy sophomore Cori Young, the eventual champion. Addison Justice rebounded to pin Hilliard Bradley sophomore Jayna McClory just as she did in the first round.

“I was so calm,” said Addison Justice, who has been beaten just three times by girls this season after twice qualifying for the junior high state tournament. She won third place by forfeit.

“I knew I pinned her in the first period, so I said, ‘I should be fine, but I just don’t want to mess it up,'” she added. “It’s exciting that I get to go again.”

Watkins’ Meagan Justice also took a semifinal loss at 105, but she had come too far to not reach next week. She was at the forefront of the birth of Watkins’ girls program at the middle school level and competed in the coaches state tournament as a freshman before injury slowed her last season.

Meagan Justice controlled her consolation semifinal against Orange junior Adri Metzler. She eventually won by pin.

“It’s all about the mental game. Even after losing a match, you have to know it’s done and over with and build yourself back up,” Meagan Justice said. “I had to mentally prepare myself for the last one and give it my best. That’s all I could ask for out of myself.”

Meagan Justice previously had a 14-7 victory against Hilliard Bradley sophomore Maddie Smith. She later dropped her third-place match to Teays Valley junior Ava Miller, a returning state placer.

“It feels amazing,” Meagan Justice said. “Last year, I was out with injury, and I got to come back and show everyone I am not out yet. I am not done.”

Watkins joined her Watkins classmate about a half-hour later, and she took the longest road to get there. After losing her second-round match, Watkins recorded two pins and a hard-fought 1-0 victory to reach the consolation semifinals, where she countered a throw attempt and pinned Bishop Watterson sophomore Lucia Lordo.