COLUMBUS – Tippecanoe junior Emma Hanrahan closed out the 2023 state wrestling tournament with a 2:38 pin of Minerva’s Jada Shafer (39-14) to earn fifth place at 130 pounds in the first year the OHSAA recognized girls wrestling as an official sport.
The state medal for Hanrahan is the second of her career as she finished seventh a year ago in the 125 pound weight class.
Hanrahan opened the tournament on Friday with a 2:20 pin of Marie Nina Kim (10-7) of Columbus Academy and then faced two-time defending state champion Cassia Zammitt (15-0) of Miamisburg in the quarterfinal at 130 pounds.
Hanrahan wrestled a great match and gave Zammitt all she could handle and then some, but unfortunately she came up just short in a very close 5-3 decision.
Undeterred, Hanrahan responded with back-to-back wins in the consolation rounds – first with a 1-0 victory over Katie Palmer (24-12) of Marysville and then a 4-3 victory over Abigail Mozden (38-9) of Alliance.
Hanrahan then dropped her consolation semifinal match to Melannia Szawranskyj (31-3) of Westerville North to set up a match for with place against Shafer.
With the victory, Hanrahan closed out her junior season with a 31-11 record.
