Gretzinger exceeds her expectations

Although virtually every competitor at the first New York State Girls’ Wrestling Invitational in Syracuse entered the event with more experience than Isabella Gretzinger, the Shenendehowa junior left the event invigorated by what she produced competing in the 152-pound bracket.

Going into the tournament not expecting much, “Izzy” ended up making them dizzy as Gretzinger departed SRC Arena and Events Center on Friday with a state title in tow after defeating Liverpool’s Gabby Gonzalez 13-1 in the final.

“When I went in, I was hoping to at least make sixth place,” Gretzinger said. “I didn’t even think I would place, but I was hoping that I could get sixth.”

“She was pretty shocked to win the quarters. She was shocked when she won the semis,” Shenendehowa wrestling coach Rob Weeks said. “She was, of course, shocked to win the finals as well.”

For her efforts, Gretzinger has been selected as the Times Union’s Girls’ Athlete of the Week for Jan. 23-29.

“Honestly, I don’t feel like I still did it. I am still trying to process that it actually happened,” Gretzinger said. “When I got there, I wanted to see what the other girls looked like so badly and how long they have been wrestling for. Then, when I thought about doing that, I thought that I might be more anxious.”

Unlike the vast majority of the other competitors, Gretzinger is a first-year wrestler. Winning the title meant that much more to Gretzinger knowing how new she was to the sport compared to her competition.

“Most of them had three or four years experience, and with boys,” Gretzinger said. “When I got on the bus, I thought, ‘Oh my God, did that just happen?’ ”

“She is a pretty special athlete. That certainly helps,” Weeks said. “She was a basketball player at one time in her life and then took up body building. We saw her walking around the halls and said to her that (girls) wrestling was starting up and you may want to be part of it. She picked up a lot of the important stuff quickly and showed how good of an athlete she is.”

Gretzinger said when she was in seventh grade she was overweight and looking for something that could change her outlook. That is when she took up body building. Once Gretzinger decided to pursue wrestling, she praised Weeks for making her believe she could succeed.

“He pushed us farther than we thought that we could go,” Gretzinger said.

Courtesy of Frank A. Popolizio / Shenendehowa's Isabella Gretzinger captured the 152-pound division at the state championships in her first season in the sport. She had been hoping for a top-six finish when the event started.