The Gilmer High girls wrestling program has continually been near the top of the sport.
GHS graduated 18 wrestlers combined over the past two seasons, and this year head coach Stacy Galloway has stressed fundamentals and growth with a young roster. There are currently seven who have attended practice regularly, and that number should jump to 20 once cross-country runners and flag football players finish their seasons.
“This year, we’ve placed a strong emphasis on building our middle school program and are excited to have about 20 middle school girls (in addition to GHS wrestlers) already training with us,” Galloway said. “We expect an additional five to 10 more to join as the season progresses, setting the stage for a bright future and continued success for Lady Cats wrestling.”
Like most successful programs, the Cats had a busy June getting ready for the upcoming season. It was a time to acclimate new wrestlers while focusing on the basics.
“We had a really strong offseason with great participation throughout the summer,” Galloway said. “Several new wrestlers joined the program during that time, and the work they put in has already started to pay off as the season gets underway.
“Our main focus over the summer was simply to get valuable mat time and build experience. We participated in several multi-team practices and live-wrestling sessions, which provided our girls with important competition-style experience and helped boost their confidence heading into the season.”
Much of their summer work carried over once the team began official practices last month as they continued to concentrate on fundamentals, building mental toughness and fostering a genuine love for the sport.
“We want our athletes to develop a strong foundation in technique and confidence on the mat, while also learning to embrace the challenges that come with wrestling,” said Galloway.
For the girls, teams are not split into classifications based on enrollment like the boys division. Rather, all girls teams compete against each other at the state level. GHS claimed third at state duals last year and were fourth in 2024. On the traditional side, the Cats took seventh last year and were runners-up the season prior.
Gilmer returns six wrestlers who Galloway believes will “play key roles in dual meets and have the potential to make deep postseason runs.”
Junior Abelinda Tercero (125/130 pounds) is Gilmer’s lone returning state placer, finishing fourth last year. She is a two-time state placer. Erika Tercero (235) qualified for state last season and is aiming to improve her placement as a sophomore.
Salma Gonzalez (115/120) is Gilmer’s only senior, and she just came up short of qualifying for state last season. Galloway said she had a strong offseason and is poised to qualify in her final season.
Allison Hernandez (110/115) had a strong freshman campaign and is expected to be a state qualifier. Galloway mentioned junior LucyAnn McArthur (155) and sophomore Juana Tercero (190) as two more experienced wrestlers who are set to make a bigger impact this year.
Even though fundamentals and growth will be key for the team all season, it has not dampened Galloway’s expectations at the state level.
“We expect to be very competitive in duals once again,” he said. “We’ve placed in the state duals championship every year since the GHSA introduced the girls division three years ago, and we fully expect to be in the hunt for that title again this season.
“We’ve also had at least one state placer every year since the GHSA began girls wrestling in 2019, and we have several girls this year who are capable of adding to that legacy.”
Galloway added, “Ultimately, our expectation is that every athlete improves each day, competes with effort and pride, and represents Lady Cats wrestling with toughness and class both on and off the mat.”
Galloway expects Lumpkin County to be one of the top teams again this season. The Indians are the defending state champions and only graduated one wrestler off last year’s squad. Teams who have also fared well in recent seasons and are expected to field strong teams once again are Carrollton, Greenbrier, Jackson County, Jefferson and Jordan.
GHS will attend the Campbell Lady Spartan Invitational Saturday.