Since the program’s beginning last year, the girls wrestling team has expanded with the addition of jiu jitsu athletes Nora Thompson and Marah Lofgren.

“The two freshmen have a great background with jiu jitsu, which makes them have a leg up in terms of working hard and doing wrestling because they’ve been doing it their whole lives,” assistant wrestling coach Courtney Mullinix said.

Head wrestling coach Marty Monigold said the girls have been making progress in their practices, working in the wrestling room for two hours everyday five days a week, and competing three days a week.

“When they practice, they do very well,” Monigold said. “When learning moves and doing everything, a lot of the times they wrestle against the guys making both sides even better with their moves and making them more crisp.”

Of the four girls in the program, Thompson and Lofgren are currently the only ones competing, and both placed in each tournament. In the Jan. 17-18 Carl Albert Competition, Thompson placed first in her weight class, becoming the first female wrestler in school history to win an OSSAA-sanctioned wrestling tournament. Lofgren placed fourth in her weight division.

“I have done pretty well this year,” Thompson said. “I placed third in the PCO tournament out of a bracket of eight, first in the Carl Albert tournament with a bracket of five and second in the Yukon Ladies tournament in a bracket of 13. It’s been really good overall.”

The girls wrestling Regional Tournament is scheduled for Feb. 17.