No matter their past experience or present status, this one was special.

The first-ever District 11 Girls Wrestling Tournament was a showcase event for the best of the best.

And a chance to make a statement on the road to Hershey.

Northwestern’s Katie Brensinger won a district title, while teammate Angelina Spachman earned a silver medal Sunday at Easton Area Middle School.

Brensinger, a senior who won a regional title and placed third at states last season, powered to the 148-pound title with three pins. Spachman advanced to the finals at 136 pounds. Both Tigers will move on to this weekend’s PIAA Southeast Regional Championships Sunday at Quakertown High School.

Brensinger has been a staple in the Northwestern lineup throughout her career. Since the Tigers do not have a girls team, she has made the most of her mat time in the boys lineup and against girls when she has the opportunity.

The senior has gone 12-44 against boys in her career, and 28-5 against girls, where she was also a regional champion and state runner-up two years ago.

Her talent is undeniable. Brensinger, the top seed, finished off an impressive day by pinning Pine Grove’s Eve Kurtz, the No. 2 seed, in 4:32 for the 148-pound title.

“Being able to wrestle these girls at this tournament, (after) having to wrestle the guys all year, all season, this tournament is amazing,” said Brensinger, who wrestled 20 matches against boys this season, and compiled a 3-17 record. “And it gives us amazing opportunities.” Brensinger was impressive in the semis, pinning Lehighton’s Maggie Pagotto, seeded fifth, in 2:51. She built a 4-0 lead in the first period with a takedown and two back points, and got an escape and another takedown in the second period before securing the pin.

She pinned Liberty’s Symarah Drey, a state qualifier last season, in 1:16 to reach the 148 semis, and had a bye in the first round.

“Knowing I’ve been a part of the national team, it gives me a boost, just that,” said Brensinger, who had wrestled one girls match this season in an exhibition setting before her first official bouts of the season Sunday. “But knowing I’ve beaten some of the girls I’ve already had to wrestle, and knowing they don’t get to go against the guys, so they don’t have the strength experience, they don’t have the mentality. And being a senior, and having so many goals for myself, it just gives me more confidence.

“I feel like over the past couple years I’ve made so many new friends; new wrestlers, new coaches, new people to train with. I just feel like all that experience and all those people that give me the support, it just helps me flourish in the sport.”

Spachman, unseeded at 136 pounds, reached the finals before being pinned by No. 3 seed Ruth Rivera of Whitehall in 0:51.

The sophomore made her presence felt in the 136-pound quarterfinals, pinning top seed Jamie Castillo of Easton in 5:58. She carried the momentum of a big win in the quarterfinals over the top seed into the semis, where she pinned No. 4 seed Brynn Koberlein of Emmaus in 1:33.

Spachman started the day with a 7-1 decision victory over Amy Loza of Executive Education.

“This was really cool,” said Spachman, a sophomore in her first year wrestling. “I was really excited about it for a couple weeks.”

The sophomore made her presence felt in the 136-pound quarterfinals, pinning top seed Jamie Castillo of Easton in 5:58.

Spachman carried the momentum of a big win in the quarterfinals over the top seed into the semis, where she pinned No. 4 seed Brynn Koberlein of Emmaus in 1:33.

Despite having only two wrestlers at the tournament, Northwestern took ninth place out of 24 teams in the team standings.

Parkland won the team title with 160 points, followed by Liberty (144), Easton (123), Pocono Mountain East (115.5), Pocono Mountain West (110), Palisades (86), Northampton (76.5), Pine Grove (60), Northwestern and Emmaus (46) rounding out the top 10.

DISTRICT 11

GIRLS WRESTLING

CHAMPIONSHIPS

First place

100

- Ella Hesener (Parkland) pinned Chelsea Dressler (Nazareth) in 3:16

106

- Lily Snook (Parkland) pinned Carlie Ciresa (PM East) in 4:24

112

- Andi Bibeau (ES North) pinned Juliette Trout (Pleasant Valley) in 1:16

118

- Savannah Witt (Palisades) pinned Autumn Kanas (PM West) in 2:28

124

- Madacyn Rivera (Pen Argyl) pinned Abigail Taylor (Parkland) in 3:29

130

- Aubre Krazer (Easton) forfeit over Alylah Cruz (PM East)

136

- Ruth Rivera (Whitehall) pinned Angelina Spachman (Northwestern Lehigh) in 0:51

142

- Olivia Capra (Easton) dec. Addison Greger (Bethlehem Catholic), 7-1

148

- Katie Brensinger (Northwestern Lehigh) pinned Eve Kurtz (Pine Grove) in 4:32

155

- Mylea Lambert (Northampton) pinned Kelsey Gelb (Parkland) in 1:35

170

- Gracie Haflich (Liberty) dec. Shannon Fratus (Parkland), 3-1

190

- Addison Chavanic (Lehighton) pinned Bryce Snyder (Palisades) in 1:50

235

- Brenda Banks (Panther Valley) pinned Addyson Munro (Liberty) in 0:54

Third place

100

- Seretta Manuel (PM West) pinned Remiah Rivera (Bethlehem Catholic) in 2:17

106

- Koralyz Feliciano-Luyando (PM West) maj. dec. Taylor Sipel (Northampton), 17-6

112

- Sylvyn Parham (Parkland) dec. Mia Lopez (PM East), 4-0

118

- Maiya Lang (Easton) maj. dec. Emilie Capron (Nazareth), 12-1

124

- Danielle Williams (Easton) dec. Samantha Eisenhauer (Pine Grove), 5-1

130

- Olivia Lessing (Palisades) pinned Kierha Castillo (Liberty) in 1:24

136

- Doniya Anwari (Liberty) dec. Aeriel Stallworth (Catasauqua), 6-4 (SV)

142

- Alana Burnette (PM East) pinned Glory Joledo (PM West) in 4:57

148

- Symarah Drey (Liberty) pinned Neysa Lynch (PM East) in 2:11

155

- Summer Footit (PM West) pinned Anaya Velez (Freedom) in 2:10

170

- Maura Case (Easton) dec. Olivya Kroope (Emmaus), 10-7

190

- Ellie Rumbalski (Liberty) pinned Alexis Horvath (Freedom) in 3:47

235

- Lily Decker (Pleasant Valley) pinned Danielle Glaser (Northampton) in 1:21

Fifth place

118

- Paige Roman (ES South) pinned Saige Rittenhouse (Parkland) in 4:19

124

- Grace Bucich (Palisades) pinned Kasiah Dickenson (Liberty) in 5:21

130

- Gretchen Schaible (Palmerton) dec. Alyssa Laubach (Freedom), 3-2

136

- Skylar Benninger (Palmerton) pinned Brynn Koberlein (Emmaus) in 4:05

142

- Kyla McQuillen (Panther Valley) forfeit over Breanna Hann (Parkland)

148

- Chloe Straub (PM West) pinned Maggie Pagotto (Lehighton) in 3:30

155

- Joselin Flores (ES North) pinned Beatriz Quero (Pine Grove) in 2:34

170

- Lilliana Brader (Northampton) pinned Haylee Fessler (Panther Valley) in 2:22

190

- Charlotte Sampson (Bethlehem Catholic) dec. Petra Perez (Emmaus), 4-1

235

- Nadia Mohammed (Emmaus) pinned Brianna Gold (Nazareth) in 0:11

100

- Janalice Pellot-Feliciano (PM East) pinned Emilee Gaughran (Northampton) in 3:25

106

- Valerie Encarnacion (ES South) forfeit over Anabelle Ramos (Executive Education)

112

- Jaida Onyango (Northampton) dec. Mia Ariola (PM West), 8-4