Wrestling: Now a sport for everyone at Albany High

Forget shattering glass ceilings. This school year, our female Albany High School student-athletes are tearing up the mat.

In recent weeks, Zeta Schofield won her match with a pin in one minute. Harriet Westin won hers with a pin in 1:45. Mel Santacruz took one second longer to pin her opponent, and Sofia Quinn earned a pin in just 45 seconds.

Welcome to the City School District of Albany’s 64th and newest interscholastic sport – girls’ varsity wrestling.

“Girls’ wrestling is such a great environment,” said coach Jordan Friello, leading the new team in its first season. “They are confident, and their energy is so high.”

Albany High now is one of 20 schools in Section 2 with a girls’ varsity wrestling team. A year ago, two girls competed on the boys’ varsity team. That number has more than tripled this season – there are seven student-athletes on Albany High’s first girls’ team.

The number of girls competing on the boys’ modified team has increased this season as well.

“It’s really exciting,” said Westin, a sophomore who has been a Falcon wrestler since seventh grade. “It’s nice because we are all friends. We practice together and there is more bonding (with the other girls).”

Schofield, a junior, signed up to wrestle this year to remain active after her fall soccer season. While she acknowledges that her male teammates have been nothing but supportive, she admits that one of the reasons she decided to join this year is because there was the option of a single-gender team.

“It’s real exciting to attend female-only events,” she said. “It makes us able to be more competitive.”

In some dual meets, members of Albany High’s girls’ team do have to compete against boys. But they aren’t intimidated.

“I don’t think we have to work harder,” Schofield said. “We just do.”

Westin agrees. And even though she has been a grappler just as long as many of her male counterparts, she works hard to give 110% at every practice and meet.

“Not to prove to others, just to prove to myself,” she said. “We have to put more into it.”

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association held a statewide girls’ wrestling invitational last school year for the first time. That competition for this season is Jan. 26 in Syracuse, with Section 2 holding a qualifying meet in advance.

Earlier this fall, NYSPHSAA approved girls’ wrestling as a full championship sport, with the first official state tournament planned for February 2025.

“This sport is really opening up,” Friello said.