Iron sharpens iron, and those matches again boy competitors helped develop Rumsey into an even better wrestler overall.

Fast forward to this winter, and that was evident.

In the first year of girls wrestling being a PIAA-sanctioned sport, Rumsey became one of the area’s first-ever state medalist as she ended her career with a bronze medal at 148 pounds, one of just five area wrestlers to earn a medal this year.

It showcased the talent she has.

The Millionaire was named the Sun-Gazette Girls Wrestler of the Year this season. Runners-up for the honor included Montgomery’s Emily Murphy and Williamsport’s Lillian Rumsey.

Rumsey committed to wrestle at Lock Haven next year, and the Bald Eagles receive a wrestler who was nothing shy of outstanding this year.

The Millionaire entered the District 4 girls wrestling championships with a 24-1 record and dominated at the tournament. She recorded a 40-second fall in the championship semifinals over Danville’s Jadelyn Sarviss and then needed just 56 seconds to pin Jersey Shore’s Addison Dangle for the district title.

At the Central Regional tournament, it was more of the same for Rumsey. She won all three of her bouts by fall. She pinned Meyesdale’s Marcella Dupre in 36 seconds, Curwensville’s Gabrielle Bambarger in 92 seconds and Lake Lehman’s Alahna Morris in 3:02 in the championship for a regional gold medal.

Rumsey was ranked No. 2 in the state when she reached the state tournament, a ranking that was more than deserving given her success.

Rumsey ended the year with a 34-2 mark, surpassing 50 wins for her career as she ended with a 54-3 record against girl competitors. Of her 27 wins in contested bouts this winter, 25 were by fall.

Only three wrestlers were able to go all three periods against Rumsey without being pinned. The only wrestlers who were able to beat her this year were Central Dauphin’s Charlotte Gilfoil, who pinned Rumsey in 47 seconds, and Gettysburg’s Zoey Haines, who defeated Rumsey in the championship quarterfinals at the state tournament, 4-3. Haines would go on to win the state title.

After that loss to Haines, Rumsey didn’t lose again. She rattled off two back-to-back wins by fall against Bald Eagle Area’s Angelina Grieb and Pine Grove’s Eve Kurtz to keep her medal hopes alive. She then defeated Northwestern Lehigh’s Katie Brensinger by decision, 7-3, to secure a spot for the third-place medal. That’s where Rumsey went out with yet another win, this time defeating Sun Valley’s Jameson Strickland by major decision, 9-1.

In March, Rumsey was selected to the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic as part of the Women’s PA All-Star Team. She became just the third Williamsport wrestler to represent the Millionaires — and first-ever girl from the area to do so — as she joined former Millionaires Matt Neena (1990) and Cael Nasdeo (2023) with the honors.

Rumsey left a lasting mark in Williamsport’s program as she graduates this year and made sure to make her first and only year under PIAA-sanctioned girls wrestling not only a memorable one for fans, but one that she’s proud to go out with.

SUN-GAZETTE GIRLS WRESTLING ALL-STARS

FIRST-TEAM

ARIAHNA MOORE, HUGHESVILLE

(100 POUNDS)

Moore is just a freshman, but made quite the statement in her first season competing in girls wrestling. Moore became the Spartans’ first-ever district champion by winning the title at 100 pounds at the District 4 championships with a win over Williamsport’s Danica Bacorn. Moore entered states ranked No. 10 in the state at her weight, the highest-ranked wrestler from District 4 at 100. She didn’t medal at the state meet, but did take bronze at the Central Regional to advance to the state tournament by beating Bacorn in a rematch from districts, earning a fall in 2:33. Moore won all three bouts at regionals by fall.

JULIA RITTER, HUGHESVILLE

(106 POUNDS)

Ritter had a tough bracket to get through at 106 to get to the state tournament, and did just that by claiming a bronze medal. Ritter took silver at the District 4 championships after losing a tough bout to Montgomery’s Sadie Wagner and then would beat Wagner via medical forfeit in a rematch in the consolation semifinals to get to the third-place finals. Ritter was a 20-win wrestler, earning her 20th win of the season at the Central Regional quarterfinals. Like Moore, Ritter is also just a freshman, meaning the Spartans have a lot of talent returning next winter who will only be better.

LILLIAN RUMSEY, WILLIAMSPORT

(112 POUNDS)

Without question, Rumsey was one of the most dominant wrestlers in District 4, perhaps even the entire Central Regional. Rumsey made winning look easy and simple. The No. 2-ranked wrestler in Pennsylvania at 112 pounds, Rumsey suffered just one loss the entire season, coming in the championship quarterfinals at the state tournament. Rumsey earned a 38-second fall in the Central Regional semifinals to advance to the Central Regional championship match and secured a gold medal with another fall over No. 3 ranked Lane Fordyce of Bishop McCort. All but one opponent this year suffered the same fate against Rumsey: a loss. The Millionaire sophomore went 37-1 and took home a bronze medal alongside her sister Marissa, becoming the first two state medalists in Williamsport girls wrestling history in the process.

AVERY PUDERBACH, HUGHESVILLE

(118 POUNDS)

Puderbach didn’t get to the state tournament, but she was one of seven wrestlers from Hughesville who advanced to the Central Regional tournament as the Spartans were more than well represented at both districts and regionals. Puderbach finished the season with a 26-10 record. She earned a second-period fall at the Central Regional tournament over District 6 runner-up Amelia Smith of Juniata in 3 minutes, 5 seconds. Puderbach lost to eventual regional champion Saige Olvier of Honesdale, ranked No. 6 in the state at the time, and then suffered a tough loss to eventual third-place finisher Anaiah Kolesar of Northeast Bradford, ranked No. 9 at the time. Puderbach wrestled for fifth and won with a 4-0 decision at regionals. Puderbach is just a sophomore, so expect her to be motivated to get to states next year.

BRIELLA WALK, MONTGOMERY

(124 POUNDS)

Montgomery had a handful of wrestlers compete at the District 4 girls wrestling championships, and Walk was among them. Walk competed at 124 and lost to eventual undefeated District 4 champion Layla Bennet of Sayre in the championship semifinals by fall in 2:45. It came after Walk won back-to-back matches by fall to reach the semifinals, pinning Sugar Valley’s Evie Andrus in 3:42 and pinning Hughesville’s Hailey Hall in 5:31. Walk finished fourth in the tournament after losing a very tough battle to Callie Hess of Benton by decision, 12-10, to come just shy of reaching the Central Regional tournament. Walk finished her freshman season 24-14 with a fourth-place finish at districts. Walk’s just a freshman, so expect that first-year experience this winter to be more than beneficial when next year rolls around.

EMILY MURPHY, MONTGOMERY

(130 POUNDS)

Murphy put together an outstanding season this year, and it resulted with her standing near the top of the podium with a bronze medal in Hershey for the inaugural PIAA girls wrestling championships. Murphy was the wrestler to beat at both the District 4 tournament and Central Regional tournament at 130 pounds, and no one was able to knock her off. Murphy didn’t suffer a postseason loss until the championship semifinals at Hershey. Murphy was the last area wrestler alive for possibly wrestling for gold when she reached the championship semifinals, ubt suffered a loss to drop into the consolations. From there, she won out. Murphy ended with an 37-3 record this season. She was one of just two Montgomery wrestlers to advance to the Central Regional tournament, and was the only Red Raider to reach states.

ALEXIS KURZAWA, HUGHESVILLE

(136 POUNDS)

Kurzawa had an absolutely phenomenal season this year and became the Spartans’ first-ever girls wrestling state medalist by placing eighth. She was one of just three five medalists in girls wrestling this year at states as well, joining the Rumsey sisters of Williamsport, Montgomery’s Emily Murphy (third) and Central Mountain’s Kendall Wagner (eighth). Kurzawa was in a tough bracket at the Central Regional tournament, which featured two wrestlers ranked seventh or better in the state. Kurzawa fell in the preliminaries of the regional tournament and then showed her determination in the consolations. The Spartan won four consolation bouts before securing the bronze medal by pinning Selinsgrove’s Karissa Springer in 2:35. Kurzawa saw herself fall into the consolation bracket at states, and did the same thing by showing her grit and determination to advance to the medal round.

ALAINA HICKS, HUGHESVILLE

(142 POUNDS)

Hicks didn’t receive any favorable draws at the Central Regional tournament and had to face the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the state at 142 in Chestnut Ridge’s Violette Lasure, who was undefeated. Hicks pinned Western Wayne’s Savannah Mayes to advance to the quarterfinals and suffered a fall to Lasure in 2:35, the eventual regional champion. Hicks didn’t reach the state meet, but she had an outstanding season. The junior Spartan was the District 4 third-place finisher and finished 29-10. She won her first consolation match in regionals before suffering a loss to Sugar Valley’s Emma Downing. Hicks was one of seven regional qualifiers for Hughesville and wrestled great throughout the year, including at districts.

ADDISON DANGLE, JERSEY SHORE

(148 POUNDS)

Jersey Shore had just two wrestlers reach the inaugural Central Regional tournament this year, and Dangle was one of them, joining Isabella Gottschall (190). Dangle was the District 4 runner-up this year as she lost to the buzz saw that was Marissa Rumsey of Williamsport in the first-place finals. At the Central Regional tournament, Dangle fell in the championship quarterfinals to Bald Eagle Area standout Angie Grieb, ranked eighth in the state, before being eliminated in the consolations. Dangle may not have been able to reach the state tournament, but given she’s just a freshman, the Bulldog gained valuable experience this year and will only improve next winter.

SHANIQUE TIDWELL, WILLIAMSPORT

(155 POUNDS)

After suffering a loss in the consolation semifinals in the Central Regional tournament, Tidwell could be seen afterwards visibly upset. That’s what the season meant to her and her hopes to reach the inaugural state tournament. Tidwell came up one match shy of that goal, but Tidwell is just a sophomore, and gained a ton of experience this year. The Millionaire was the District 4 runner-up this year after falling to Athens’ Ashlyn VanFleet in the district final. VanFleet would go on to take silver at the Central Regional tournament. Tidwell fell to Bedford’s Camryn Steinbuch in the consolation semifinals. Expect Tidwell to be more than motivated next winter to get back to regionals, and further.

KENDALL WAGNER, CENTRAL MOUNTAIN

(170 POUNDS)

Wagner was a two-sport winter athlete, helping lead the Bucktail’s girls basketball team to the District 4 semifinals this year, and was an outstanding wrestler for Central Mountain as well, juggling both sports great. Not only that, she walked away this winter with three medals in wrestling: a District 6 silver medal, a Central Regional silver medal and a PIAA eighth-place medal. Not a bad season for the sophomore, who was ranked No. 5 in the state at 170 pounds. Wagner continued to wrestle great as the season continued. She earned a pin in just nine seconds in the quarterfinals of the Central Regional tournament before pinning Athens’ Abigail Wagner, the District 4 champion, in 4:48 to get to the finals where she lost to Punxsutawney’s Jael Miller, the No. 1 ranked wrestler in Pennsylvania who was undefeated entering the state tournament.

ISABELLA GOTTSCHALL, JERSEY SHORE

(190 POUNDS)

After the District 4 tournament, Gottschall spoke about how meaningful it was to be a District 4 champion given the fight she had to go through. Not a fight on the mat, but rather a fight to get Jersey Shore’s school board to approve girls wrestling. It wasn’t until mid-January that the sport was approved, and it proved to be worth the battle for Gottschall, who in her first year with the girls wrestling program became a District 4 champion and a Central Regional silver medalist. Gottschall defeated Danvill’s Kamryn Michaels to win District 4 gold and reached the Central Regional championship where she suffered a tough loss against fourth-ranked Alyssa Favara of Bishop McCort. Gottschall wasn’t able to leave Hershey with a state medal, but she joked after regionals she can go into the mat room with the boy wrestlers and brag about how she was a silver medalist at regionals. Given she’s just a sophomore, she’ll likely add some more medals down the road.

ASHLYNN MILLER, CENTRAL MOUNTAIN

(235 POUNDS)

Miller didn’t get the chance to advance to the state tournament this year, but the Wildcat was able to make history by reaching the Central Regional tournament this year. Miller suffered a fall in the first period at regionals to Athens’ Leah Nason, the District 4 champion, and fell into the consolations where she reached the semifinals. Miller was pinned by Wallenpaupack’s Zoey Lake and was one win shy of reaching the state tournament. Miller is just a sophomore, however, and was the District 6 runner-up. That tough consolation loss will likely fuel Miller for next year. But she had an impressive debut in the inaugural girls wrestling season.

SECOND TEAM

100–Danica Bacorn, Williamsport

106–Sadie Wagner, Montgomery

112–Lindsey McDonald, Williamsport

118–Abby Moser, Milton

124–Abbigale Bowman, Hughesville

130–Mykia Petruskevich, Williamsport

136–Austynn Falls, Central Mountain

142–Olivia Chilson, Wellsboro

148–Sophia Hoy, Central Mountain

155–Sophie Mitchell, Central Mountain

170–McKylee Vollman, Williamsport

190–Journi Barbour, Williamsport

235–Miranda Garcia, Milton

HONORABLE MENTION

(in alphabetical order)

Addy Bush, Milton (130); Callie Cella, Central Mountain (190); Skylar Hunter, Montgomery (100); Lillian Kramer, Muncy (124); Kennedy Metzger, Central Mountain (130); Emma Scarborough-Perez, Central Mountain (112); Deja Roark, Muncy (130); Olivia Spotts, Jersey Shore (136).