Williamsport’s Lillian and Marissa Rumsey compete in different weight classes in wrestling for the girls program. But that doesn’t mean they don’t practice and wrestle against one another.

Lillian, just a sophomore, noted that Marissa, her older sister who’s a senior, often gets the best of her. And sometimes beats her up a little bit. But Lillian wouldn’t have it any other way. That sibling tough love if you will on the mat when they practice helps them both get continually better as wrestlers.

Iron sharpens iron, and the Rumseys are proof of that.

“She always ends up beating up on me, but that puts me where I’m at now and helps her out too, so it kind of feels good. It’s definitely (beneficial),” Lillian said. “Even though I don’t always like it and I complain a little bit, but I like being able to accomplish stuff with her.”

And for Marissa, while she’s already committed to Lock Haven to compete for the Bald Eagles and has a ton of experience wrestling against boys competition the previous two seasons, Lillian helps provide something when they wrestle.

What you ask? A different style of wrestling she may not normally see and be able to incorporate into her own defensive styles.

“It’s very beneficial. We both have different styles, so getting each other’s styles kind of helps us improve,” Rumsey said. It helps us sharpen our games and gives us more out on the mat.”

Both Rumsey sisters were nothing shy of dominant at the District 4 girls wrestling championships this past Saturday at Williamsport’s Magic Dome. Lillian continued winning with ease. In her semifinal matchup, Rumsey used a fast take down and turned it inot a pin in a lightning-fast 15 seconds against Central Columbia’s Josie Crabb. Then, in the final, Lillian kept at the attack offensively and didn’t let her opponent do anything.

In that final at 112, Selinsgrove’s Naveah Strouse wasn’t able to counter anything Lillian did. The Millionaire continued scoring point after point and sealed it in the third period with a dominating 18-0, 4:32 tech fall victory to win gold.

Marissa’s performance Saturday mirrored Lillian’s in terms of leaving no doubt who the better wrestler was at her weight.

In the championship semifinals, Marissa used fast footwork into a takedown against Danville’s JAdelyn Sarviss and just 40 seconds later, secured a fall to advance to the finals. In the gold-medal match, Marissa again secured a sub-minute fall, pinning Jersey Shore’s Addison Dangle in just 56 seconds.

Marissa will be trying to reach the state tournament for the first and last time in her career as this is the first year girls wrestling is a PIAA sanctioned sport. Yes, Rumsey has seen an incarnation of a girls state tournament in the past, but this is the first time it’s a PIAA-run tournament.

And being able to qualify for this year’s Central Regional tournament alongside her younger sister is something she doesn’t take for granted.

“It’s a special moment. It’s definitely going to be a great memory to do it together,” Marissa said.

It’s a sentiment that Lillian shares.

“It means that we’re still together before she’s almost done with the season. So it feels good to be able to accomplish it with my sister,” Lillian said.

Marissa considers her biggest strength her ability to do things on her feet and hit her shots correctly. For Lillian, she noted that she doesn’t get nervous too much before matches because she knows she can do well.

“I just came in with a lot of confidence and knew I was going to do well,” Lillian said of winning gold at districts.

And likely she and Marissa will do well at regionals. After all, the two sisters have proven they’re winners time and time again when they wrestle on the mat.