“UP! UP!”

“CROSSFACE!”

“TURN!”

The chorus of parents and teammates alike shout at the wrestlers on the mat. This is the moment that the girls have been preparing for all season -the chance to qualify at state. For many, this is the end of their season, but for a select few, it’s their chance to compete at the highest level of high school wrestling.

The road to state is anything but easy. Before even reaching regionals, athletes must place in the top 4 of their weight class at sectionals to keep their season alive. For sectional 10, HSE took 1^st place with key podium performances by Charlotte Dragoo (2^nd), Marinelli Rodriguez (3^rd), Norah Tolbert (4^th), and Kendall White (4^th). The Royals also crowned three sectional champions, Lilliana Rodriguez in the 100 pound weight class, Lindsey Lannen at 120 pound, and Fanta Sall  at 235 pounds.

Following sectionals, the athletes competed at their assigned regional. Indiana hosts 4 regional competitions with sites at Plymouth, Kokomo, Muncie Central, and Bloomington South High School. Regionals is a highly competitive tournament with massive depth. Many of the wrestlers have years of experience in the sport prior to it being officially sanctioned by the IHSAA in April of 2024. For senior, Lindsey Lannen, the regional tournament allowed

her to prove herself and qualify for state. “My expectation personally was to win my first two matches and advance to state” said Lannen. These hopes would later become reality for the wrestler duringthe tournament as she executed her plan on the mat.

Overall, the royals placed 19^th of the 47 teams competing at Muncie Central on January 10^th, 2026. Like any team sport, success at regionals is not achieved by one athlete alone but through the collective effort and determination of the whole lineup.

The athletes that represented HSE and helped contribute to the regional score was:

105 pounds, Lilliana Rodriguez, who won her first match against Layla Moore of Alexandria Monroe, but fell short in the second round.

Freshmen, Norah Tolbert who won her first-round match against Lawrenceburg’s Elizabeth Overstreet, later fell to Karsyn Merrit during the second-round.

Royal’s Charlotte Dragoo, Kendall White, and Marinelli Rodriguez all fought hard within their respected weight classes.

Senior, Lindsey Lannen placed 2^nd overall within her 120-pound weight class. After the match that qualified her to state, she reflected on the emotion of that moment. “Walking off the mat after winning against Perry Meridian, was such a blur,” Lannen said. In that moment, all her hopes, dreams, and hard work form the season became a reality with a 2^nd place finish. At the regional level, if an athlete were to place within the top 4 of her respected weight class it would then allow her to compete at the state competition. For Lannen, however, this victory represented more than just a win.

“I am the first girl wrestler from the HSE district to be a state qualifier since the sport has been sanctioned,” said Lannen. That achievement will be etched into school history, marking a major milestone for the not only HSE’s girls wrestling program but also Fishers. Beyond the win, Lannen’s success has already begun inspiring the next generation of girls wrestlers, both at the high school level and younger ages too. But Lannen’s journey isn’t done just yet.

On January 16^th, Lannen will have the opportunity to compete at state at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. This tournament will showcase the best of Indiana’s girls wrestling, featuring some of the top athletes in the state, including freshman Mimi Nicolas from Rossville High School in the 120 pound weight class, senior Daniela Ramirez-Zarate from Carmel at 155 pounds, and Zoie Gray from Triton Central at 190 pounds. Strong programs like the Franklin Central Flashes, who won the Muncie Central Regional title over the HSE Royals, highlights the level of competition expected at the state level.

In preparation to state, Lannen reflected on her performance at regionals “I need to be ready to wrestle the full 6 minutes and potentially overtime,” Lannen said. “I need to focus this week on fueling my body, resting, and being ready to go on Friday.” As she prepares to face Sienna Holscher of Benton Central High School, Lannen enters the tournament confident, focused, and ready. With less than a week remaining, the road to state becomes a test of hard-work and determination that lead her to this moment.