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Fossil Ridge's first state qualifier took advantage of opportunity

By Laura Weisskopf
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

FORT WORTH -- Her parents didn't know it at the time, but their daughter's given name is oddly appropriate for her teen-age personality.

Emeth Thompson has a knack for honesty, a perfect fit with her first name, which means truth in ancient Hebrew.

The Fossil Ridge freshman (call her Emmy, please) certainly doesn't mind talking openly about her passion for wrestling.

"All the contact and being able to hurt your opponent, that's really fun," she said. "You can smudge their face into the ground."

The last comment provoked laughter from her friends, who are drawn to her enthusiasm for the sport and took in her every word as she explained her feelings in the Fossil Ridge training room last week.

"What?" she exclaimed. "I'm just telling the truth."

The truth -- and this was perhaps difficult for the male wrestlers to accept -- is that Thompson claimed her place in school history as the first wrestler of either gender to qualify for the state tournament. An exuberant 138-pounder who never wrestled before joining the high school squad, Thompson defeated the top two seeds to win the title at the Region II girls championship 11 days ago.

The Saturday afternoon regional marked the first time Thompson won three consecutive matches, a feat she will have to duplicate to bring home a state championship against a field of mostly upperclassmen.

Although she lacks experience, Thompson is a deliberate wrestler who doesn't make mistakes and is quick to exploit her opponents' gaffes, coach Clint Wood said.

In addition, Thompson's overall athleticism -- she runs cross country in the fall and already has started training for track season -- has given her an edge.

"Six minutes is a lifetime out there when you're out on the mat," Wood said. "Endurance is a big part of that.

"We get into the third period and we're still fine. We've wrestled four minutes, five minutes and we're not dying and their opponents are."

Thompson's appetite for contact sports developed early. She played on the middle school football team in seventh grade, much to the chagrin of her male teammates. When she saw wrestling was starting at Fossil Ridge, Thompson couldn't wait for the opportunity.

"She used to always take my yearbook from me and look at all the wrestling pictures. Over and over and over again," said her sister, Alathea, a Fossil Ridge junior who is a captain of the track and field squad.

One of Thompson's disadvantages going into the state meet is the lack of live competition she has faced this season. She is 10-4, which includes matches against heavier girls. Against 138-pounders, she is 8-2.

"It's hard to find girls in your weight class at different schools because it's just getting started in the Metroplex," she said. "In the future it's going to be a lot more developed."

Thompson won't be a bystander in developing the sport at Fossil Ridge. She hopes to spread her enthusiasm to the future Panthers in middle school. With Wood's blessing, the four-girl squad will launch a recruiting campaign as the school year comes to a close.

"We're going to talk to the upcoming freshmen about what it's like to be on the team," Thompson said. "We're going to hopefully get some of the lighter girls and the really heavy girls -- if they have any -- because it's hard to come by a 185-pounder. We're going to try to get a full roster next year, 10-15 girls."

This week, however, Thompson will concentrate on winning a state championship. It is a sweet reward, Wood said, for one of his hardest workers, a wrestler who represents what his girls are all about.

"Everything now is just icing on the cake," Wood said. "Hopefully she does a good job and has a chance to place. If she does that as a freshman, she's got a good road ahead."

Laura Weisskopf, (817) 685-3810

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Girl wrestler 2nd to reach districts

Dayton Daily News

February 18, 2001

NORTHMOR - Jessica Shirley has become the second Ohio girl ever to advance
to the districts in the three-phase state high school wrestling tournament.

The 112-pound senior from Northmor, near Mansfield, took fourth at Division
III sectionals Saturday at Amanda-Clearcreek.

In the match to determine who would advance to the districts, she beat Bloom
Carroll sophomore Jeff Hedges 4-1, giving up only an escape. She had earlier
pinned Utica senior Derek Oliver.

Behind 4-0 in that match after a first period mistake that put her on her
back, she locked in a front cradle and held Oliver on his back for the
better part of a minute before the end came halfway through the second
period.