Coming from a jiu-jitsu and judo background in her youth, Mariah Gramza found her way into wrestling at Perry as a freshman. She never won a match that season.

"I thought it would be pretty easy and then I came to freshman year practice," the junior said. "I went through the whole season, and I didn’t win one match at all because all I was wrestling was guys."

Times - and genders - have changed.

Gramza finished as a top-three wrestler in three events this season, placing third in the inaugural girls Sectionals Wrestling Tournament Jan. 26. Now Gramza has her sights set on winning her first state championship Friday in Prescott Valley.

She feels “really great” and said her success could help grow the program in the future.

"I think that I can be a big influence I feel like a lot of the girls who -- just being able to show that girls can wrestle because a lot of times people think wrestling is a guy’s sport," Gramza said. "'You can do this. You might be scared -- I was scared -- but wrestling is not just for guys. You can do this you’re wrestling girls too.'"

Gramza left Perry for a year before returning last fall semester when coach Darren Johnson informed her girls wrestling was now an official AIA sport.

"I didn’t even know that was a thing," Gramza said. "They talked about it years ago too, but it never happened. I thought you had to wrestle guys always."

 

Mariah Gramza taking down a teammate during practice.(Photo by Jose Solis/AZPreps365)

Gramza was excited to compete against girls but her parents were having seconds thoughts.

"It was kind of a wishy-washy thing at the beginning because my parents didn’t want me to do it anymore," Gramza said. "They told me had I had to get a job. I had to balance wrestling, job, and school and I didn’t know what I would have to give up."

Gramza said she cried at night, missing what had become such a positive experience in her life.

"It’s not just a want; it’s more of a need," Gramza said. "Because I need the community, I need the wrestling experience of just having that and having the coaches be there for me."

Eventually, Gramza convinced her parents wrestling was her passion and returned to the program with the Lady Quest for the Crown on the horizon. It was the first meet of the year and without any practice in the last few weeks she finished first.

Gramza's coaches didn't expect anything less. Johnson and junior varsity assistant coach Jon Kimling have worked with Gramza all season.

“Her aggression and the ability to take the wrestling to the opponent probably separates her the most, especially at the girls’ division," Kimling said. "[She] goes right into it, she attacks, she does her moves, she works on the stuff that we’ve worked in the room, and there’s no hesitation."

"Mariah is able to throw, and throwing is just one part of wrestling," Johnson said. "But if you’re good at it, it can be devastating [and] end matches quickly."

Said Johnson: "I think if she came home with a state medal, it would go a long way towards getting other girls to come out. If she came home with a state medal, and we could promote that, I think that would help a lot [of] other girls to make the leap."

Regardless of Friday's outcome, Gramza hopes her talents will inspire others and get her into college wrestling.

"Maybe they’ll see that I can do this and that I’m good enough to wrestle in college," Gramza said. "I’m good enough to do this because that’s my goal in life to be the best that I can be.”