Winters Mill girls wrestling coach John Fisher most likely already knew about the girls wrestling hierarchy when he took the job, but in case he needed a reminder, the crowded gym Wednesday told him all he needed to know.
If the Falcons wanted to cement themselves as county and state title contenders, they needed to look good against Francis Scott Key.
The Eagles, armed with a couple returning county champions, came into Winters Mill also looking to make a statement. The first two programs to win the girls county championship — Francis Scott Key in 2023 and Winters Mill last February — faced off as the consensus top two girls wrestling teams in the county.
In the clash at the top of the county, the Falcons prevailed, defeating the Eagles, 51-30.
“FSK is a great team,” Winters Mill’s Gabbie McLeod said. “When we’re able to go out and actually do the things we’ve been working on in practice, it makes me happy for all the girls.”
McLeod was locked in a tight battle with Mackenzie Koon in the second to last match of the night, but the returning champion prevailed, ultimately earning the pin in the second round of her 170-pound bout.
“It honestly wasn’t my best,” McLeod said. “For me, this year is all about going out and doing the things I work on in practice and not being hesitant in the heat of the moment. I know I can beat these girls.”
Since he took over the program, Fisher has been all about instilling confidence in his girls. So far, he likes what he’s seen as even in some losses, the Falcons showed promise in every match.
“They’re just going out there and wrestling hard for six minutes,” he said. “As a coach, that’s all you can ask for. They’re moving and they’re being smarter about not just going for home runs all the time.”
One of Fisher’s wrestlers that has certainly come a long way is Maggie Morley. Her two takedowns in the final period sparked her comeback to beat Jordan Defebo in the night’s 130-pound bout. The crowd went insane as Morley’s second takedown with two seconds left secured the win.
“I was so close to having a heart attack the entire time,” Fisher said. “But that’s what we’ve been preaching, we want our kids to wrestle a full six minutes and we want them to have grit. She went out there and showed that.”
Morley may have looked surprised at herself as her hand was raised, but she knew with Fisher and the staff’s plan, and what they had been preaching to her in practice, she was ready for her moment.
“Fisher has been a great help at teaching me how to take my shots better and be more paitent,” she said. “He always has us wrestling six minutes or more and it’s built my stamina up.”
Winters Mill returning county champion Miah Sweet picked up a win in her 190-pound match, defeating a familiar opponent in Emily Arboleda. Sweet beat Arboleda for the county championship last season and all indications are Wednesday likely won’t be the last time the two face off.
Mele James, who like Morley was a county runner-up last season, got the win in her 140-pound match against Mackenzie Carr. They joined teammates Carli Ireland (105) and Christina Padilla (115) as winners for the Falcons.
“The team has been getting a lot better at shooting their shots and making girls wrestle,” McLeod said. “Everyone has more confidence.”
Armed with two county champions looking to repeat and take the next steps in the postseason, along with his quartet of returning county runners-up in James, Morley, Ireland and Padilla, Fisher knows it’s his job to bring his girls to the mountain top and the Falcons showed Wednesday why they are a threat not just to repeat as county champs, but compete for a state title this season.
Fisher was filled with confidence after the dual knowing that while his girls looked good against FSK, the best was yet to come.
“We’re no where near our ceiling. These girls are working hard and improving day by day,” he said. “We’re going to be chasing that state title.”
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