Winter sports review 2025-26: Girls wrestling

Tom Keegan
Onwardtrojans.com

In the second year of girls wrestling as an IHSAA-sanctioned sport, sisters Alice and MJ Scharp became the first girls in Chesterton history to qualify for the state championship meet.
In order to do that, Alice had to return three weeks ahead of schedule from a fractured sternum sustained in a midseason match. She earned a sectional championship in her first match back and then placed fourth at the Plymouth regional.
MJ’s comebacks were not injury-related. She had a tendency to fall behind and win in the end, which she did in both wins at the regional.
Alice, a rising junior, and MJ, one year behind her, will lead the team again this coming season and their father, Will Scharp, is an assistant coach to head coach Chris Richardson.
Chesterton awards:
MVP: MJ Scharp.
Sportsmanship: Kileigh Flynn.
Most pins: MJ Scharp 20.
Most takedowns: MJ Scharp 34.
Most wins: MJ Scharp 29.
Most improved: Sophia Lugo.
Mental attitude: Alice Scharp.
DAC final standings: 1. Crown Point, 2. Merrillville, 3. Valparaiso, 4 tie. Chesterton, LaPorte, Portage, 7. Michigan City, 8. Lake Central.
All-DAC:
100: Jalia Powers (Crown Point), Meagan Thomas (Merrillville, state 6th).
105: Keewa Yu (Crown Point), Zariah Chisom (Merrillville, state 7th), Madison Mikels (Portage, state 3rd).
110: Grace Pinkelton (Portage, state 6th), Anastasia O’Shea (LaPorte, state 7th).
115: Eve Angelini (Crown Point).
120: Annalise Neal (Crown Point, state 6th).
125: Helene Papadakis (Crown Point, state 8th).
130: Ava Strayer (Crown Point, state champion).
135: Zaria Olugosi (Merrillville).
140: Kylie Benoit (Crown Point, state 3rd).
145: Charisma Lawrence (Merrillville, state champion), Aubrey Klettke (LaPorte, state 6th).
155: Olivia Hunt (Crown Point).
170: Jayda Miller (Crown Point, state runner-up).
190: Jasmyn Spraggins (Lake Central, state 7th).
235: Olivia Pickering (Portage).
Most Valuable Wrestler: Ava Strayer, Crown Point.