Josie Davis is declared the winner after pinning United’s Auston Brown in 34 seconds in the third place 125-pound match on Sunday at Value City Arena in Columbus. Davis, a senior who won OHSWCA state titles the last three years, was disqualified in a semifinal match on Saturday, which resulted in her missing a chance at another title.

Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News

COLUMBUS — Josie Davis wasn’t able to earn the state title she was hoping for to cap off her career, but she still left the wrestling mat after one final dominating victory.

Davis, a senior, pinned United’s Auston Brown in 34 seconds in the third place 125-pound match on Sunday afternoon at Value City Arena. It was the first year the Ohio High School Athletic Association sponsored a state girls wrestling meet, which was held in conjunction with the state boys meet.

Davis won state titles in meets operated by the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association the last three years and was considered the favorite to win again this year.

But she was controversially disqualified in a semifinal meet against Brecksville’s Anna Madi on Saturday.

“They said the chin whip I’ve done for 12 years was too tight around her neck,” Davis said. “But hit once and they gave me points for it, then I did it the exact same way and they called it illegal. I’d thought I’d won the match when they took the anklets off. I thought she had forfeited, but obviously, it didn’t go that way.

“It’s a hard situation when there was 54 seconds left, and I think she could have finished the match, and just took her injury time. But things don’t always go your way, and I just had to realize it, put it in the back of my mind, and get ready for today.”

Davis pinned Hamilton Township’s Sienna Sanborn in 42 seconds in a consolation semifinal on Sunday morning, then finished by pinning Brown eight seconds quicker.

After the third place match, she took a bow while family, friends and fans cheered.

“It’s not what I wanted. I’m not happy with third, but I’m satisfied with it,” Davis said. “… I’m pretty proud of what I’ve been able to do. I hope I’ve been able to show people that through adversity, you can come out on top.”

Davis signed a letter of intent in December with Campbellsville, an NAIA university in Kentucky. The program won NAIA girls wrestling national titles in 2021 and 2022.

“They’ve won a the national championship quite a few times and have quite a few high-level girls on the team,” Davis said. “I’m excited to train, learn new stuff and for moving down there in August.”

The OHSAA announced last year it was granting girls wrestling “emerging sport,” status and would begin operating a postseason tournament.

“It’s awesome,” Davis said of wrestling at Ohio State this weekend. “I’m really excited to watch the finals tonight. A lot of my friends are in the finals, so I’m excited to see them win their titles.”

Contact Bryant Billing at (937) 538-4818, or follow @SidneyOHSports on Twitter and @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook.

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