Alyssa Mahan will be among roughly 1,000 high school wrestlers from 22 states, but one of the few females, who take the mat Saturday for the start of the Beast of the East wrestling tournament at the University of Delaware’s Bob Carpenter Center.
But the Delaware Military Academy senior gets a head start at 4 p.m. Friday as one of 55 wrestlers — 10 from Delaware — taking part in an inaugural girls tournament that kicks off the 29th edition of the Beast.
“Friday, it’s girls so I obviously want to win it,” said Mahan, who was third in the girls high school nationals at 120 pounds last season and will wrestle at Presbyterian College next year. “Saturday, that’s just like fun, but I’m gonna wrestle to win there, too. That’s my mentality.”
Mahan, whose dad Mike wrestled at Hodgson and coaches Concord, became interested in wrestling while attending younger brother Connor’s tournaments and seeing girls competing. She gave it a try as a sixth-grader and was quickly hooked, pinning her way through an early novice tournament.
“I just liked it and stuck to it,” she said. “I actually did gymnastics for 11 years. I wanted to be an Olympian in gymnastics. I quit that for wrestling. Everyone should do gymnastics before they wrestle.”
GIRLS WRESTLING GROWS:Why so many Delaware girls are participating in high school wrestling
Mahan has been a regular on the DMA team since her freshman year and last year qualified for the DIAA individual tournament after taking fifth place at the Independent Schools qualifier.
Female wrestling participation has exploded nationally in recent years, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. Smyrna is the only Delaware high school with a girls teams. But many, like Mahan, are on boys teams.
“It’s fun. I love my team,” Mahan said. “They’re very supportive. They’re not afraid to practice with me so we just rumble.”
Beast of the East competition begins at 8 a.m. Saturday with subsequent championship rounds starting at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Consolation matches will take place simultaneously.
Wrestling resumes Sunday with quarterfinals at 8:30 a.m. followed by semifinals at 11:30 a.m., with consolations taking place on surrounding mats. The finals begin at 3:15, when first-, third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches are held.
DOMINANT DUO:Four-time champions highlight DIAA wrestling tournament
Every weight classes will include numerous wrestlers who’ve been state champs, state place-winners and hold national rankings.
“Everyone knows the Beast of the East is the gold standard,” said Mike Moore, president of the National Wrestling Coaches Association of its status as the nation’s premier high school wrestling tournament.
Salesianum senior state champ Max Agresti was 195-pound Beast runner-up last year and aims for the 215-pound title this year. Delaware’s last Beast champ was Smyrna junior 113-pounder Brent Fleetwood in 2012.
Other Delaware wrestlers returning after placing last year are Sanford 190-pounder Justin Griffith (fourth), Caravel 126-pounder Luke Poore (fifth) and Salesianum 190-pounder James Miller (eighth).
A new team champion will be crowned, as Blair Academy of New Jersey, which has won 21 straight, is taking part in the national duals in New Orleans. The Governor’s Cup goes to the highest-finishing Delaware team. Caravel took it home last year.
Tickets are $30 each day or $50 for a two-day pass and can be purchased on bluehens.com or at the door. Tournament proceeds benefit the Delaware Wrestling Alliance’s scholarship fund that has awarded more than $1 million to deserving students since the tournament’s inception.
Have an idea for a compelling local sports story or is there an issue that needs public scrutiny? Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com.
