Lafayette Jefferson High School

Can history be made twice in one calendar year? It absolutely can. During the culmination of the IHSAA academic calendar last school year, the board members officially passed for girls wrestling to be an IHSAA sanctioned sport. Lady Bronchos have always been interested in wrestling, joining the boys program for the past 10+ years. Being recognized as a club at the school and across the state, the group of female wrestlers were ineligible to compete for an IHSAA tournament, unless it was with the boys. Many Bronchos before them, took upon this challenge. As the program continued to grow, it did so across the state. Allowing for the state to create its own variation of a state tournament for Girls wrestlers. Since the inception of that tournament, the Bronchos have been represented in it each year. But this year was different. Athletic Director Justin Gardiner was in charge of putting a face for the girls wrestling program who could not only continue the history of Lady Broncho wrestlers, but also make them an immediate contender. Gardiner looked no further than within our own building to hire Clay Jones. Jones had been an assistant on the boys staff for a few years, while also teaching history at Lafayette Jefferson High School. To further distinct himself as the right man for the job, Clay wrestled collegiately at the University of Indianapolis, as well as being a decorated Broncho wrestler himself. He appeared in the state finals twice throughout his high school career. Carrying alongside those appearances were three conference championships, two sectional championships, two regional championships, a team MVP, and a stellar senior season that put him in the Broncho record books. He recorded 39 pins, 81 takedowns and entered himself into the 100+ win club. Winning is the pedigree that Clay carried himself with when vying for the job. And it turned into immediate production and results. New girls joined the team, as well as the same familiar faces we have seen wrestle as a club. Finally getting the chance to put it together as an IHSAA sport was bittersweet for the team, as well as creating a huge buzz within the school. Heading into Friday morning, the Bronchos felt opportunistic about their ability to finish on podiums and wrestle with great tenacity. It turned into even more, by capturing the inaugural girls wrestling sectional championship. Headlined by 105 Sectional Champion, Senniah Henderson, the Bronchos will advance 5 total to regionals, including the following individuals: Lexi Baumgartner, Vania Hernandez, Na'Caiya Reeves, Jordan Quesada. The Lady Bronchos will head to Rochester next Friday, January 10th to wrestling in the IHSAA Regional, seeking to capture another trophy and let this storied season continue.