As one of the top three in her weight class at the inaugural Girls Individual State Wrestling Tournament at Red Bank Regional in Little Silver, held last month, Pace qualified for the state tournament at Boardwalk Hall.
The weight classes consist of 100 pounds; 105 pounds; 111 pounds; 118 pounds; 127 pounds; 136 pounds; 147 pounds; 161 pounds; 185 pounds; and 235 pounds.
“My uncle and cousins were the first people who opened me up to wrestling,” says Pace. “We would wrestle a lot as a joke, but then it developed into a passion--although my father disapproved of it.”
It took some convincing before Pace won her father’s support, but her persistence eventually paid off.
“The full support and love from family and friends since I was six has motivated me to be where I am now,” Pace enthuses.
The inaugural girls wrestling season has been a massive success, to which crowd attendance and excitement attest. Over 400 girls competed on the mat this winter and 60 advanced to the state finals. The season began in December, when Manalapan hosted the first-ever high school girls wrestling event in New Jersey.
