Zammit was one of three individual state champions from the area. Miami East senior Olivia Shore (111) and Sidney sophomore Josie Davis (121) both repeated as state champs at the second state championship meet hosted by the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association.
Miami East, the defending team champion, scored 103 points to finish second behind Marysville’s 131.5. Both teams qualified 11 wrestlers to the state championships.
As for Zammit, she finished second at last season’s state tournament to then-Beavercreek senior Kaileigh Nuessgen with a 5-2 decision. That motivated Zammit heading into this year’s event.
“I went in pretty confident. I’d been training for quite a while so I knew what I wanted to get,” Zammit said. “It felt so good, especially after the loss last year. It really felt good to redeem myself.”
Zammit won her first two matches by pins in 55 seconds and 4:30 and her semifinal match 15-5. In the final Zammit beat Wooster’s Sairra Tapp 12-1.
“I think losing that tough match (last year), I always think back to that loss and it really pushes me,” Zammit said. “It puts pressure on me but it does cancel out a lot of the nervous because I know what I’m doing on the mat.”
“I think Cassia is such a great wrestler because of her drive to win,” Miamisburg coach Nathan Carmack said. “She is a competitor, and after coming so close last year and losing she has had a hunger to win this title. Cassia has worked hard to get to this point and this state title is just the beginning.”
Sidney’s Davis won her first three matches by pin in 20, 25 and 27 seconds. She beat Hamilton Badin’s Rachel Nusky 9-2 in the championship.
“It feels great to repeat,” Davis said. “I was going in with the same mentality as I had last year. Which was just sticking with the basics and getting the match done quick.
“This title is just as special as the first one. It felt good to be back and seeing how much girls wrestling has grown in Ohio since last year.”
Shore pinned her way to a second state title in :24, :25 and 4:00. In the title match she pinned Brookville’s Rita Carey in 1:48.
Brookville’s Carey and Miami East’s Kaylee Griffith (170) both placed second. Chaminade Julienne’s Isabell Carrington (160) finished third. Troy’s Cheyenne Meade (189) placed fourth, Miami East’s Natalie Bair (131) was fifth and Miami East’s Annika Paton (189) was sixth.
“It’s amazing. I love how many girls have shown up for the sport in Ohio,” Zammit said. “I love being here because it’s really competitive.”
Zammit started wrestling around the third grade and transferred to Chaminade Julienne to wrestle alongside her cousin. She went back to Miamisburg about five years ago when her cousin stopped wrestling. Zammit’s brothers also wrestled for a while.
“My dad was a state champ in Michigan so he’s taught me almost everything,” Zammit said.
“I like the aspect of being on your own. I like how if you lose all the blame is on you. I’ve always liked contact sports. I’ve grown up with brothers so it suits me best. … Wrestling gives me confidence doing other things. When I set myself high expectations and I accomplish them, it makes me feel like I can accomplish whatever else I set my mind to.”
About the Author