Sarah Hildebrandt (in red knee wraps), a high school junior, who wrestles at 103 lbs, is about to become the first female ever to wrestle at an IHSAA individual semi-state tournament. Sarah (17-3) will face a freshman, Santo Marciano (25-6), Saturday in the tourney’s opening round at Merrillville High School.
“I’m pretty nervous; sure, I’m nervous,” Sara said. “People keep coming up and asking me about it. But everybody is so supportive. It’s kind of neat to know all these people are cheering for me.”
She commented about being the first girl in the semi-state tourny, “It adds to the pressure. I’m not trying to prove anything. I’m just trying to wrestle my best. Yeah, it gets to me a little. When I go out on the mat, sometimes I wish every eye in the place wasn’t watching me. I wish people wanted to see me wrestle, not just because I’m ‘the girl.'”
It’s not just that she is a girl, but that she is the best girl Indiana’s wrestling has ever had to date. In December she won the 103-pound weight class at Elkhart Memorial’s Charger Invitational. She dominated her male opponents, pinning two and whipping another by major decision. It will be exciting to see just how far she will go!