MECHANICSBURG — The first-ever postseason for the Chambersburg girls wrestling program got off to a great start at Mechanicsburg on Friday.

The Trojans, wrestling in the District 3 Section II Tournament, claimed two individual championships, qualified four wrestlers to the District 3 Championships and ended up in fourth place in the team standings in a field of 23 teams.

“It was a good day, and it’s been a very fun season,” Chambersburg coach Josh Sherman said. “The girls have really grown — they’re getting confident and learning to trust me and it’s working. To get fourth place in our first year is awesome.”

Reagan Evans

Reagan Evans became the Trojans’ first-ever girls sectional champion, and she needed a big comeback to defeat Kenna Hoffman of Dallastown in the final at 130 pounds. Hoffman took Evans down to her back to take a 7-0 lead. But with about 30 seconds left in the first period, Evans reversed Hoffman, put her on her back and got the mat slap at 1:59.

Before the final, Evans (23-0), a freshman and the No. 1 seed, had pins of 18 seconds, 33 seconds and 1:36.

“Reagan tried an inside trip, but got thrown to her back,” Sherman said. “She fought off, got a reversal, put in an arm bar, and that was it.”

Evans said, “It surprised me — that’s the first time I’ve been on my back this year. I thought I was probably close to getting pinned before I got out.

“It feels pretty good to be the first sectional champion; it’s kind of been on my mind. Now I’m looking forward to wrestling in districts and try to finish first there. My goal is to get to states and experience that.”

The other first-place finisher was sophomore Aulana Stanton at 170 pounds, who won a wild final, 12-9, over Emma Beaven of Cumberland Valley. Beaven struck first with a takedown, but before the first period ended, Stanton reversed to get to within 3-2.

Aulana Stanton

In the second period, Stanton hit a takedown and got 4 back points to take a 9-3 lead into the third. She started on top and added a 3-point nearfall for a 12-3 lead, but Beaven made it interesting by reversing her and scoring a 4-point nearfall.

Stanton (22-0) had two pins before the final.

“At the end of the match, I don’t think I was close to getting pinned,” said Stanton, who has had few of her bouts go the distance. “So much of it is just confidence. Cardio can be a factor sometimes, but for me it’s mostly making sure I don’t don’t get into my head too much.”

Sherman said, “The CV girls was strong and physical, but Auland did her thing to get that nice lead.”

Chambersburg had three other placewinners. Jessica Li, who was the first seed at 106, ended up in fourth place. Li was pinned in the semifinals, scored a consolation pin, and then fell by 17-1 technical fall to Lillian Seagreaves of CV in the bout for third place.

Lillybeth Alcantaras lost her first match of the day, but picked up two pins in consolation rounds at 235. In the bout for third place, she lost for the second time in a day to Veronica Guise of CV, by pin in 1:58.

Li (20-3) and Alcantaras (10-8), both sophomores. have qualified for the District 3 Championships, which will be held at Penn Manor on March 1. The top 4 at each weight in sectionals advances to districts.

Also placing for Chambersburg was junior Haydn Fritz (16-10), who took fifth at 142. She was 4-2 for the day with 4 pins, including a stick of South Western’s Brooklynn Adams in 0:27 in the bout for 5th place.

In addition, Alba Rojas was 1-2 at 136, Brookelyn Morrow was 0-2 at 148 and Daryn Glasgow was 0-2 at 155.

“I thought all the girls wrestled well today, and the two finals had lots of fireworks,” Sherman said.