Here’s how Bald Eagle Area’s Grace Stem is thriving while trying to promote girls’ wrestling
If you ask anyone who follows wrestling which state is the best at producing talent, their answer will more than likely be: Pennsylvania.
In fact, the Keystone State led all states with 17 All-Americans, including seven finalists, at this weekend’s Division I NCAA Wrestling Championships. That success makes it even more surprising that Pennsylvania is one of just 22 states that has yet to sanction high school girls’ wrestling.
But Bald Eagle Area junior Grace Stem — who just won the 140-pound title at the MyHouse PA Girls State Championship in Lancaster on Sunday — believes momentum is building to change that.
“From when I first started, there weren’t nearly as many girls wrestling as there are now,” Stem told the Centre Daily Times. “There weren’t nearly as many opportunities as far as tournaments. I feel like even the boys are becoming more accepting of it at the boys’ tournaments.”
According to a release from Wrestle Like a Girl about “Pennsylvania Girls Wrestling Day” on March 21, the number of girls wrestling across the state increased from 102 to 229 in the past year, representing more than 130 PIAA member schools in all 12 districts.
The Eagles are one of only a handful of programs that have at least one girl wrestling on their team in District 6. Some other programs include State College, Central Mountain and Glendale.
Though she’s only been wrestling for four years, Stem has already made a name for herself, becoming one of the faces of girls’ wrestling locally. She competed on the national stage in February, taking part in the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club’s nine-bout junior card that featured two girls’ freestyle bouts. She got paired up with the then-No. 6-ranked wrestler in the country Elleni Johnson.
Stem secured a takedown in the second period to win 7-4, after leading 5-4 after the first.
“It’s really an honor. I’m just trying to set the best example as I can,” Stem said, when asked what it means to be a role model for younger girls, “and encourage them to get out there and wrestle, and show them I can wrestle, too.”
Stem dominated on her way to her MyHouse state title on Sunday with two quick pins.
Stem was the top overall seed, receiving a bye in the seven-girl bracket. She stuck East Stroudsburg’s Angelina Hiller in 37 seconds in the semifinals.
In the finals, the BEA wrestler flattened Easton’s Rachel DeGiulio in 53 seconds. Add that all up, and Stem didn’t even wrestle a full period. She joked she broke a little sweat.
“It was really great to be on top of the podium. I feel like my hard work is finally starting to pay off,” she said. “I’m just really happy, and appreciate all the support from everybody.”
Stem said she really wants to get a girls’ program started at Bald Eagle Area. She is hoping that all the success that she is having will get the school district to consider it.
“I think that with the accomplishments that I’ve made so far, maybe that will make the school board more willing to recognize it. I think it can definitely happen,” she said.
As for the PIAA recognizing the sport, Stem said she would “really love for that to happen.” She said that while she was extremely grateful for the opportunity to wrestle this weekend for a state title, it would mean just a little bit more if it was a PIAA state title.
The PIAA has stated that in order for girls’ wrestling to be sanctioned and a state championship created, at least 100 girls’ wrestling teams need to be formed.
“I think that would be a huge step in women’s wrestling,” Stem said. “If PA could get on board with that, it would be an awesome opportunity.”
This story was originally published March 23, 2021 at 11:10 AM.
