The Northampton and Nazareth girls wrestling teams squared off in Pete Schneider Gymnasium last Wednesday in front of a large, boisterous crowd with the Blue Eagles coming out on top 39-35.

For the girls from both schools, it was an opportunity to compete in an almost packed gym as the preliminary contest before the boys dual meet. However, there is a growing movement within District XI circles to conduct the boys and girls wrestling matches on a home and away basis, the way basketball games are currently scheduled.

Head coach Joe Tocci offered his assessment of the dual, “Awesome match. We’re so proud of the progress that they’re making as group. A couple of things could have gone differently. Coming back from Gettysburg, that was a great environment, but it’s not like this. District XI. Nazareth Northampton. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

Tocci was pleased with the start of the match in particular. He explained, “Julinana Noe wrestling a state qualifier (Chelsea Dressler) in her first match, she put up a good fight. That was very encouraging. Maddie Bara going up to 106 and getting the pin. Coming out of the lower weights, I thought we were in pretty good shape, but things didn’t go our way at the end.”

The K-Kids led 23-15 after Allison Rounsaville scored a first period pin at 136 in the seventh of the 13 matches on the night. However, Northampton could only muster a forfeit to Mylea Lambert over the next five bouts as the Blue Eagles put the match out of reach, rendering Dani Glaser’s pin in the final bout moot in terms of the team result.

The girls will be in action this Saturday at the Tony Iasiello Girls Memorial Tournament at Bethlehem Catholic High School.

Nazareth 39,

Northampton 35

100 - Chelsea Dressler (Naz) pinned Juliana Noe (Nor) 3:03; 106 - Madison Bara (Nor) pinned Lilly Kuhs (Naz) 4:48; 112 - Kendal Balkam (Naz) pinned Emilee Gaughran (Nor) 3:33; 118 - Jaida Onyango (Nor) pinned Emilie Capron (Naz) 1:49; 124 - Ella Daubert (Naz) dec. Taylor Sipel (Nor) 7-3; 130 - Gabriela Chevere (Nor) tech fall Olivia Carrezola (Naz) 15-0 4:20; 136 - Allison Rounsaville (Nor) pinned Kate Engler (Naz) 1:32; 142 - Jasmine Donello (Naz) pinned Lillian Breidinger (Nor) 5:57; 148 - Jayda Rodriguez (Naz) won by forfeit; 155 - Addison Greger (Naz) pinned Jerailda Esteban (Nor) 0:39; 170 - Mylea Lambert (Nor) won by forfeit; 190 - Taylor Whiteash (Naz) pinned Camryn Birosik (Nor) 4:52; 235 - Danielle Glaser (Nor) pinned Lillian Smith (Naz) 1:12