Girls wrestling takes off in Wallowa County

Published 8:30 pm Monday, March 11, 2024

ENTERPRISE — Talluah April of Wallowa High School and Kaylee Eaves of Enterprise High School are childhood friends who like to do things together, so when April texted her about joining the Outlaws wrestling team, Eaves didn’t need much persuading.

The two started practicing together on Nov. 20, 2023. Their first year on the mats coincided with the first year that the Oregon School Activities Association made girls wrestling a sanctioned sport, meaning the association recognizes it as an official activity. The association provides oversight and administration for sanctioned activities and conducts state championship events.

Eaves, a 15-year-old sophomore, said it’s about time: “As a state, and as a country, girls’ wrestling is growing super-fast. I think state recognition will increase over the years.”

Added April, a 16-year-old sophomore: “I think the future of girl’s wrestling is on the rise and it will only become more and more popular.”

For April and Eaves, their first season on the mats ended at the district wrestling meet, held Feb. 16-17 in Scappoose; neither qualified for the state championship tournament.

But both plan to return to the mats next season. And both said high school wrestling for girls is here to stay in Oregon.

The combined Enterprise-Wallowa wrestling team has grown over the years, and the same is true in Joseph.

“This is the first year we’ve had more than one girl on the team and a girl from Wallowa,” Enterprise wrestling coach Court Fent said.

Joseph Charter School had three wrestlers this year, the most ever at the school.

The growth in girls wrestling in Wallowa County also is occurring statewide: According to figures from the Oregon School Activities Association, 1,129 girls were competing in the sport in the 2022-2023 season. The 2023-2024 season saw 1,408 girls wrestling across the state.

The textEaves said her interest in the sport was fueled after she saw a wrestling-centered assembly at school. That night, she said, she was thinking about joining the wrestling team.

Then she got a text from April: “She said she was thinking about it as well. After I knew I’d have someone I was comfortable with doing it with me, it didn’t take much convincing,” Eaves said.

April had an interest in the sport for years, but didn’t follow through on getting involved until this school year.

“I have watched family friends wrestling through the years and wanted to do it a few years back, but didn’t. This year I was brave enough to try something new,” she said.

The friendship between Eaves and April provided important support to both girls as they learned about wrestling.

April spoke about how her friendship with Eaves helped her during her first season as a wrestler. “Kaylee has helped me perform this season by always pushing me and being there when I need her,” she said.

Eaves said April’s influence was just as positive. “I wouldn’t have done it without her. it’s a very mentally challenging sport that would have been so much harder without her there. We’ve always been good friends and partners in other sports, and I’m so glad we did this together,” she said.

When asked what she likes about wrestling, April said, “I like and enjoy that it’s an individual sport and I can push myself and challenge myself to the level I want.”

“Wrestling has taught me how to be mentally tough with myself,” she said. “It affected me by helping me understand if something doesn’t go the way you wanted it to go, no matter what, you keep going until you reach where you want to be.”

Added Eaves: “I have learned lots about myself and what I can do, and have gained so much mental strength, as well as the sports technique itself. I know that getting better will come with time,” she said. “I like wrestling because it’s pushing me physically to a satisfying point, and it has opened my eyes to what I can really do.”

Lachlan Thompson, a 17-year-old junior on the girls wrestling team in Joseph, said wrestling appeals to her because “it brings out (your) true strength — of course, only if you put the work in. … It’s an independent sport, so you get to work on yourself and become strong physically, but mostly mentally.”

This year is also Thompson’s first year in wrestling.

Joseph’s team did not participate in this year’s district meet, but plans to attend next year.

Support from teammates Eaves spoke about the support that helps her succeed. “I like that even though it is an individual sport on the mat, you still have so many teammates, coaches, and family to support you off the mat,” she said.

Fent, their coach, said the girls were “great to coach. They were very receptive to what we had to say and responded very well. I’d say they also responded well to the boys when they were helping them out. … The girls work hard, ask good questions, and were always striving to better themselves.”

“I believe the boys did a great job in accepting the girls into the group and treating them like teammates,” he said.

April, Eaves and Thompson, in Joseph, all said they planned to wrestle next year. They’re setting their sights on getting to the state tournament.

“My plan for next season is to keep wrestling and improving on my skill level,” April said. “I can’t wait for next season to start building my skills. I want to qualify for state next year!”