HERSHEY — Since the recent inception of girls wrestling, the sport’s growth has jumped in leaps and bounds, especially this season. Participation has skyrocketed in just a few short years.

Across the PIAA, the number of girls wrestling programs has climbed to 266 statewide, including 14 in District 6 alone.

Locally, the surge is unmistakable. Mifflin County made history this winter by fielding its first junior high girls wrestling team, with hopes of adding a varsity squad in the near future. The path was cleared by Juniata’s girls program, now in its second year of competitive action.

Last season, the Indians watched one of their own make history. Freshman Katelynn Krepps posted an impressive 29-7 record and became the first Juniata girl to qualify for the PIAA Championships — and the first to medal, placing sixth. Her freshman year set the tone for what girls wrestling could become in the region.

This season, Krepps was limited by injuries, finishing 5-1 before being shut down. But her breakout freshman campaign remains a defining moment.

“I’m very excited that I placed here. I know that it’s an honor to even be here,” Krepps said last year after her historic run. “It’s been a great experience and I am happy with where I placed. I just hope that I do better next year.”

Her formula is simple: passion and relentless work.

“I wrestle all year-round. I wrestle freestyle,” she said. “I also do morning practices and regular school practices every day. Next year I plan on placing higher.”

With girls wrestling still in its infancy, Krepps has already positioned herself as a role model for the next wave of athletes.

Fast forward to this past week, and Juniata was once again in the spotlight as another wrestler made history. Junior Madison Bryner captured the first District 6 girls championship in program history, earning her place in the local record books. She carried that momentum into the state tournament — and while she didn’t medal, her future remains bright.

“Being her first time, she’s definitely resilient,” Juniata coach Jarred Dressler said. “She lost that first match and came right out of the gate with a hammer. She said, ‘Hey, I guess I’m going to have to go through the consolation rounds.’ Coming off her second match of the day, she came off pretty solid. She was in this match too — just a couple things we need to tweak from here on out to continue her success.”

Dressler remains equally proud of Krepps’ historic freshman season.

“Katelynn came into the season with one goal in mind — to make it down to states. She achieved that goal,” he said. “The great thing about Katelynn is that whenever she achieves a goal, she sets another one. She had a setback losing the first match, but she had the fortitude to keep plowing on. One win led to another, and then she was wrestling for fifth or sixth. As a freshman, I think she had a stellar season.”

With Krepps and Bryner leading the way, the foundation for girls wrestling in the Juniata Valley is firmly in place. These young pioneers have shown that the sport can be intense, competitive and — just as importantly — fun.

The table has been set. Now sit back and watch as more girls step onto the mat, bringing new eyes, new energy and a new generation of wrestlers to a sport once dominated by men. This is only the beginning of something special.