This week’s Cedar Ridge Red Wolf of the Week is freshman wrestler Ella-Grace Reed. On February 14, Reed became the first Hillsborough woman to win a regional wrestling championship. At Seaforth High School in Pittsboro, Reed pinned Maliyah Jackson of South Brunswick in 1:23 in the championship match at 138 pounds. It has been a season full of accolades for Reed. The Cedar Ridge women’s team won the Big 7 Conference championship this winter. They became the first Hillsborough team to win a conference championship in women’s wrestling. In her first year at the varsity level, Reed was second on the team with 32 wins. On opening night, Reed pinned Johanna Carter of Jordan-Matthews for her first varsity win. Reed also pinned Andrea Leon-Cruz of the N.C. School of Science and Math on November 13. Last weekend, Reed wrestled at the 5A State Championships at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro. In the consolation round, Reed pinned Lorelai Walsh of Currituck County in 16 seconds. At the Mideast Regionals, Reed scored pins in all three of her matches. Seeded #2, Reed defeated Jocelyn Phillips of Havelock in 1:59. In the semifinals, Reed finished Walsh in 1:34 to secure her first trip to the state championships. Women’s wrestling continues to grow across North Carolina and Reed will be part of the growth at Cedar Ridge in the years ahead.
