Fox Chapel girls wrestling winning matches as program grows

By: Josh Rizzo
Saturday, November 30, 2024 | 11:01 AM

Previous Next

Atia DiGioia fought the battle with uncertainty and nerves before she ever stepped on the wrestling mat. The Fox Chapel junior wasn’t entirely sure how wrestling would go for her.

But having a close friend, Emma Srodes, to train with at practice made things easier.

“The first week or so, I was scared and nervous,” DiGioia said. “But I enjoyed it and I still do. I train with Emma Srodes. We have known each other since elementary school, and we have a lot of fun at practice. That made the experience better.”

The Fox Chapel girls wrestling team’s inaugural season was full of such stories. The Foxes hope that a positive experience will lead to more success this season.

Last year was the first the PIAA held a state championship for the sport.

The Foxes’ roster grew to 21 girls this season, up from 14 last year. Fox Chapel coach Laura Ward encouraged the team to try to convince their friends to come out.

“The first year was a learning experience for the girls and the coaches,” Ward said. “We had a lot of fun. We laughed a lot in the wrestling room.”

DiGioia finished 11-11 last season with six pins. She ended up placing fourth in the WPIAL.

“The hardest part is the mental stamina,” DiGioia said, who wrestles at 100 and 106 pounds. “It’s only six minutes, but it’s physically the toughest six minutes of your day. You need the mentality to get through those six minutes. You develop that as you continue to wrestle.”

Yugi Zhou is the Foxes’ leading returning wrestler. She was 18-11 and pinned 12 of her opponents. Srodes finished with a 10-4 record with seven pins, while Lily McLaughlin was 6-2 with six wins via pinfall.

Andrea Wang is one of nine returning starters for Fox Chapel. Wang said she has been working hard to become a more versatile wrestler.

“At first, I wanted to quit,” Wang said. “I hated it up until I started learning how to do the moves and to push myself harder. I really enjoy the sport.”

Lilah Rivera, Mira Owens, Elaine Huang, Evelyn Owens, Zhou, DiGioia, McLaughlin and Srodes are the other returning starters.

Wang, who also competes in track and field and cross country, is dedicated to keeping up her workouts to remain competitive in wrestling. Every night, Wang goes for a run about 30 minutes after dinner.

“I go for a 50- to 80-minute run,” Wang said. “I mostly run around the neighborhood. Sometimes my parents will drive me out to North Park.”

Ward is happy with the program’s growth so far. She hopes the wrestlers with more experience will do well at WPIALs and that the first-time competitors will enjoy the sport.

“We brought in so many new girls,” Ward said. “They don’t even realize what it’s going to be like. After the first dual, they’ll get it. They are having fun learning and soaking it all in.”

Tags: Fox Chapel