Wrestling: It’s hard to beat Sparkman’s accomplished girls team
HARVEST – Two years ago, Sparkman’s girls wrestling team won a Class 7A state championship as part of a pilot program. The Senators aim to win another title now that the sport is sanctioned by the Alabama State High School Athletic Association.
“The girls team got established early on and we’ve been putting the time and effort to getting them out (on the mat),” said boys coach Dylan Miller, who coached the girls last season.
In all, 19 girls wrestled for Sparkman in the 2022-23 campaign, which culminated with a state title and two state champions in Akerah Artis and Reagan Grant. Arits went undefeated at 31-0 in the 145-pound weight class with Grant winning at 152 and Joy Hawkins finishing as a state runner- up at 152.
Last season, the state runner-up Senators had a roster of 13 with two state champs — Kalea Loving and Kloe Robb. Loving, who competes at 165, is a junior focused on winning back-to-back state championships while Robb, a 2024 graduate, is back as an assistant to coach Cody Schrock.
Schrock, who coached Sparkman’s boys team from 2008-10 and had five state qualifiers in that span, offered a simple explanation as to why this year’s team has won five of seven tournaments and is a legitimate state contender.
“It’s a bunch of talented, athletic girls. They’re all wanting to listen and put in the time,” he said, noting that with a roster of 21 depth also is a key factor. “You’ve got to have quality partners. The depth is super important to have.”
The Senators won the Queen of North tourney earlier this month with three individual champions — seniors Jessica Cook, 138; Jillee Jin,114; and Kayla Bonds, 100 — leading the way. The team, comprised of seventh-graders through seniors, also had plenty of seconds and thirds to help with the point total.
Aside from the aforementioned girls, Ella Harmon, at 107, is among the team’s wrestlers ranked in the top 10 of their respective weight classes.
For their part, Schrock said the girls do not quite comprehend just how good they are.
“They are so humble,” he said. “They talk about the other teams. They’re worried about the other girls and I tell them, ‘There’s a target on your back.’ They’re the team everyone wants to beat.”
Having Robb as an assistant helps our, Schock said, “because they get the opportunity to wrestle with a state champion all the time.”
Schock drew an insightful comparison between coaching boys and girls.
“Girls are a little bit meaner,” Queen of the North champions for Sparkman were (left to right) Jessica Cook, Jillee Jin and Kayla Bonds. Photo by Janice Robb
he said. “The boys are about being strong, tough and technical. The girls are about I’m going to rip your face off.”
