Advertisement

Meet the GameTimePA 2024 YAIAA girls' wrestling all-stars; wrestler of the year

Matt Allibone, York Daily Record
·5 min read

It was a historic year for girls' wrestling in York County and all of Pennsylvania.

The first season of sanctioned PIAA competition led to numerous accomplishments for local wrestlers. Eight YAIAA grapplers qualified for the first PIAA girls' wrestling championships at Hershey's Giant Center and five brought home medals.

Here are the 2023-24 GameTimePA YAIAA girls' wrestling all-stars, as determined by our staff.

Wrestler of the Year

South Western's Kayla Henderson (top) wrestles to 3-2 decision over Bedford's Mylah Steinbuch in a 235-pound quarterfinal round bout at the PIAA Class Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 8, 2024, in Hershey.
South Western's Kayla Henderson (top) wrestles to 3-2 decision over Bedford's Mylah Steinbuch in a 235-pound quarterfinal round bout at the PIAA Class Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 8, 2024, in Hershey.

Kayla Henderson, South Western, sr.

Henderson went 25-4 and won a PIAA bronze medal at 235 pounds. She was disappointed when she lost to Cumberland Valley's Aja'nai Jumper, 2-0, in the sectional final. She bounced back to beat Jumper, 4-1, in the District 3 championship bout two weeks later. Her final high school match was a 1-0 win over Jumper for third place at states. Henderson dealt with a strained shoulder throughout the PIAA tournament and was heavily bandaged but still reached the semifinals and refused to drop out despite the pain.

All-stars

Alysiana Price-Ierley, York Suburban, fr.

York Suburban's Alysiana Price-Ierley (top) wrestles to a 9-3 decision over Northern Bedford's Kaylee Ebersole in a 106-pound quarterfinal round bout at the PIAA Class Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 8, 2024, in Hershey.
York Suburban's Alysiana Price-Ierley (top) wrestles to a 9-3 decision over Northern Bedford's Kaylee Ebersole in a 106-pound quarterfinal round bout at the PIAA Class Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 8, 2024, in Hershey.

The freshman went 30-5 and took second at the sectional and District 3 tournaments. She capped her season with a fourth-place state medal at 106 pounds. She won 20 of her bouts by pin.

Natalie Handy, South Western, sr.

South Western's Natalie Handy (left) works to put Souderton's Emily Sarr in danger during the 106-pound 7th place bout at the PIAA Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 9, 2024, in Hershey. Handy won by fall at 2:54
South Western's Natalie Handy (left) works to put Souderton's Emily Sarr in danger during the 106-pound 7th place bout at the PIAA Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 9, 2024, in Hershey. Handy won by fall at 2:54

Handy went 29-3 and won a sectional title at 106 pounds. She took third at the District 3 tournament after losing to Price-Ierley in the semifinals. She went 3-2 at the state tournament to finish seventh in the state. She ends her career with three state medals and an independent state title in 2022.

Hazelin Price-Ierley, York Suburban, jr.

York Suburban's Hazelin Price-Ierley wins by forfeit during a wrestling match at West York High School on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. York Suburban won, 63-6.
York Suburban's Hazelin Price-Ierley wins by forfeit during a wrestling match at West York High School on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. York Suburban won, 63-6.

She went 19-7 and took fourth at the sectional tournament at 112 pounds. She earned 14 of her victories by pin. She couldn't compete at districts due to injury.

Ava Dietrick, Spring Grove, fr.

Dietrick went 28-12 and took fifth at the sectional tournament at 124 pounds. She won 21 of her victories by pin. She went 2-2 at her first District 3 tournament.

Tatum Duckworth, South Western, jr.

South Western's Tatum Duckworth (top) wrestles Mt. Lebanon's Paige Jox in a 124-pound consolation bout at the PIAA Class Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 8, 2024, in Hershey.
South Western's Tatum Duckworth (top) wrestles Mt. Lebanon's Paige Jox in a 124-pound consolation bout at the PIAA Class Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 8, 2024, in Hershey.

Duckworth went 29-6 earned an eighth-place state medal at 124 pounds. She also took second at the sectional and regional tournaments, only losing to eventual Cumberland Valley state champion Eliana White-Vega. She earned 26 of her 29 wins by pin.

Felicity Davis, Spring Grove, jr.

Isabelle Allen (Boiling Springs) wrestles Felicity Davis (Spring Grove) in a 130 lb. match. The District 3 girls' wrestling Southeast Regional Championships were held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Penn Manor High School.
Isabelle Allen (Boiling Springs) wrestles Felicity Davis (Spring Grove) in a 130 lb. match. The District 3 girls' wrestling Southeast Regional Championships were held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Penn Manor High School.

Davis went 21-17 and took fourth at the sectional tournament at 130 pounds. She won her first match at the District 3 tournament. She won 20 of her 21 bouts by pin.

Adrianna Gonzalez, South Western, jr.

Zalika Roberts (Gettysburg) wrestles Adrianna Gonzalez (South western) in the 130 lb. quarterfinals. The District 3 girls' wrestling Southeast Regional Championships were held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Penn Manor High School.
Zalika Roberts (Gettysburg) wrestles Adrianna Gonzalez (South western) in the 130 lb. quarterfinals. The District 3 girls' wrestling Southeast Regional Championships were held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Penn Manor High School.

She went 20-10 and took third at the sectional tournament at 130 pounds. She won her first match at the District 3 tournament. She earned bonus points in 18 of her 20 pins.

Kenna Hoffman, Dallastown, fr.

Hoffman went 24-13 and won a sectional title at 130 pounds. She took fourth at the District 3 tournament to qualify for the PIAA tournament. She earned bonus points in 21 of her 24 wins.

Angel Upright, South Western, jr.

Angel Upright (South Western) wrestles Kaleia Timko (JP McCaskey) in a 136 lb. match. The District 3 girls' wrestling Southeast Regional Championships were held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Penn Manor High School.
Angel Upright (South Western) wrestles Kaleia Timko (JP McCaskey) in a 136 lb. match. The District 3 girls' wrestling Southeast Regional Championships were held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Penn Manor High School.

Upright went 22-10 and took fifth at the sectional tournament at 136 pounds. She won one match at the District 3 tournament. She won 13 matches by decision and nine by pin or forfeit.

Jahzari Abney, Dover, jr.

She spent the regular season with the boys' varsity team since Dover doesn't have an official girls' team yet. But Abney wrestled in the postseason and won a sectional title at 142 pounds. She won two matches at the District 3 tournament.

Avery Baldwin, Dallastown, fr.

Dallastown's Avery Baldwin (right) wrestles Wallenpaupack's Ariel Manning in a 155-pound first round bout at the PIAA Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 7, 2024, in Hershey. Manning won by fall, 1-0, at 4:43.
Dallastown's Avery Baldwin (right) wrestles Wallenpaupack's Ariel Manning in a 155-pound first round bout at the PIAA Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 7, 2024, in Hershey. Manning won by fall, 1-0, at 4:43.

Baldwin went 26-11 her first season of high school wrestling. She took fifth at the sectional tournament, but improved on that with a fourth-place finish at districts to qualify for the PIAA tournament at 155 pounds. She earned 24 of her victories by pin.

Miriam Westfort, South Western, sr.

Westfort went 23-9 and took second at the sectional tournament at 155 pounds. She took fifth at the District 3 tournament and missed qualifying for states by one spot. She earned bonus points in all of her wins.

Angela Imorhoa, York Suburban, jr.

York Suburban's Angela Imorhoa (top) wrestles Canon-McMillan's Audrey Calgaro in a 170-pound quarterfinal round bout at the PIAA Class Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 8, 2024, in Hershey. Calgaro won by fall at 2:24.
York Suburban's Angela Imorhoa (top) wrestles Canon-McMillan's Audrey Calgaro in a 170-pound quarterfinal round bout at the PIAA Class Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 8, 2024, in Hershey. Calgaro won by fall at 2:24.

Imorhoa went 29-14 and won a sixth-place PIAA medal at 170 pounds. She took third at both the sectional and District 3 tournaments and went 3-3 at the first state tournament. She earned bonus points in 26 of her wins.

Shelby Gipson-McDonald, Dallastown, so.

She went 19-10 and won a sectional title at 170 pounds. She went 1-2 at the District 3 tournament. Gipson-McDonald earned bonus points in 14 of her 19 wins.

Tessa Henise, Dallastown, jr.

Tessa Henise (Dallastown) wrestles Rachel Plant (Carlisle) in a 190 lb. match. The District 3 girls' wrestling Southeast Regional Championships were held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Penn Manor High School.
Tessa Henise (Dallastown) wrestles Rachel Plant (Carlisle) in a 190 lb. match. The District 3 girls' wrestling Southeast Regional Championships were held on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Penn Manor High School.

Henise went 19-9 and took fourth at the sectional tournament at 190 pounds. She went 2-2 at the District 3 tournament. She earned bonus points in 18 of her 19 wins.

Davina Crump, South Western, sr.

South Western's Davina Crump (left) wrestles Bishop McCort's Alyssa Favara in a 190-pound quarterfinal round bout at the PIAA Class Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 8, 2024, in Hershey. Favara won by fall at 1:11.
South Western's Davina Crump (left) wrestles Bishop McCort's Alyssa Favara in a 190-pound quarterfinal round bout at the PIAA Class Girls' Wrestling Championships at the Giant Center on March 8, 2024, in Hershey. Favara won by fall at 1:11.

Crump went 19-7 and qualified for the PIAA tournament at 190 pounds. She took third at sectionals and second at the District 3 tournament, losing in the final, 1-0, to Reading's Esmeralda Tellez. She won her first match at states. Crump earned bonus points in 14 of her wins.

Coach of the Year: Jennifer Strine, South Western

(Front row, from left) South Western wrestlers Davina Crump, Daniel Pierce, Landon Dull and Kayla Henderson pose for a photo with coaches Jennifer Strine and Jeremy Ault during YAIAA winter sports media days Wednesday, November 8, 2023, in York.
(Front row, from left) South Western wrestlers Davina Crump, Daniel Pierce, Landon Dull and Kayla Henderson pose for a photo with coaches Jennifer Strine and Jeremy Ault during YAIAA winter sports media days Wednesday, November 8, 2023, in York.

A learning support teacher at South Western, Strine became South Western's head coach because — in her own words — former boys' coach Nate Murren "asked me to do it" when the school launched an official program in 2022. She never wrestled herself but had two brothers who competed in the sport. In two years, Strine has helped the Mustangs get close to 20 girls on their varsity roster. South Western went 12-4 in dual meets this season and finished third in overall points at both the sectional and District 3 individual tournaments. The Mustangs finished 12th at the PIAA tournament with four qualifiers and three medalists.

Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on Twitter at @bad2theallibone. 

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: GameTimePA names YAIAA girls wrestling all-stars; wrestler of the year