NEW YORK STATE GIRLS WRESTLING: LONG SHOTS! TIOGA' TOOMEY, NELSON REACH STATE FINALS (19 PHOTOS) (February 26, 2026)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
ALBANY — Tioga's eighth-seeded junior Amelia Toomey and sixth-seeded sophomore Kyah Nelson both went 3-0 to advance to Thursday's night championship round here at the New York State Girls Championships at the MVP Arena.

"An eight-seed and a six-seed in the finals, great accomplishment to say the least," said Tioga coach Jim Walsh. "Both had a brief scare in their semi matches, but managed to remain calm and really control the majority of their match."

Toomey started her day with a dominating win over a familiar foe when she scored an 11-0 technical fall of Oneonta's Payton Little in just 39 seconds.

In the 138-pound quarterfinals, Toomey received a medical forfeit from top-seeded Isabella Stalino of Columbia, who was 42-1 after a 91-second pin in the opening round.

Toomey punched her ticket to the finale when she locked in a cradle for a pin of fifth-seeded Melania Turano of Bay Shore in the semifinals.

Toomey took a 4-0 lead in the opening 69 seconds with a pair of takedowns, but got in a headlock later in the period.

With the bout tied at 4-4, Toomey scored a four-point move in the opening 30 seconds on the second period.

Toomey scored another takedown 20 seconds later, then Locked in the cradle for the win at 3:57.

Toomey will face third-seeded Noli Paddock (40-0) of Chatauqua Lake in the 138-pound finals. Paddock scored falls in 69 and 58 seconds to advance to the semifinals, where she recorded a 10-0 technical fall win over second-seeded Mackenzie Harbour (39-4) of Shenendehowa.

"Amelia faces who we thought she would face if she reached the finals (Paddock)," said Walsh. "Last year, Kali  Bailey had a good first period against her at the Southern Tier Memorial. We’re hoping Amelia can do the same plus more and do what she goes best: hand fight and leg attack."

Nelson registered three falls on her way to the 185-pound title match.

Nelson opened with a 26-second pin of Isabelle Sibejia in the opening round, then decked third-seeded Selina Gritz (24-3) of Putnam Valley in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, Nelson faced highly-regarded second-seed Jaida Macaluso, and scored a 43-second fall.

Nelson, now 22-4, will face a familiar foe in the finals in top-seeded Tegan McGuinness (35-0) of Union-Endicott. 

McGuinness scored a technical fall and two pins on her way to the 185-pound finale, including a 46-second pin of fourth-seeded Mackenzie Vetter-Higgins of Ken-Ton in the semifinals.

"Kyah faces, guess who? Teagen McGuinness," laughed Walsh.

"We’re hoping she can take her a full match and wear her down," added Walsh. "Kyah is powerful and a competitor, we’re hoping that can help carry her through to an upset."

Nelson and McGuinness have wrestled nine times in recent years with McGuinness holding a 6-3 edge. Nelson won their first match-up last year in the finals of the Windsor Lady Knights Invitational, including this year's Section IV finals.

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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga junior Amelia Toomey is all smiles after her semi-final win. IN TOP PHOTO: Tioga sophomore Kyah Nelson. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.

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