It’s been a year of firsts for the Festus girls wrestling team.
Senior Mya Hairston became the school’s first state champion when she claimed the title at 100 pounds in 2024. In the first two years of girls wrestling, the Tigers didn’t register a point at the state meet. They barely made the radar screen at 56th in 2020 when the state had only one class. But Festus moved up quickly to 13th in 2022 and 14th in 2023, the first year the girls split into two classes. With Hairston’s state win, and sophomore Trinity Butler coming in sixth at 135, plus two other state qualifiers – juniors Dani Gullet and Addison Cupp – the Tigers cracked the top 10 last season in ninth.
All four are back this season and helped Festus win the Jefferson County Activities Association championship for the first time with 155.5 points at Windsor Jan. 14. The Owls led Festus 120-119.5 going into the final round and ended up second with 138.5 points, ahead of De Soto (92.5), Hillsboro (64) and Herculaneum (20). It was the first tournament victory of the year for the Tigers, who placed fourth at Fort Zumwalt North, sixth at Union and second at Fort Zumwalt East.
“(Winning the JCAA) was one of our goals this year,” Festus head coach Jarad Sheppard said. “We won every match in the first round, except our last one. Some of the matches we lost, we went a full six minutes, which is always nice for our newer wrestlers. There’s strength in numbers for a small conference tournament like this.”
There were only three entries at 100 at the conference meet. Hairston and
Hillsboro freshman Nico Brooks each won a major decision over De Soto freshman Milayna Drummond and then faced each other for the third time this season. Hairston had won two decisions over Brooks and beat her 6-0 to improve to 25-1 and claim the title. Hairston has won the majority of her matches this year with pins.
“She’s good at not getting turned,” Hairston said of Brooks (19-8). “We wrestle and practice (together) in the offseason. It’s a friendly rivalry. I like moving around in neutral and finding advantages and openings for shots and takedowns.”
Hairston, a senior, and Brooks are destined to meet again at De Soto’s Bob Georger meet Jan. 31 and the Class 1 District 1 meet in St. Clair next month.
“I love the opportunity to get to wrestle her,” Brooks said. “She’s a great partner and wrestler. She’s very technical (and) super strong. I’m working my way up there. (For the rematch) I always have a plan. I’m ready for it. I’m closing the gap slowly.”
Hairston said her success comes from maintaining a positive mindset before and after matches. She also realizes that being a state champion means more attention from her opponents.
“I’ve been reviewing my matches and finding things I can do better,” she said. “I’m happy with the way the season’s been going. I’m trying to perfect my game plans. I use having a target on my back as motivation, an extra push.
“I know people are after me. It feels good.”
Along with Brooks, Sheppard said Hairston has faced tough competition this year and is much stronger.
“She’s gone out and wrestled confident matches she’s proud of,” he said. “That’s the goal. Being a senior state champion puts a target on her back. Our plan is to wrestle our matches, to wrestle clean and to walk off the mat feeling happy regardless of the point differential. A win is a win. She’s had a really strong mindset and it’s paid off.”
Cupp and Herculaneum sophomore Emerson Reeves each qualified for state at 105 last year and also know each other well. Reeves improved to 2-0 against Cupp this season in winning a 5-2 decision for the conference crown at 105. Reeves (20-3) won her other two matches by fall.
Butler won the league title at 135 after a tech fall and pin of Windsor freshman Emma Davis. Gullet (140) and senior Grace Dust (145) were the only entries in their weight classes. Five Tigers finished second: Junior Isabella Horn (110) and freshmen Zhamir Ford (115), Olivia White (120), Natalie Dillon (125) and Mylah Dolde (155).
Windsor sophomore Ashley Hansen qualified for state at 235 last year and was set to be the Owls’ top wrestler at 190, but she tore her oblique muscle at the beginning of the season and is out for the year. Windsor head coach Ryan Nuspl said his team has battled injuries but keeps competing and came away with five conference championships.
“The future’s bright,” Nuspl said. “Festus was the better team today. They’ve got hammers. I’m happy for them.”
Owl junior Sydney Streckfuss entered the JCAA meet at 7-6, but pinned her first two opponents at 125 and swept the weight with an 18-1 tech fall. Windsor freshmen Isabella Ohmart and Karoline Kalisch were the only entries at 130 and 170 for automatic titles. Sophomore Summer Mahurin beat Dolde twice at 155. Mahurin’s sister, Elizabeth, pinned Hillsboro freshman Chloe Gould twice in the first period to win the 235 title.
Sophomore Tessa Chadbourne (110), senior Lily Pauley (115) and sophomore Sophia Parsons (120) each placed third for the Owls.
“We’ve got a lot of young girls who are showing promise,” Nuspl said. “Isabella is looking really strong. Tessa has worked her way back after a rough start. She’s starting to put things together. They’re already looking forward to next year and offseason training.”
Sophomores Cheyenne Kincade (110) and Emma Taylor (115) and senior Paytan Rulo (120) earned conference titles for De Soto. Kincade improved to 25-2, after pinning all three of her opponents in the first period. Taylor (22-5) had two pins and a tech fall. Rulo is 18-6 and had all first-period pins.
“Cheyenne, Emma and Paytan really stood out tonight,” De Soto head coach Jillian Tomlinson said. “And hopefully they’ll continue to do that for districts. Cheyenne always does well for our program. She’s definitely the leader.”