Cape girls’ wrestling gains experience at Delcastle invitational
The Cape girls’ wrestling team continued to advance in its inaugural season, competing Jan. 11 at the second annual Delcastle Lady Cougars Invitational in Wilmington. The event featured more than 180 participants from 30 Delaware high school girls’ wrestling teams. It marked Cape’s second tournament appearance since the school’s very first all-girls wrestling team was formed.
Seven of the Lady Vikings competed at Delcastle: Yasmin Greer-Pinzaru and Mackenzie Mears at 120 pounds, Leighton Meck at 132, Delaney Gallagher at 138, Zorah Pope at 152, and Kiersten Smith and Kylie Payton at 185. Helaina Arnold-Decyk, who typically competes at 235 pounds, was out due to injury but is expected to return soon. All are freshmen except for Smith, a junior. The team remains without wrestlers in the 100, 107, 114, 126, 145 and 165-pound weight classes.
Mears finished the tournament with a 2-2 record. She earned victories by fall over Milea Rivera of Charter School of Wilmington in 3:04 and Jayla Hodges of Dover in 1:40, continuing to establish herself as a consistent contributor for the team. Greer-Pinzaru posted a 1-2 record, earning a victory when her opponent from Newark High School forfeited due to injury in the first period of the match.
Brand-new to the sport, Meck and Gallagher both went 0-2 on the day. In their first season wrestling, they continue to show noticeable improvement in intensity, skill and confidence on the mat.
Zorah Pope turned in a standout performance in her very first tournament appearance, finishing 2-2 and placing fourth overall in her weight class. She earned wins by fall over Kereicia Whyte of Delcastle in 2:34 and Lina Yaakoub of Wilmington Charter School in 4:12. Pope narrowly missed a finals appearance after being pinned with just three seconds left in her semifinal match against Delcastle’s Lola Teoli, despite holding a 9-2 lead. She later fell in the consolation finals to Rory Whitehouse of Odessa.
Smith went 2-2, earning quick victories by pin over teammate Kylie Payton and Conrad Schools of Science’s Aniya Henry (0:33). Payton finished the tournament 1-2, securing a fall vs. Mariah Robinson-King of Dover in 2:45.
The Lady Vikings, led by head coach Hollyann Wettstein, delivered another impressive performance, finishing 15th overall in a highly competitive field despite entering the tournament with a limited roster.
With two tournaments now completed, the Cape girls continue to demonstrate steady progress and competitive promise. As the roster grows in future years and the team develops on the mat, the program’s early success reflects a strong foundation for girls’ wrestling at Cape High.
