Thomas Captures Title, Leads Ten Place Winners In Section VI Third Place Team Finish at First NYS Girls Wrestling Championships

Feb 285 min read

2025 New York State champion Michaela Thomas // All photos are courtesy of Jeff Pataky

Photos contained within this article may not be used for republication unless authorized by WNY Athletics with prior written consent.

Iroquois junior Michaela Thomas wrestled to a 1st place finish on Thursday night at MVP Arena in Albany, claiming the 165-pound title in the first NYSPHSAA Girls Wrestling Championships.

As the 2-seed in the weight class, Thomas went 4-0 in the bracket starting with a first round pin over Bay Shore’s (XI) Abethina Georges before a 10-0 technical superiority over Shaker’s (II) Elizabeth Williamson in the quarterfinal.

In the semifinal, Thomas built a 10-5 lead over Hadley-Luzerne’s (II) Esmerelda Braman in the first period before ultimately going on to win 14-5 to advance to the title match.

In the final, Thomas met Union-Endicott’s (IV) top seeded Teagan McGuinness for a rematch of their Jan. 25 meeting where Michaela suffered her only loss of the season.

In the Thursday night state finale, Michaela took a big 7-2 lead into the second period. Another two points for a takedown gave her a 9-2 advantage, however a flurry of points from McGuinness cut into the deficit now 9-6 mid way through the second period.

A late takedown with twenty-three seconds remaining in the bout increased Thomas’s lead by two points as she ultimately hung on to win the NYS title by an 11-6 decision.

“My mindset was focused on ‘I’m winning this…I’ve worked too hard to lose,’” said Thomas after the final. “I’ve done way too much for myself to lose this. It was all mentality. I needed to keep my defense up because I know she shoots a lot. It was just all mentality at the end."

Thomas and Iroquois assistant coach Scott Wessel // Pataky

Michaela ends the season with a 42-1 record as Section VI’s first female NYS champion wrestler and the fifth different wrestler in program history to capture a NYS wrestling title, joining program alumni Cory Day (2019), Jimmy Kloc (2011, 2012), Matt Mariacher (2007), and Ethan Bosch (1988).

Thomas with Iroquois coaches Danielle Stanley (l), Wessel, and Rich Mitchell (r)

2025 NYSPHSAA wrestling champions

Overall, ten Section VI athletes reached the podium by Thursday night placing top-6 in their respective weight classes. Twenty-five wrestlers represented Section VI in Albany. Twenty-three wrestlers won at least one match to help Section VI to a 3rd place team finish with 214.5-points in the final standings behind only Section XI’s 258 and team champion Section II’s 305.

Chautauqua Lake freshman Noli Paddock was the next highest placing wrestler claiming 3rd at 132-pounds.

Paddock reached the semifinal as the 2-seed in the bracket with an opening round pin and a quarterfinals technical superiority. In the semi, Paddock met Section XI’s Taylor Aiello from NYS Division II dual meet champion squad John Glenn HS. Trailing 16-8 with less than thirty seconds remaining in the match, Paddock rallied seven straight points to bring the score to within one, 16-15, however with only eight seconds remaining Paddock would fall to the consolation semifinals.

A 13-2 technical superiority over Homer’s (III) 5-seeded Brielle Nels landed Paddock a spot in 3rd place match against Monroe-Woodbury’s (IX) Jada Lee where she ultimately secured bronze with another technical superiority, 11-1.

Paddock was one of four Eagles wrestlers competing in the state championships who tied for 15th place with 30-points in the final individual team score with Lockport, Nyack (I), and Warwick Valley (IX).

Chautauqua Lake's Lilly Hyde (far left), Kassidy Benedetto (middle left), Kortlyn Fairbank (middle right), and Paddock (right) // Pataky

Frontier senior Avery White and Niagara Wheatfield freshman Gabriella Barone each reached the semifinals in their respective brackets and ultimately landed NYS 4th place finishes.

White reached the 145-pound semifinals as the 4-seed in the bracket. After falling to the eventual champion, Avery was a 10-0 technical superiority winner over team champion Bellport’s (XI)’s Veronica Sky-Williams to land a spot in the 3rd place match. She ultimately settled for a 4th place finish while becoming the Falcons’ 11th different wrestler to place in the state championships.

“Going into the state tournament, everyone has the goal of being a state champion,” said White after the final. “For me, I wanted to be able to show that my hard work has paid off and that I could get higher than a 5th place finish. I went out and got the job done today. After the semifinals, I secured my place finish, but I knew the job wasn’t done yet. I just thought the day went well. Being a senior, it’s bittersweet that it’s over, but it was a good privilege to be a leader for these girls and keep making history.”

White and Frontier head coach John Chowske // Pataky

Barone’s 4th place finish came at perhaps the deepest bracket of the tournament at 114-pounds that featured three returning state Invitational place winners just in the top side of the bracket alone.

Gabriella reached the semifinal with an opening round pin before an impressive 10-0 technical superiority over Minisink Valley’s (IX) Keira Filip in the quarterfinal. In the semifinal, Barone would fall to eventual champion Teegan Sibble from Section V’s Bolivar-Richburg to drop to the consolation semifinal.

A pin over 3-seeded fellow returning Invitational placer Isabella Phelps from Section IV’s Sidney sent Barone to the 3rd place match where she finished in 4th place in NYS at 114-pounds. Barone was one of four NW wrestlers at the state tournament and helped to lead the Falcons to a 10th place finish in the final individual team standings.

Through three years of varsity of wrestling, the Wheatfield 9th grader has already accumulated two Invitational tournament titles and now a top-4 NYS place finish to her already impressive resume.

Niagara Wheatfield wrestlers and coaches // Pataky

Also reaching the podium on Thursday were 5th place winners Sofia Guadagna from Sweet Home at 132-pounds and Khamya’J Maxwell from Lockport at 235. Placing 6th in NYS for Section VI were Lockport’s Gabriella Gelnett (100), Niagara Wheatfield’s Emma Greene (107), Springville’s Lauren Winfield (165), and Dunkirk’s Jaslieen Salgado (235).

Gelnett

Greene (r)

Maxwell

Winfield

Salgado

Guadagna went 3-2 in the bracket as the 4-seed. After falling to the eventual champion in the semifinal, she faced off with the 5-seed Nels for the second time in the tournament after having pinned her in the quarterfinal. Another first period pin resulted in a 5th place finish in NYS to become the 11th different wrestler in program history to medal at the state tournament.

Guadagna (r)

Sweet Home head boys coach Don Lilly (r), Guadagna, and head girls coach Bailey Crouse (r)

Maxwell went 3-2 in the heavyweight bracket good for a 5th place finish in NYS. Two dominating wins in the first two rounds sent Maxwell to the semis. Eventually, she landed a spot in the 5th place bout against Dunkirk’s Salgado for a rematch of the Section VI final. A first period pin resulted in a 5th place finish for Khamya’J to become the Lions’ 10th different state tournament place winner in program history.