Girls Wrestling | Highline's Siri Berg has traveled far

TACOMA — Siri Berg took up wrestling as a freshman at Highline with a simple goal — trying to prove to her sister she could survive the sport.

Now a senior, Berg has done more than just survive. She will wrestle for the 160-pound title today at the second girls state wrestling tournament at the Tacoma Dome.

On Friday, Berg won three matches, her last a 9-0 major decision over Alyssa Calhoon from West Valley of Yakima that sent her to a championship date with Kylee Bishop from Washington of Tacoma, the defending state champ.

"My sister and her friends told me it was a guy's sport, and I would never be able to do it," said Berg, who made it to state last year at 145 pounds but did not place. "My first year I was clueless out there, but I just progressively got better."

Bishop will be a familiar opponent to Berg; she lost to her at the subregional and regional championships. Berg sprained her knee wrestling Bishop at the subregional and lost by injury default at regional last weekend. Berg said she feared spraining her knee again, so she pulled out in the regional championship match. Despite losing twice to Bishop, Berg won't be backing down.

"Having started from the bottom and not having any idea what I was doing when I first tried out, showed me that anyone who puts their mind to something they want to accomplish can do it," Berg said.

Berg is one of four unbeaten locals — joining Alexis Willcher from Skyline of Sammamish and Kentwood duo Antonia Navejas and Jolene Crook-Meyers.

Kentwood enters today's matches third in the team standings with 43 points. Mount Baker of Deming has 71 and defending state champ Hoquiam 64.

Willcher won three matches Friday and will try to knock off defending state champion Ashlee Phy of Mount Baker at 145.

Navejas — the defending state champion at 112 now competing at 119 — will have a chance to avenge a loss in the regional final when she faces Megan Martin of Willapa Valley in the final. Navejas won by a pin in 1:56, won by technical fall 16-0 and earned an 11-8 decision.

"It feels really, really good to be going back to the finals," Navejas said.

Crook-Meyers, who placed second last year at 130 pounds and is competing at 135 this year, earned a 16-0 technical fall over Kelsey Segawa of Olympia to advance to the finals.

"I went out there thinking I want to be in the championship — I want to dominate," Crook-Meyers said. "I just went after it."