Submitted photo | Sullivan junior Rachel Ramirez stands on the podium with her state medal after placing seventh at the inaugural IHSAA Girls Wrestling State Finals over the weekend.

BY TRAVIS DAVID

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Raise your hand if you have heard the following statement before … Rachel Ramirez makes history!

Yes, for the third straight years those words are uttered when speaking of the Sullivan Lady Arrow wrestler.

Over the weekend, the 125-pound junior competed in the state finals for the third straight year. Only this time, the title of the event changed. For the first time, the Indiana High School Athletic Association sanctioned the sport which in turn made Ramirez the first Sullivan female grappler to be an IHSAA State Finalist. 

But the junior was not satisfied with just being a state finalist. She became a state medalist.

After bookend wins at the inaugural state meet, Ramirez placed seventh in her weight division for the second state final medal of her career.

With the two wins, Ramirez wrapped up a record-breaking season with a 33-9 record which included sectional and regional championships.

In order to reach the podium for the second time in her career, Ramirez needed a win over Knox’s Kaitlyn Snyder. 

In a back-and-forth battle, the Sullivan grappler advanced to the quarterfinals with a 14-10 decision.

Ramirez gained the upper hand in the match late in the opening period. After falling behind 4-3, she scored a reversal and near-fall points in the final 10 seconds for a 7-4 lead.

The two grapplers traded reversals in the second period with Ramirez still holding onto a 3-point advantage heading into the final period. 

Ramirez managed a quick escape and takedown to start the third for a 13-6 lead before hanging on at the end.

In the quarterfinals, the Sullivan junior was dumped into the consolation bracket with a setback in the second period to Hope Senteney of Southport. Senteney (34-7) would go on to place 3rd overall. Her only defeat came against eventual state champion, Ava Strayer of Crown Point. The freshman capped an undefeated season with a perfect 39-0 record which included four first-period falls on the day.

Ramirez dropped her third match of the day in the first round of the consolation bracket to Hagertowns Olivia Gibson. The loss dropped Ramirez to the seventh-place match while Gibson (25-9) went on to win her next match to place fifth.

In the seventh-place match, Ramirez dominated Franklin Central’s Alia Russell with a 19-3 technical fall in the third period.

The seventh-place finish was the second time Ramirez ended a state meet with an all-state medal. As a freshman, Ramirez became the first Sullivan girls wrestler to not only qualify for the state meet (Indiana High School Girls Wrestling State FInals) but earned all-state with a seventh-place finish as well.

Last season, Ramirez battled an injury riddled season with a 14-9 record after falling in the first round of the IHSGW State Finals.