By Jonathan Schwab
Two Wildcat wrestlers qualified for the state wrestling tournament based on how they did Saturday in the Zone 3 Girls’ Qualifier at Rocktown High School in Harrisonburg.
Rockbridge County senior Mia Marando won at 138 Saturday while freshman teammate Tasha Shorter also advanced by placing fourth at 152. The top four wrestlers in each weight class advanced to the Virginia High School League Girls State Open Wrestling Championships, which is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 26-27, in Glen Allen.
Marando and Shorter combined to score 41.5 points, placing them ninth of 47 teams. Orange County won with 199.5 points, Mecklenburg County (63) placed second, and Louisa County (62.5) finished third. Rounding out the top five were Stonewall Jackson (61) and Lightridge (59).
Marando, who placed sixth at 145 at the girls’ state tournament last year before moving down a weight class this season, went 3-0 on Saturday, despite not feeling well, to improve to 17-2 this season. In the quarterfinals, she defeated Staunton’s Caylaih Chandler in an 18-1 technical fall (lead of 15 points or more) in 5:01. She then pinned Heritage’s Audrey Pierce in 3:30 in the semifinals. In the championship bout, Marando scored on a takedown and then put her opponent on her back, pinning Orange County’s Jada Kai Ashshaheed in 1:35.
Reviewing Marando’s performance, RC assistant coach Kage Tomlin, who coaches both RC girls, said, “She had some hard matches. She wrestled extremely well.”
page 10 See State ,
MIA MARANDO
TASHA SHORTER Looking ahead to the girls’ state tournament, Tomlin, a former RC wrestler who was a state placer before graduating in 2018, is confident in Marando. “Mia’s looking very strong,” said Tomlin. “She’s worked extremely hard, putting in more time on the mat.” Tomlin said he expects Marando to place in the top four.
At 152, Shorter went 2-2 at the zone qualifier and is 11-10 this season.
In the first round, Shorter pinned Lightridge’s Gabrielle Doffoh in 2:27. She was then pinned by Amherst County’s Abigail Eggleston in 31 seconds in the semifinals. Eggleston would go on to win her weight class. In the consolation bracket, Shorter pinned Freedom (South Riding) wrestler Carolyn Brown in 1:26 before she lost in the third-place bout to Potomac Falls grappler Codi Turner in a 12-6 decision.
Pleased with how Shorter wrestled, Tomlin said, “Tasha is someone who, after every match, gets better.”
ABOVE, RC senior Mia Marando (top) starts a round against an opponent at 138-pounds. Marando won her weight class at the Zone 3 Girls’ Qualifier on Saturday at Rocktown, where she went 3-0. AT RIGHT, Wildcat freshman Tasha Shorter (top) wrestles Freedom (South Riding) grappler Carolyn Brown at 152-pounds. Shorter pinned Bradley in 1:26 and went 2-2, placing fourth to join Marando in advancing to the girls’ state tournament. (Tom Marando photos)
