Girls wrestling celebrates best season yet

Four years ago, Chester Academy’s girls wrestling program included only two or three athletes. This season, eight determined grapplers took to the mats — its deepest roster yet — and delivered a season worth celebrating.

New York State officially adopted girls wrestling 2022 as an emerging sport, after years of its growth at the Olympic and collegiate levels. And last year, the 2024-2025 season, the New York State Public High School Athletics Association held its first officially sanctioned girls wrestling State tournament.

A growing program

Chester launched its girls team in 2022. Head coach Kwalin Gonzalez, a Chester graduate and former wrestler who joined the staff as a tech employee, became the official head coach this season. He is in his fourth year with the program.

“It’s awesome to see... where it was four years ago to where it is now,” said Jimmy Ehlers, Chester’s boys varsity wrestling coach who handles administrative duties for both programs. “Especially being such a small school, other schools can get hundreds of kids trying out, and we’re just trying to walk down the hallway and get kids to try.”

Efforts deliver results

This season, those efforts paid off, as the team competed at tournaments across the region, including Dutchess County, Westchester, Scarsdale, and NYAC. Chester wrestlers managed to place throughout the season at these very competitive tournaments. At the Scarsdale tournament in particular, every girl competed and placed.

Building on that momentum, the team competed in the state qualifier at Mount St. Mary, where sophomore Natalie Perez-Santiago finished in the top three, competing in a bracket that expanded from about ten to nearly thirty girls statewide. Gonzalez called Natalie a “heavy hitter” and sees her as a strong contender to qualify for the state championship next season.

Strong performances from individual team members

Individual successes also marked the year. Seniors Chloe Brown and Cameron Chaluisan capped their Chester careers triumphantly, each establishing themselves on the Chester all-time win list, entering the Top 5 for wins in school history. Chloe, who emerged as an unofficial team leader this year, transformed from a novice with no experience to a champion over four years. Ashley Griffin, a founding member of the program, placed at the state qualifier last season before a shoulder injury sidelined her this year.

Another season highlight belonged to Persia Gonzalez, a ninth grader and first-year wrestler—and Coach Gonzalez’s younger sister. During her debut season, Persia placed in the top four at multiple tournaments, having come to wrestling in search of something different.

“I wanted more of an individual sport, where I had more accountability over my own mistakes,” she said. “Your wins and your losses [are] beyond you.”

What she found was more than solo competition. She described a moment from her first tournament that stayed with her.

“When they called my name, all the girls looked at me, and it felt really good,” she said. “I felt like I actually belonged on a team, which I never felt that. When you’re on the mat, you don’t feel like you’re by yourself. They’re always in that corner with your water bottle.”

A sense of belonging

That sense of belonging lasted all season. Gonzalez emphasized emotional resilience, giving athletes five minutes after each match—win or lose—to process feelings before debriefing. By season’s end, the team grew as much emotionally as athletically.

Persia summed up the team’s bond simply: “We have such a good bond. It’s like such an individual sport, but we can do it together.”

As Women’s History Month wraps up, the girls wrestling program shows what’s possible when young women receive space and support to compete. The lessons these athletes bring — accountability, resilience, and the ability to recover from a loss — mirror the Chester Union Free School District’s aim for every student. Aligned with the District’s student-centered, team-driven, future-focused mission, this team brings these values to life through their teamwork, leadership, and perseverance.

Looking ahead, the program heads into next season with Natalie, Persia, and Ashley all returning. And as the state bracket keeps on growing, so does Chester’s roster.