Camden Central School District -

On Thursday, February 26th, two student-athletes from the Camden girls’ varsity wrestling program had the honor of taking part in the second annual New York State Public High School Athletic Association Girls’ Wrestling Championship at Albany’s MVP Arena. The event brought 212 competitors together to compete for top honors across 13 classifications, and was the second state championship-level event to be held in the sport’s emerging history in New York. A NYSPHSAA-sanctioned invitational was the culminating event in 2023 and 24.

Across the first three years, the Blue Devils have established a reputation as a top-flight program with a state level competitor in each, and a podium finisher in two out of three years. That penchant for excellence continued in 2026.

Sophomore Rylie Meagher became the program’s first two-time state podium finisher with a sixth place finish at 120 pounds. Meagher, the seventh seed, took down Bay Shore’s Isabella Juliano by pinfall in just 1:04, and battled second round opponent Tayah Beach to a 14-13 decision to make the semifinals. In the semifinals, Meagher faced one of her toughest opponents yet in Pan American Games gold medalist Gigi Sullivan, a freshman from Section IX’s Monroe-Woodbury. Sullivan won by technical fall, and Meagher went on to claim sixth place out of the consolation bracket.

It was Meagher’s third state-level appearance in four years. She was the third place finisher at 94 pounds back in 2023. She wraps up her sophomore season with 30 victories, 20 of which were by pinfall, and her first Section III title.

Senior Astro Johnson accomplished a long-held goal of making it to the state championship, which was achieved through a win in the “True Second” match at the Section III Championship. The sectional bronze medalist competed at 185 pounds, and met a pair of setbacks on the mat to wrap up an impressive three year high school wrestling career that contained 60 wins. Johnson recently committed to wrestle for Onondaga Community College next season, and is the Camden girls’ wrestling program’s first-ever college commitment.