Mandi Barnes, Northampton High School’s 112-pound wrestler, will be the first female wrestler to represent the Eastern Shore of Virginia at the Virginia High School League Group A Wrestling Tournament this weekend.
BY TED SHOCKLEY
EASTVILLE — When Mandi Barnes learned Wednesday morning that she had qualified for the state Group A wrestling tournament, her reaction contradicted the hardened, stoic image of high-school wrestlers.
She burst out crying. And then she left class to call her mom.
“I’m a very competitive person, “she said.
When she takes to the mat Friday in Salem, Barnes, a plucky Northampton High School sophomore, will become the first Eastern Shore of Virginia girl wrestler ever to compete in the state tournament.
Only the top four in each weight class from each of the state’s four regions qualify for the two-day event, and in last weekend’s deciding match in the Region A tournament, Barnes finished fifth in the 112-pound weight class — falling to a rangy Mathews High School male by one point.
But one of the four who finished ahead of her was disqualified this week, and Barnes, a daughter of Karen and Larry Linton of Willis Wharf, was the first alternate.
Despite the inherent physical contact between genders during matches, the distinction of a girl competing one-on-one with boys in wrestling is becoming less rare.
Last year a Franklin High School 103-pound girl became the first to win a match at the massive state tournament, which includes hundreds of wrestlers, thousands of fans and simultaneous competition on eight mats on the floor of the Salem Civic Center.
Six girls competed in Saturday’s Region A tournament. Last year, Northampton’s Nicole Beasley, in the 103-pound class, became the first girl to win an Eastern Shore District title. Barnes won her weight class this year.
The Franklin High wrestler and Barnes seemingly are the only two girls in this year’s tournament, said Northampton coach Brian Harman on Wednesday as he flipped through names of statewide qualifiers.
“I saw a couple of Chrises, “Harman said, shrugging his shoulders over the least gender-specific on the list. “Unless they are girls, they’re it.”
A Feb. 17 story in The New York Times detailed the emergence of girls on high-school wrestling teams, saying schools in some states field girls wrestling teams and that more than 5,000 girls nationwide, and probably more, compete in the sport.
Girls’ wrestling also is an Olympic sport and some colleges have programs.
A member of the school’s field hockey and soccer teams, Barnes said it was the competition that lured her to ask Harman for a tryout.
Barnes, who compiled an 18-9 record this year, competed last year and said she enjoys the grueling practices, including some morning sessions held before school starts.
More difficult to accept are the insults and catcalls from other teams, she said, “stuff like girls would get from other teams. Just not my team.”
She does her talking on the mat.
“A lot of the guys I wrestle, we become friends afterward, “she said.
She said another difficulty is “cutting weight “– because high-school wrestlers are classified by weight classes, she has to maintain her 112-pound frame.
Not only is she the rare 16-year-old girl who is comfortable disclosing her weight, she’s categorized by it, and it’s public knowledge.
The best part, she said, is the camaraderie of teammates.
“I like being one of the guys, “said Barnes, who wears 12 earrings in her ears and a gold stud in her nose. “That sounds weird, doesn’t it?”
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