IRVINGTON, NJ – For the first time this season, high school girls’ wrestling will be competed as its own sport in the state.
One of the schools that is excited about this opportunity is Irvington. John Taylor, the IHS athletic director, said the wrestling program has four girls: sophomores Jessica Etenne, Giselle Vazquez and Elizabeth de los Santos, and junior Misterna Jean.
In the past, girls were able to join a high school wrestling team. But in most cases, girls had to wrestle boys since there weren’t enough girls on many teams.
However, the New Jersey Interscholastic Athletic Association approved a proposal that will allow girls to wrestle girls during the regular season. In addition, girls’ wrestling will now be competed separately in the postseason for the districts, regionals and state finals.
In regular-season dual meets, girls would be matched up against other girls in a separate girls’ team match. Essentially, the purpose of these matchups is for individual records. Girls can still wrestle boys in the coed wrestling team match.
Taylor expressed his support for girls’ wrestling.
“I think if you can provide competitive athletic opportunities for any student-athlete, you should go with it,” he said. “The NJSIAA really figured out that hey, wrestling is a coed sport, maybe it would be competitive if girls were wrestling against girls.”
With this change, the sport also will draw more interest. Having girls’ wrestling will “put more spotlight and focus to it; that is always a good thing,” Taylor said.
A number of schools in the state are organizing girls’ wrestling invitationals during the season, noted Taylor. In total, there are approximately 125 girl wrestlers who have been certified for the 2018-19 season based on 39 schools entering information in Trackwrestling, according to the NJSIAA
Meanwhile, IHS, under head coach Kyle Steele, opened the season on Saturday, Dec. 15 when it hosted its annual Holiday tournament. IHS finished in fourth place. Morristown won the team title. Bernards was second and Elizabeth was third. LukeTappan of Morristown was named Outstanding Wrestler.
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