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You've heard about their accomplishments on the mat. Now learn about the 13 wrestlers who won 2026 Section 1 girls freestyle wrestling championships.
These wrestlers, along with five girls qualifiers, 28 Div. I boys wrestlers from large schools in Section 1, 14 Div. II boys wrestlers from small schools in Section 1, as well as CHSAA and AIS qualifiers, will compete at the New York State championships. The girls championships take place Feb. 26 at MVP Arena in Albany. The boys championships are Feb. 27-28, also at MVP Arena.
Let's meet the champs.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means a lot to me to represent Section 1 at the New York State tournament.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Hitting my first hip toss and my first two leg laces of the season.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Eating mac and cheese after weigh-ins.
Best advice you've received? Go out there and wrestle your match.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Big Guy," Ice Spice from the Spongebob Movie soundtrack.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? Everything.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Hearing my coaches' advice and applying it in the finals.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Talking instead of drilling.
Best advice you've received? Be a calm-killer.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Vivica," ******** Jill
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? For me, it means that all the work that I put in the season really paid off.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? I can't say I have one.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Just being a part of a team and making new friends from and not from my team was just great.
Best advice you've received? Never search up your opponent beforehand. It would just make me more anxious than I already was.
What song best represents you in 2026? Not sure of a specific song, but I listned to a lot of Aphex Twin this season.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means a lot to me because I got to go out on the mat and do what I love. The title is nice, but I'm just happy to wrestle.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Getting my confidence back and hitting a headlock throw.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Being able to meet new people and get a good relationship with all my teammates on and off the mat.
Best advice you've received? Don't focus on what you can't do, but focus on what you can do right now.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Headlines," Drake.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means a lot to me because it means that my hard work has paid off and now I have qualified for states.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Winning sectionals.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Team bonding and helping coach my friends.
Best advice you've received? You can beat anyone, even if they've beaten you before.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)," Limp Bizkit.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It proves that all my work and time spent training in the past was really worth it and not trivial.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Winning against the same girl who pinned me a month or two ago.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Eating with my teammates and singing on the bus rides.
Best advice you've received? Work hard. Be hard. - Kelly.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Hard Times," Paramore.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? To me, this means that I not only get to continue my senior season, but I also get another opportunity to prove myself at the higher level.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? When I won my first match at Eastern States. I went 0-2 my sophomore year and it was really nice to accomplish a personal goal.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Being able to watch my underclassman teammate win a section title. She is also my practice partner.
Best advice you've received? Wrestle each match like it's the last match you're going to wrestle.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Swag Surfin"," F.L.Y.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? A lot as I lost in the finals last year. I got very emotional after losing last year. I just remembered how it felt and getting right back on the mat the next day. And this whole year has been about coming for it all.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Beating people who used to 10-0 shut me out.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Traveling with my teammates.
Best advice you've received? Surrender the outcome - Jimmy Kaishian
What song best represents you in 2026? "I Lived," One Republic.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means so much coming into my second year of wrestling knowing I got the forfeit last year and having something to prove this year.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Probably winning in the Section 1 championships after fighting off my back in the first 15 seconds of the match.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? The bonding with the girls on my team and getting to be with six girls in such a new sport.
Best advice you've received? All it takes is believing in yourself.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Build Me Up Buttercup," The Foundations.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? A lot. It means I've really put in the effort.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Beating the Croton girl (Cecelia DeMattia), hadn't beaten her.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Going out to bond with my team.
Best advice you've received? Take shots.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Burn, Burn, Burn," Zach Bryan
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means everything. I never thought I'd be here two to three years ago.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Pinning one of my opponents in 18 seconds or winning Sectionals for the second time.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? The fact that I'm not the only girl from Ketcham anymore. It proves that this sport is growing.
Best advice you've received? To keep going and that I've worked for this.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Kills," Cheif Keef.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means I have more work to put in and it means I have improved, which is very important to me.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? My top highlight was my Eastern States semi. I felt pretty smooth in that match.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Teaching my nine-year-old brother how to wrestle.
Best advice you've received? Be where your feet are.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Mr. Brightside," The Killers.
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? I have worked so hard for this title. It almost means the world to me.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Every match I win, when the ref raises my hand, I don't think there's a better feeling.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Team sleepover where we watch scary movies, make dips and eat way too much food.
Best advice you've received? Just be confident and you'll win."
What song best represents you in 2026? "Iris," Goo Goo Dolls. It's a true showing of who I am.
Phil Strum is local sports editor for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Meet the Section 1 girls freestyle wrestling champions for 2026
Continue reading...
These wrestlers, along with five girls qualifiers, 28 Div. I boys wrestlers from large schools in Section 1, 14 Div. II boys wrestlers from small schools in Section 1, as well as CHSAA and AIS qualifiers, will compete at the New York State championships. The girls championships take place Feb. 26 at MVP Arena in Albany. The boys championships are Feb. 27-28, also at MVP Arena.
Let's meet the champs.
Tatiana Alexander, Eastchester, 94 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means a lot to me to represent Section 1 at the New York State tournament.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Hitting my first hip toss and my first two leg laces of the season.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Eating mac and cheese after weigh-ins.
Best advice you've received? Go out there and wrestle your match.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Big Guy," Ice Spice from the Spongebob Movie soundtrack.
Genesis Garcia, White Plains, 100 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? Everything.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Hearing my coaches' advice and applying it in the finals.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Talking instead of drilling.
Best advice you've received? Be a calm-killer.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Vivica," ******** Jill
Lei Guarin, Lakeland/Panas, 107 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? For me, it means that all the work that I put in the season really paid off.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? I can't say I have one.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Just being a part of a team and making new friends from and not from my team was just great.
Best advice you've received? Never search up your opponent beforehand. It would just make me more anxious than I already was.
What song best represents you in 2026? Not sure of a specific song, but I listned to a lot of Aphex Twin this season.
Laila Builes, Port Chester, 114 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means a lot to me because I got to go out on the mat and do what I love. The title is nice, but I'm just happy to wrestle.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Getting my confidence back and hitting a headlock throw.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Being able to meet new people and get a good relationship with all my teammates on and off the mat.
Best advice you've received? Don't focus on what you can't do, but focus on what you can do right now.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Headlines," Drake.
Iman Maroof, Scarsdale, 120 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means a lot to me because it means that my hard work has paid off and now I have qualified for states.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Winning sectionals.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Team bonding and helping coach my friends.
Best advice you've received? You can beat anyone, even if they've beaten you before.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)," Limp Bizkit.
Solese Jovine, Arlington, 126 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It proves that all my work and time spent training in the past was really worth it and not trivial.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Winning against the same girl who pinned me a month or two ago.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Eating with my teammates and singing on the bus rides.
Best advice you've received? Work hard. Be hard. - Kelly.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Hard Times," Paramore.
Kelly Mahecha, Arlington, 132 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? To me, this means that I not only get to continue my senior season, but I also get another opportunity to prove myself at the higher level.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? When I won my first match at Eastern States. I went 0-2 my sophomore year and it was really nice to accomplish a personal goal.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Being able to watch my underclassman teammate win a section title. She is also my practice partner.
Best advice you've received? Wrestle each match like it's the last match you're going to wrestle.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Swag Surfin"," F.L.Y.
Maddy Keeler, Putnam Valley, 138 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? A lot as I lost in the finals last year. I got very emotional after losing last year. I just remembered how it felt and getting right back on the mat the next day. And this whole year has been about coming for it all.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Beating people who used to 10-0 shut me out.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Traveling with my teammates.
Best advice you've received? Surrender the outcome - Jimmy Kaishian
What song best represents you in 2026? "I Lived," One Republic.
Julia DiMichele, Putnam Valley, 145 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means so much coming into my second year of wrestling knowing I got the forfeit last year and having something to prove this year.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Probably winning in the Section 1 championships after fighting off my back in the first 15 seconds of the match.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? The bonding with the girls on my team and getting to be with six girls in such a new sport.
Best advice you've received? All it takes is believing in yourself.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Build Me Up Buttercup," The Foundations.
Celeste Minardi, Scarsdale, 152 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? A lot. It means I've really put in the effort.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Beating the Croton girl (Cecelia DeMattia), hadn't beaten her.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Going out to bond with my team.
Best advice you've received? Take shots.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Burn, Burn, Burn," Zach Bryan
Gwenyth Browne, Ketcham, 165 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means everything. I never thought I'd be here two to three years ago.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Pinning one of my opponents in 18 seconds or winning Sectionals for the second time.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? The fact that I'm not the only girl from Ketcham anymore. It proves that this sport is growing.
Best advice you've received? To keep going and that I've worked for this.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Kills," Cheif Keef.
Delina Gritz, Putnam Valley, 185 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? It means I have more work to put in and it means I have improved, which is very important to me.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? My top highlight was my Eastern States semi. I felt pretty smooth in that match.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Teaching my nine-year-old brother how to wrestle.
Best advice you've received? Be where your feet are.
What song best represents you in 2026? "Mr. Brightside," The Killers.
Alexis Keeler, Putnam Valley, 235 pounds
What's it mean to you to win a Section 1 title this season? I have worked so hard for this title. It almost means the world to me.
What was your top highlight on the mat this season? Every match I win, when the ref raises my hand, I don't think there's a better feeling.
What was your favorite wrestling moment off the mat this season? Team sleepover where we watch scary movies, make dips and eat way too much food.
Best advice you've received? Just be confident and you'll win."
What song best represents you in 2026? "Iris," Goo Goo Dolls. It's a true showing of who I am.
Phil Strum is local sports editor for The Journal News/lohud.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Meet the Section 1 girls freestyle wrestling champions for 2026
Continue reading...
