NEW LONDON, Conn. – Last Month, the Fitch girls’ wrestling team competed at the very first ECC girls wrestling tournament. 

 On Feb. 12, Fitch joined schools from around the region to make history by competing in the very first ECC tournament for girls. This was the first time the ECC has had this tournament, and it was the first Girls Wrestling conference tournament in state history. The tournament took place at New London High School. 37 wrestlers from multiple ECC schools, such as Killingly, Bacon Academy, Leydard, Fitch/Stonington/Grasso, NFA, New London, Windham, Griswold/Wheeler, Putnam, Woodstock Academy, East Lyme/Norwich Tech, and Lyman Memorial/Windham Tech were on hand to compete. 

For many of the competitors, it marked a major milestone in their time on the team.

 “It was really fun and made me super happy because I have a genuine passion for wrestling,” said Analeigh Fussell. “I felt more confident in wrestling because I knew we were all girls there, and I am super glad to know girls’ wrestling is becoming such a fast-growing sport that eventually made ECC’s possible.”

Fussell placed fourth in the 107lb weight class, with other members competing in the 114 lb and 120 lb weight classes. 

Members of the boys’ wrestling team also acknowledged the benefits the sport has for female competitors.

“I think it’s good for girls [to compete in wrestling],” said Cassius Oddo, a member of the boys’ team. “Some people don’t think girls are strong, and that’s just not right.”

After ECCs were finished, the girls practiced for two more weeks and prepared to compete in the Girls State Championship on Feb. 27, at James Hillhouse High School in New Haven. Despite strong scores, the team did not place.