The Newport Lady Buffalo wrestling team began its inaugural season this winter. Since PIAA began sanctioning girls’ wrestling last winter, the team managed to grab the interest of a few girls who were committed to begin competing for Newport this year. Sarah Godbout and Leean Kell coach the team. 

Their season began slowly with a home loss to Line Mountain on Dec. 11, 18-24. Sophomore Calleigh Barlup won by forfeit, senior Emily Wagner won by forfeit, and sophomore Peyton Eisenhart pinned her opponent at the 1:03 mark.

The following week, Newport hosted Juniata on Dec. 18 and won 25-24 by way of four forfeits: Barlup, Wagner, Eisenhart, and sophomore Allison Zerbe. Though these four forfeits amount to twenty-four points, Newport was granted an additional point from having more forfeited wins than Juniata’s two (4-2) to win the match.

On Dec. 19, the Lady Buffaloes traveled to Midd-West High School to battle the Mustangs in their third dual of the season. Newport won by a further gap this time, 30-12. Four opposing forfeits worked in favor of Barlup, Wagner, Zerbe, and Eisenhart. Freshman Carli Stauffer pinned the Mustang at 3:49. Unfortunately, junior Taylor Barr fell at 3:28 at the 142 lb. bout. 

The team’s first-ever tournament was at Big Spring on Saturday, Dec. 21. As a team, Newport placed 18th of 20 teams. Stauffer pinned a Susquehanna Township wrestler at 1:23 for a fifth-place title. She was the only Lady Buffalo to be placed here. 

In the first girls’ Perry County tournament, the girls beat Susquenita 36-18 but tied West Perry 24-24. In the Susquenita match, Stauffer and Barr pinned the Blackhawks, and Barlup, Wagner, Zerbe, and Eisenhart were granted wins by forfeit. Against West Perry, Stauffer pinned a Mustang wrestler, Barlup and Eisenhart had difficult opponents that they fell to, and Barr, Wagner, and Zerbe won by forfeit.

Next on the schedule was the Northern Lebanon Tri-Match, where they only wrestled the Vikings of Northern Lebanon, resulting in a 12-42 Buffalo loss. Here, Stauffer, Barr, and Wagner lost the upper hand, and Zerbe and Eisenhart won with forfeits.

The team finished their regular season with a 12-60 dual at-home vs. Upper Dauphin Area on Jan. 5. Stauffer, Barr, and Wagner ended up pinned by the Trojans, but Zerbe and Eisenhart received wins by forfeit. 

The teams’ postseason only consisted of the PIAA District III Section I tournament, where Stauffer, Barr, Eisenhart, and Wagner participated but did not place.

Overall, the Lady Buffaloes wrestling team was 3-3 this year, 1-1 in the Tri-Valley League.