In the seven years of girls wrestling in Missouri, no Jefferson County school has won a team trophy (top four finish) in either Class 1 or Class 2 at the state meet.

The Northwest girls placed eighth in 2020 when there was only one class, marking the highest finish for a county team.

Festus took a leap forward last season, rising to ninth place in Class 1 with just four wrestlers. All four Tigers returned this season, including state champion Mya Hairston, a senior who is 41-1 and looking to defend her crown at 100 pounds. She took a big step toward that goal in winning the District 1 championship at St. Clair Feb. 15 and will be joined at state again by teammates Addison Cupp (junior, 105), Trinity Butler (sophomore, 135) and Dani Gullet (junior, 140).

The Tigers landed third in the team standings at St. Clair with 118 points, followed by De Soto (fifth, 96), Windsor (10th, 60.5), St. Pius X (13th, 40.5), Hillsboro (17th, 28) and Herculaneum (18th, 24), all of whom are sending wrestlers to state. The host Bulldogs won the district title with 262 points and advanced 10 to state, half of them district champions. Second-place Ste. Genevieve (198 points) qualified 10, including six district winners.

The girls Class 1 state championships are set for Feb. 26-27 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.

“We thought a couple of other girls could make it (to state), but they weren’t part of the plan to win a trophy,” Festus head coach Jarad Sheppard said. “Three of our four girls could be top three. It scares you a little bit. St. Clair and Ste. Gen qualified a lot of girls.”

Despite solid growth in girls wrestling, District 1 still had plenty of openings in all 14 weight classes. There were only seven wrestlers at 100. Hairston had two byes before two pins sent her to the final against a familiar opponent. Two takedowns of De Soto freshman Milayna Drummond (34-8) were enough for Hairston to score a 6-0 decision. Hairston is 4-0 this season against Drummond and has not yielded a point to her.

“Drummond wrestled Mya a little better, but we were comfortable the six minutes,” Sheppard said. “Drummond moves better on the bottom, but we can cut her and take her down when needed. That’s not a plan, it’s just something Mya’s become good at.”

Cupp (36-7) and Herculaneum sophomore Emerson Reeves (37-3) both qualified for state at 105 last year but didn’t face each other. All three of their matches this season ended with Reeves winning by decision, including at the conference meet. In the district final, Reeves scored a takedown in the first period and a reversal in the third, while Cupp managed just two escapes, handing Reeves a 5-2 decision.

“I just wanted to get as many wins as I can (this season),” Reeves said. “I didn’t have a set goal. This year I was more prepared and ready for any challenges and my confidence has gone up. I’ve been working from any position trying to score, and practicing as much as I can.

“Last year, I wrestled (Cupp) four times. I’ve always come out on top; I wait for an opportunity to score and hold on. I come out there ready. I have to get my mind right (before a match) because it’s going to be close all three periods.”

Sheppard said Reeves “has really good shot defense. Addi had good shots and they called a stalemate too early once. If we can secure a takedown on her I think we can beat her.”

Butler (35-5) won by fall in her first three matches but lost 5-3 in overtime in the 135 final to St. Clair senior Peyton Dunn (41-9). In the ultimate tiebreak period, Dunn scored four near-fall points and Butler hit a reversal.

“We were winning 1-0 with a few seconds left (in regulation) and they (charged) Trinity a stall point,” Sheppard said. “That may have been her first overtime match in high school.”

At 140, Gullet faced the defending state champion, Sullivan senior Dorie Richardson (39-2), as well as Ste. Genevieve sophomore Keely Fallert (41-1), who finished second in the state at 145 for Oak Grove in 2024. Fallert pinned her way to the district title, including planting Richardson at 5:33. Against Gullet in the semifinals, Richardson hit a takedown in the first period and won 3-2. Gullet won her next two matches by fall to finish third.

“It almost makes you feel bad she’s coming out as a three seed,” Sheppard said. “In any of the other districts, she’s the champ. With that being a one-point match, we hope to see (Richardson) in the semifinals (at Columbia).”

Windsor brought six girls to St. Clair and senior Lily Pauley and junior Sydney Streckfuss qualified for state.

Pauley (17-12) was seeded fifth at 115 and had a bye to the quarterfinals. There she beat Festus freshman Zhamir Ford (19-14) by technical fall. Ford had beaten Pauley at the JCAA meet. In the district semifinals, Pauley was pinned in 26 seconds by eventual champion Aila Wolk (34-9). Needing a win to qualify for state, Pauley won by fall and then finished third after winning an 18-8 major decision.

“(There were) a lot of emotions after that loss (to Wolk) because she knew she needed one more win,” Windsor head coach Ryan Nuspl said. “Lily wrestled really well in the third-place match. She was super-nervous because it’s her last shot, but it was a great tournament for her.”

After going 0-2 at state at 125 last year, Streckfuss is determined to return and show she belongs in Columbia. She pinned four girls to reach the district final against St. Clair junior Lindsay Rampani (48-6), who fell just short of a state medal in 2024. Before pinning Streckfuss at 3:42 of the final, Rampani was in control with a takedown, four back points and a reversal. Rampani is 4-0 against Streckfuss over the past two seasons.

“That girl (Rampani) is fantastic,” Nuspl said. “She threw an arm bar and we did a good job fighting it, but came up short. That was our best match against her this season. Now (Streckfuss) knows what the state tournament is like. It’s a huge learning experience the first time. We really don’t see a lot of that competition.”

There were nine entries at 110 and De Soto sophomore Cheyenne Kincade (39-3) breezed through the bracket with pins in 13 and 41 seconds and at 3:42 of the final. Kincade will be joined at state by Drummond and sophomores Kya Aubuchon (fourth, 105) and Emma Taylor (second, 115).

Junior Aubrey Melber (30-7) is the lone state qualifier for St. Pius. Melber finished third at 110, pinning Owensville senior Jenna Vandegriffe (37-7).