SECTION IV GIRLS WRESTLING: TOOMEY WINS SECTIONAL GOLD; NELSON PUNCHES TICKET TO STATES WITH RUNNER-UP FINISH (24 PHOTOS) (February 13, 2026)

Valley Sports Report
BINGHAMTON — Tioga junior Amelia Toomey won her first title, and junior Kyah Nelson was a runner-up to advance to the New York State Championships for the fourth time here Friday at the Section IV Girls Wrestling Championships. 

The Tigers finished 11th in the team standings with 74.5 points, well off the pace of Section IV champion Oneonta, which tallied 150 points. Chenango Forks was second with 141.5 points, Elmira was third with 124, Groton was fourth with 123 and Windsor was fifth with 119 points.

"An 11th-place finish and only three place-winners was disappointing and well, kind of 'un-Tioga-like,'" said Tioga coach Jim Walsh.

"We felt like maximum effort, fight, and continuous movement was lacking at key junctures in the tournament," he noted. "That coupled with a lack of depth really hurt us.

"It was a pretty tough year," added Walsh. "We had not one, not two, but three key season-ending injuries this year to three top wrestlers, two of which were returning seniors. And, we had two early- and mid-season long-term injuries to two other starters."

Toomey, the second seed, was 4-0 — two quick pins and two technical falls — on the day to win the 138-pound bracket.

"I have to start with our captain, Amelia Toomey," said Walsh. "She avenged a very early-season loss to Peyton Little of Oneonta in devastating fashion.

"She has been on a mission since her last loss way back in December to highly-ranked Kaitlyn Young of Shenendehowa," added Walsh.

Toomey started her day with a 12-second pin of Owego's McKenna Wilbur in the opening win, then forged a 10-0 technical win over Waverly's Jillianna Presher in the quarterfinals.

Toomey decked third-seeded Tori Reh of Chenango Forks in 18 seconds in the semifinals, then blanked top-seeded Payton Little of Oneonta in a 10-0 technical fall in the finals.

Nelson was 1-1 on the day to finish second in the 185-pound bracket.

"Kyah Nelson always competes hard," said Walsh. "This was her third loss to New York State's top-ranked Teagen McGuinness of U-E, but her best match against her.

"Kyah scored a nice single-leg takedown early, and had Teagen in a couple of vulnerable positions," noted Walsh. "She took her to the second period, and tired her out somewhat, so it's progress."

Nelson pinned Oneonta's Leylani Whitshire in 17 seconds in the semifinals.

In the finals, Nelson lost to Union-Endicott standout Teagan McGuinness via second-period fall.

Junior Marcy Moniz was 2-2 to finish fifth in the 145-pound bracket.

"Marcy Moniz suffered a heart-breaking semi-final match loss to Chenango Forks' Jillian Howell," said Walsh. "It was 8-8 into the second period, but she got muscled over for a fall.  

"That loss negatively impacted her next match, which she lost to fall into the fifth-place match," added Walsh.

Marcy Moniz pinned Corning's Rhyss Padgett of Corning in 4:19 in the quarterfinals, but lost to Chenango Forks' Jillian Howell in the semifinals, and Waverly's Gianna Zienuuk in the consolation semifinals.

In the fifth-place match, Marcy Moniz scored a 42-second fall of Horseheads' Aliyah Teets.

Senior Mia Hall was 2-2 at 114 pounds.

Hall's wins both came in the consolation bracket — a pin of Oxford-Greene's Rayleigh Mustin in 3:52, and a 10-0 technical fall win over SVEC's Taylor Zufall.

Both of her losses came against Whitney Point's Colleen Hilderbrant.

Senior Sophia Haney was 1-2 at 126 pounds, with her lone win a 21-second pin of Susquehanna Valley's Alaina Judy in the opening round.

Freshman Emily Moniz was 1-2 in the 235-pound weight class, with her lone win a 1-0 decision over Windsor's Chelsea Stoeckel in the opening round.

Freshman Grace Howey was 0-2 at 120 pounds, and sophomore Cora Szymanski was 0-2 at 138 pounds.



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