In an under-the-radar result from this past weekend’s District XI girls wrestling tournament, the Catasauqua squad finished 7th in the team standings and sent two competitors, Esmeralda Serrano and Anaiz Espinal, to this week’s regional tournament at Quakertown.

The Roughs were the highest scoring Colonial League team, edging Southern Lehigh by four points.

Even more impressive, they achieved the result without having their 2025 district champion and state qualifier, Aeriel Stallworth, in the lineup. Stallworth has a shoulder injury and was not medically cleared to participate.

Both Serrano and Espinal had very difficult paths to become regional qualifiers. They both dropped their quarterfinal bouts and had to win four straight matches in consolations to become one of District XI’s three qualifiers at each weight class.

Serrano overcame a 6-2 deficit to Celeste Gildenhuys of Easton with a third period pin. Quick pins in the next two rounds set up a showdown with Emily Sigrun of Parkland for third place and advancement to this weekend.

Sigrun built a 6-1 lead on the strength of a takedown in each of the first two periods. Serrano elected to start neutral in the third and finally got the headlock she was hunting. The takedown and four nearfall points gave her the 8-6 decision.

Head coach Mike Rusnock spoke about his junior wrestler, “Esmeralda’s had the goal of trying to get to states. First step is getting through districts, so she reached her goal.”

Espinal, unseeded in the 190-pound bracket, dominated her four consolation matches on the way to third place. A first-period fall and 10-1 major decision set up a clash with third-seed Olivia Brisebois of PM East. She posted a quick 15-0 tech fall in 1:49 to advance.

It only took her 19 seconds of the second period to escape, take down, and pin Kailey Evans of Lehighton to secure her spot in regionals.

“Anaiz came from basketball to wrestling and we were so happy to have her on the team. She fit right in. Honestly, it was a bit of a surprise that a first-year wrestler could make it through. But she’s strong and athletic, so it wasn’t totally a surprise given her athleticism,” explained Rusnock.

Arianna Stallworth and Ashlie Montano-Giron both made the championship semifinals and battled before getting pinned in the third period.

Montano-Giron advanced to the consolation final but dropped a wild bout to Abrianna Gomez of Parkland. The wrestlers each had 4-point nearfall sequences. Gomez prevailed with a third period pin.

Stallworth got reversed to her back while leading 5-0 in the second period against Mia Renda of Palisades in the consolation semifinals to miss the podium.

Head coach Rusnock provided his assessment after the tournament, “Madison (Monberger) finished top 8. Arianna finished top 6 and we had three girls wrestling with a chance to go regionals and two got through. We finished top 10 in the team standings. That’s very successful in our eyes.”

PIAA District XI Girls Wrestling top 12 team scores

(1) Parkland 225.0, (2) Nazareth 130.5, (3) East Stroudsburg South 117.5, (4) Emmaus 108.0, (5) Pine Grove 106.0, (6) Easton 99.0, (7) Catasauqua 84.5, (8) Southern Lehigh 80.5, (9) Pocono Mountain West 79.0, (10) Bethlehem Liberty 75.0, (11) Stroudsburg 71.5, (12) Northampton 71.0