Dill caps scholastic wrestling career in style
Angie Dill is a senior wrestler for the Salem/cambridge team.
Dill competed at the 2023 New York State Public High School Athletic Association championships at MVP Arena as the lone female representative among the 52 Section II competitors participating in the twoday tournament.
Wrestling in the 110-pound Division II bracket, Dill won her first match, dropped her second and ended up going 2-2 overall to complete her second varsity season (her freshman year being the first) at 24-8 overall.
Q: You were the only female representative from Section II competing at the state championships and you won two matches. How would you rate your performance?
A: As always, I could have done some things better. I did come here not really expecting anything, but I am glad I won two matches and went 2-2. My last match against Section V (competitor Garry Mcdowell, an 11-5 loss), I feel as though I could have wrestled that one a lot better if I just came at it at a different angle. If I wrestled that kid again, I really think it may have been closer.
Q: I talked to a few wrestlers Friday that won a match and lost the second one and reminded them that many accomplished wrestlers come to the state championships, whether they are a seventh-grader or a senior, and do not win a single match. When you think about it from that perspective, does that make you feel better about coming out of the state tournament with two wins?
A: Yeah. I am kind of glad I went out 50-50. Worse comes to worse, I thought I was going to come out of here 0-2. I am happy I got here in the first place qualifying for states. I got one pin and one decision.
Q: In thinking about your four matches, how would you assess yourself ?
A: I have never been really good at that mindset in particular. What I try to do is take out something good I did in a match versus focusing on everything I did bad in a match. Obviously, you do reflect on things you did wrong or could have done better. I focus on what I did correct and use that going forward in my next match.
Q: Are you going to continue with wrestling after high school?
A: Yes, my plan is to continue my wrestling career in college.
Q: Was there any thought of competing in the Girls’ Invitational championships, the first state event exclusively for girls to compete in?
A: I really wanted to focus on the boys’ season. I don’t really like folkstyle (the style used in high school wrestling) that much. It isn’t really a style I am comfortable with. If I am going to wrestler folkstyle, I am going to wrestle the boys.
Q: You like greco?
A: Yes, I wrestle boys in greco too. I didn’t really see a point in doing folkstyle against girls when they don’t even do it in college. I always found it to be a challenge wrestling against boys and I love my teammates. Again, I see competing in folkstyle as a challenge.
Q: In watching your team compete two weeks ago at the sectional championships in Glens Falls, it really looked like your team really enjoyed competing together. How much fun was this season?
A: My teammates made it so much better. The practices were hard and the competition was hard, but having my teammates around and I made friends with a lot of other teams because of folkstyle, greco and what I do during the offseason. Having the kind of support behind me helped keep my confidence up and continue on.
Q: When did wrestling start for you?
A: I started when I was in the seventh grade in folkstyle. I did modified. I started really because my brothers wrestled. My mom always tried to sign me up for sports. When I was younger, she signed me up for softball. That really didn’t interest me. I like the combat aspect of wrestling.
Q: I have seen some female wrestlers in the past from Section II that were extremely aggressive on the mat and others that were a bit tentative competing against male wrestlers. You did not hesitate at all. Is that your love for the combat aspect of the sport coming out?
A: Yes, it really does come out. Once I get over the nerves, I get out there. Sometimes, I need to get past the first period to really start wrestling. That is a problem I have where I really don’t wrestle my best in the first period. Once I get past the first period, I really do wrestle better.
Q: You just came through the top tournament in the state and being in the midst of that competition, it can be difficult to step back and look at what was accomplished in the event and throughout the season. When you think about all that you accomplished this year and ended with you reaching the state tournament, how does that make you feel?
I am proud.