By Austin Denson
Maria Slaughter’s accolades are adding up mighty quick for a soon-to-be junior. The 2x District Champ, 1x Sectional Champ, 2x State Placer finishing 2nd and 4th. Slaughter now adds a national 3rd place finish at the recent USAW Girls Folkstyle Nationals.
Placed 3rd at Nationals! @HoltWrestling @missouriwrestle @USAWrestling pic.twitter.com/D0SljaSj7z
— Maria Slaughter (@regotchalk) March 29, 2021
Competing at 138 in the 16U division Slaughter opened with a close 2-0 win with a tough opponent from Washington. Slaughter’s next opponent, Raven Cook, was just as decorated as herself being a 2x 3rd place state medalist in Georgia, placing 4th in this tournament in 2019 along with doubling up at 16U & the Junior division this year. Slaughter led 5-1 with a takedown and back points going into the second but Cook put Slaughter to her back with an armbar and earned the fall.
Slaughter then fell to the consolations where she bounced back impressively against a Utah state placer with a 15-second fall. Slaughter found herself in the 3rd/4th place match back up against her first opponent this time, improving on her 2-0 victory winning by fall in the second period.
If I were you I’d look for Slaughter to be back into the finals in her final two years at Wentzville Holt.