HARRISON, Ohio — Harrison High School girls wrestling coach Chris Baird couldn't wait to joyously discuss this season's state championship team.
"I love talking about our girls, our wrestling program and Harrison High School," Baird said. "This is the best place to live and work in Cincinnati."
The Harrison community will celebrate the program winning the first Ohio High School Athletic Association girls wrestling state team championshipwith a recognition ceremony at 2:25 p.m. Thursday in the school gymnasium.
"This state title means a great deal to the Harrison community," Harrison athletic director Mark Meibers said. "We are blessed to live in a community that is incredibly supportive of our students and values our athletic programs and the opportunities they provide our student-athletes."
The OHSAA hosted its first girls wrestling state tournament this past weekend at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus. That occurred 14 months after the state association's board of directors voted unanimously to add girls wrestling as an emerging sport for this school year.
Anyone associated with Ohio high school girls wrestling knows of Harrison's state title.
"They will forever be known as the team that did it first," Baird said. "That is some legendary stuff when you think about it. Several of these girls have been trailblazers in the sport of girls wrestling in the state of Ohio."
Harrison juniors Chloe Dearwester (38-0 record with 29 pins at 105 pounds) and Raegan Briggs (35-2 record at 125 pounds) captured individual state titles to help lead the Wildcats. Dearwester won her third state title overall and pinned every opponent this past weekend.
"I like to think of Chloe and Raegan as our one-two punch of the Harrison girls wrestling program," Meibers said. "All of the girls on last year’s team and this year’s team are special."
Several other wrestlers had memorable seasons including freshman Leah Willen, who was 41-7 and third at state at 100 pounds. Junior Jessica Edwards was sixth at state with a 28-9 record at 235 pounds.
Other team members include freshman Caiden Baird, senior Mia Hotchkiss, freshman Olivia Olive, freshman Chloe Bills, junior Lilly Kinsel, freshman Olivia Egner, senior Aaliyah Lee and junior Molly Hudler.
Harrison is actually back-to-back state champions. Harrison won its first state championship last season in the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association tournament in its second year as a program.
The Wildcats are grateful to add yet another prestigious trophy in front of a significant audience this past weekend in Columbus.
"The OHSAA state tournament is an absolutely amazing event," Baird said. "It has had many homes in it's history, but none of those venues compare the Jerome Schottenstein Center. Ten mats, 18,000 fans, the very best of the best. Ohio has a very long history of being one the elite wrestling states in the United States."
Baird said being at the venue was truly an unforgettable experience.
"Walking onto the floor at the Schottenstein Center is an event unto itself," Baird said. "The girls belonged at the Schottenstein Center. It was magical seeing all these great girls coaches and their athletes competing side by side with the very best boys programs in the state."
Meibers said the sanctioned state championship is a culmination of the efforts from the Harrison coaches and student-athletes over the past number of years.
"Incredibly special," Meibers said. "To be standing on the floor of the Schottenstein Center with our athletes, coaches, trainer and other school administrators receiving the first state championship title was truly something we will never forget. It was an honor for us to be a part of this historic event."
