S

On Saturday, Dec. 14 at Cleveland Middle School, Alivia Jernigan and Zaila Hussey represented Coffee County in the inaugural TMSAA Girls’ Wrestling State Championships, but both ended their tournaments in the consolation semifinals.

Jernigan, representing Coffee County in the 128-pound division, got off to a good start in the tournament, winning her quarterfinal matchup against Pyper Cosby of Sullivan East by a 14-10 decision.

In the 128-pound division semifinals, Jernigan would face Vada Chiasson of Spring Station, but this time, Jernigan would lose by a fall and would have to continue her tournament in the consolation bracket.

Jernigan would face Madelyn Day of Soddy Daisy in the consolation semifinals, but lose in a 10-4 decision, ending her tournament early.

Coffee County’s other representative in the tournament was Zaila Hussey in the 135-pound division.

In her quarterfinal matchup with Addy Harwick of Stewarts Creek, Hussey would lose by fall, relegating herself to the consolation bracket.

Hussey would win her consolation quarterfinal match with Selin Erdemir of Spring Station by a fall, but lose in the consolation semis to Sarai Mitchell of Oakland in a 9-4 decision.

Despite early exits from the tournament, Jernigan and Hussey are now a part of history, having made up two of the 96 wrestlers that competed in the first TMSAA sanctioned Girls’ Wrestling State Championships.