History was made this year at the state wrestling meet at Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln on Saturday.
Maddie Ripley is the first girl ever to win the Maine state championship.
In just 1 minute and 44 seconds, Oceanside High School junior Maddie Ripley pinned Nick Allen of Wells in the first period during the 106-pound finals Class B Championship.
That’s the moment she made history, being the first girl to ever win the state championship against a boy.
“I finally did it. After all these years of working hard. It’s like, [I] finally succeeded [in] my goal,” Ripley said.
Ripley is the only girl on her team, and she said people are shocked when they learn she’s a wrestler.
“They think I don’t look like a wrestler, or they’re surprised I’m a girl wrestler,” Ripley said.
On Tuesday, Ripley won her second girls’ state title in the 107-pound division at the girls’ individual state championships at Wells. That championship allows girls the opportunity to wrestle exclusively against other girls for a championship but still allows them to be contributing members to their respective boys’ teams and compete in the team championships.
She’s a wrestler thanks to her inspiration, her siblings, who are all wrestlers, too. And there’s not just one state champion in the family, there’s two.
Ripley’s twin brother Gavin Ripley also won a state title in his class Saturday. Gavin Ripley’s been wrestling alongside Maddie Ripley since they were 3 years old. They still train together at their family home gym.
“She’s very fast when she shoots in so it keeps me on my toes,” Gavin Ripley said.
On the sidelines is their stepdad Jason Yates, who is also their high school wrestling coach.
“It’s gonna be hard to top this, but you know for sure, like she said, maybe next year make it to New England’s,” Yates said.
“Making it to New England’s, just making it is my goal, and then maybe winning a couple matches,” Maddie Ripley said.
Ripley hopes to inspire other girls.
“Hopefully more girls get into it so we have more state champions,” Ripley said.
Ripley hopes to go to college for the sport, but is focusing on her senior year wrestling season first and winning another title.