And the 2025-26 winter season is no different. On Saturday, fans got to witness that once again as the Spartans saw six girls qualify for the Central Regional tournament during the District 4 championships.

Avery Earnest (142 pounds, first), Julia Ritter (106, second), Jaysa Kiess (12, second), Ariahna Moore (118, second), Caroline Hicks (148, second) and Isabella Olshefski (100, third) were all regional qualifiers as the Spartans took second as a team. The only team with more points than Hughesville was Shikellamy (186).

“Oh yeah, it was a good round in the semis which we put five into the finals,” Hughesville coach Royce Eyer said. “Relieves a lot of stress.”

Earnest claimed her second consecutive District 4 championship on Saturday, doing so at 142. The Spartan pinned Milton’s Shu Myra Ali in 2:16 for her second career gold medal. In the championship semifinals, Earnest pinned Elizabeth Verner of Selinsgrove in 1:41 and in the quarterfinals, Earnest pinned Williamsport’s Mah’ogny Bell-Smalls in just 36 seconds to advance.

FRANK DIMON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Sadie O'Dell pins Hughesville's Emmalia Poust.

“She has a different style and she likes the upper body stuff. Sometimes it almost gets her in trouble, but she did a good job recovering and getting the victory today,” Eyer said.

In the finals at 112, Kiess came up shy of claiming gold, but she battled well against Milton’s Kyleigh Ficks and lost a high-scoring decision, 18-12.

“She jumped out to a lead there. Got into a couple spots, gave up some big moves there that we’ll fix in next two weeks and hopefully comeback on other side of that,” Eyer said.

At 112, Ritter lost to defending third-place state medalist Jenna Houseknecht of Montgomery by fall in 3:00. Ariahna Moore was pinned at 118 by returning third-place state medalist Lillian Rumsey of Williamsport in 2:44. Hicks lost at 148 to Shikellamy’s Roslyn Snyder by fall in 63 seconds.

In the semifinals, Ritter earned a 7-0 decision win against Danville’s Juliet Steckley. Hicks pinned Mifflinburg’s Avery Edison.

PHOTO PROVIDED Hughesville's Avery Earnest stands at the top of the podium after winning her second consecutive District 4 girls wrestling championship gold medal.

While Ritter, Moore and Hicks were all hopeful for district gold, they got good competition at districts and it’ll only be beneficial heading into the Central Regional tournament.

“I think the goal today was just getting qualified and we got two weeks to get better, so that’s what we’ll focus on. We had some injuries this season that took out a few of our pretty good girls and didn’t have quite enough horse power here at the end to get to finish line,” Eyer said. “We lost Bella Young and Leah Lehman, those are pretty big scorers in the tournament. We did best we could with what we got, so we did a good job today.”

Competing for third, Hughesville’s Olshefski pinned Montgomery’s Brooke Knoebel in the third period in 4:43 to take home bronze. In the championship semifinals, she lost to Aislynn Weller of Selinsgrove in a tough match, 5-1.

As for what Hughesville’s expectations are at regionals?

“Score points and keep scoring points,” Eyer said with a laugh.

AROUND THE AREA

Jersey Shore’s Isabella Gottschall claimed her second career gold medal at districts, and her third straight trip to the district championship finals and berth to regionals.

Competing at 155, Gottschall pinned Montgomery’s Georgina Leet in 68 seconds to win gold. In the semifinals, Gottschall pinned Selinsgrove’s Tatianna Myers in 50 seconds. She had a 43-second pin in the championship quarterfinals as well, wasting little time securing victories.

Muncy had a pair of regional qualifiers in Zoe Kunkle (118) and Sadie Odell (235). Kunkle finished with a fourth-place medal after falling to Athens’ Joyce Clinck in 60 seconds. At 235, Odell beat Emmalia Poust of Hughesville with a second-period pin in 2:44 to ensure a spot in regionals. The top five finishers at districts advanced to the regional tournament.

Milton’s Adelyn Bush was a fourth-place finisher at 136 and Sullivan County’s Juliana Price took fifth at 100.