Girls’ wrestling is Newport’s newest sport, which debuted in the winter of 2024. During their 2025 season, the girls made a name for themselves.
The girls have competed in two dual meets, two tournaments, and one invitational. They won both of their league duals against Line Mountain on Dec. 10 and Juniata on Dec. 17.
The team is made up of girls from both Newport and Greenwood, with three captains: juniors Peyton Eisenhart and Carli Stauffer, and senior Taylor Barr. Brooks Miller and Tyler Eisenhart coach the team.
“It’s definitely a special feeling being the first team,” Barr says. “However, it comes with the added pressure of doing well, not only to prove our place in the sport, but also to attract other girls to the team.”
Eisenhart adds, “We are doing very well… it [being the inaugural team] motivates the whole team to do well because we want the team and our school to be known.” Eisenhart returned from the 2024-2025 season and takes the sport very seriously. She came back looking for improvement and to reach personal goals. “I knew that this year I was going to make progress from where I was last year. I want to make it past sectionals and hopefully beyond that.
Stauffer decided to wrestle this year because of her enjoyment while watching men’s wrestling, and wanted to try it out for herself. “It feels incredibly meaningful and, honestly, a little surreal. Knowing we’re the first girls wrestling team at Newport means we’re not just competing for ourselves, we’re setting a standard for the girls who come after us.”
“Being a captain and leader of this team feels like an honor, but a huge responsibility. It’s rewarding to know that your teammates trust and look up to you. At the same time, it pushes you to hold yourself to a higher standard,” says Stauffer.
Barr adds that she enjoys the leadership role of being a captain: “It’s a fun position to be able to help girls when we are learning a new skill.”
Overall, this team has an overwhelming amount of potential and is worth watching the progress and history they make over the next few years.
The team took part in the “Lady Seal Duals” at Selisgrove on Sat., January 17 at 9:00 AM. See accompanying article by Zachariah Mouhssin here.
