Cape girls’ wrestlers reach the podium

Cape Henlopen High School set the standard for its girls’ wrestling program, as it wrapped up its inaugural season Feb. 15, when the Vikings competed in the Delaware Girls’ Wrestling Championships at Smyrna High School.

For these young women, the state tournament represents the culmination of everything it means to be a wrestler, most of whom started from the basics in their first year. Months of preparation – daily training and conditioning, early practices, the tears, the sweat and the belief – all come down to one day on the mat.

This marked the first time Cape participated in the state championship. Competing against 39 teams from across Delaware, the Vikings tied for 12th place alongside Saint Mark’s, with a limited roster. The team finished the day with a strong 13-11 overall record. For a first-year program still building depth and experience, the performance signaled that Cape is not just participating; it is competing.

At 114 pounds and battling an illness, Mackenzie Mears went 2-2, setting the tone early with a quick pin in her first match. She followed that performance with a gritty 4-3 decision, showcasing her composure in tight situations. Her most competitive bout came in a narrow 7-6 loss, a match that demonstrated just how closely she can compete with the state’s best.

Wrestling at 120 pounds, Yasmin Greer-Pinzaru also finished 2-2, turning in one of the most technical and controlled performances of the tournament. She earned a commanding 12-3 major decision and secured a 4-0 decision. Her ability to dictate pace and control positions showed significant growth and confidence at the championship level.

Delaney Gallagher competed at 138 pounds and finished 0-2. While the wins did not come this time, simply competing at the state level is an accomplishment that provides invaluable experience. Matches like these often become the foundation for future success, and Gallagher continues to gain valuable mat time against elite competition.

At 185 pounds, Kylie Payton went 1-2, earning an important victory by pinning her St. Georges opponent in 4:49. Wrestling at the state tournament demands mental toughness as much as physical strength, and Payton proved she belongs on that stage.

Also at 185 pounds, senior Kiersten Smith delivered one of the standout performances of the day, finishing 4-2 with four pins. Among those victories was a meaningful win over Smyrna’s Addison Affelt, whom she had previously lost to earlier in the season. Smith secured a pin in 2:20, demonstrating growth and determination when it mattered most. She concluded her high school career with a fourth-place finish in the state, walking off the mat leaving a legacy for the program’s younger wrestlers to follow.

At 235 pounds, freshman Helaina Arnold-Decyk went 4-1 with four pins. In a defining moment, she secured third place in the state with a second-period pin over Jalyn Johnson of St. Georges – a wrestler who had defeated her 8-1 at the beginning of the season. The victory was a powerful testament to her development and resilience. Earning third place in the heavyweight division as a freshman signals her story is only just beginning.

By the numbers, the Vikings closed the season with a 48-84 record in individual matches, but the stats only tell part of the story. This season was about building something new, meaningful and empowering. It was about learning how to compete, how to persevere and how to grow together. With podium finishes, redemption victories and a strong showing against teams across the state, the 2025-26 campaign has firmly established Cape girls’ wrestling as a program on the rise.

Cape district middle schoolers from Mariner Middle School competed in the middle school division of the Delaware Girls’ Wrestling Championships as well, with each making the podium by finishing in the top six.