Whippet Girls Show Heart and Grit at the 2026 Coal Cracker Invitational

The Downingtown West girls squad showed tremendous heart this weekend at the 2026 Coal Cracker Invitational, taking on one of the toughest girls’ fields in the region. Chloe Gahr (108) and Madeline O’Brien (114) both battled through challenging brackets, grabbing byes, stepping into tough early matchups, and continuing to gain valuable experience with each bout. Samantha Roworth (150) fought through two rounds of competition and showed grit in every exchange. The star of the day was Sarah Pearson (138), who tore through the championship side of the bracket with five straight pins, earning a trip to the finals and finishing 2nd overall in a loaded weight class. Avery Dunn (144) added an impressive run of her own, collecting three wins, including a major decision and two falls in the consolation rounds. Together, this group represented the Whippets with toughness, courage, and undeniable progress—laying the foundation for what continues to be a growing and inspiring girls program.

In addition to Saturday’s varsity action, our girls who went 0–2 on Friday showed incredible resilience by turning around and competing in the Girls Coal Cracker JV Tournament the next day — a huge opportunity for mat time, confidence, and development for our novice wrestlers. Chloe Gahr (108) bounced back in a big way, going 4–1 and taking 3rd place, capped by an electric sudden‑victory win in the medal match. Madeline O’Brien (114) earned valuable experience and picked up two wins, including a lightning‑fast fall in the consolations. Samantha Rowanth (150) had a strong day as well, finishing 2–1 and securing 3rd place with a decisive fall in the placement bout. Their willingness to compete again, learn, and fight for every point is exactly the kind of dedication that continues to grow and strengthen our girls program — one rep, one match, and one weekend at a time.