ALLIANCE — A long journey finally came to fruition for the Alliance girls wrestling team on Saturday. It would have been hard to write a better ending.
The Aviators had three wrestlers win weight classes as Alliance captured the first girls team championship in Top Gun Tournament history with 158 points.
The Aviators finished 74 points ahead of the inaugural 24-team field. Avery Horning (115 pounds), Adilyn Mozden (145) and Chacora Tackett (235) thrilled the home crowd by winning their respective divisions.
“We’ve been trying to get a girls division going for the Top Gun Tournament for a few years now,” Alliance girls wrestling head coach Dane Johnson said. “To see it actually happen and for the girls to come out and win it is enough to bring tears to my eyes. We’re blessed to have a school, an administration, an athletic department and a community that gives our program so much support.”
Horning is no stranger to success on the mat. The junior is a returning state qualifier who initially got into the sport because her older sister was a wrestler. She quickly found success.
“This was a really cool experience this weekend,” Horning said. “This wasn’t something we were necessarily planning to have work out like this but we are really glad it did. This group of girls works super hard and it is cool that we were able to have three champions today. It means a lot to the program.”
Alliance girls’ wrestling head coach Dane Johnson, center, coaching staff and fans celebrate Avery Horning’s emotional win in the girls’ Top Gun 115 pound championship match Saturday January 13, 2024 at Alliance High School.
Mozden, a junior, also comes from a family of wrestlers. She is now part of the first brother and sister combination to earn Top Gun championships. Aidan Mozden won a Top Gun championship in his weight class in 2023. Her sister, Abigail Mozden, also competes for the Alliance girls wrestling team and was a state qualifier last year.
“It’s a great feeling,” Adilyn Mozden said. “It meant a lot to have my family here to support me. It was a great weekend for the team overall. I think we got stronger as a team this weekend.”
Alliance’s Abigail Mozden battles Spire Academy’s Joelle Scott in the girls’ Top Gun 130 pound championship match Saturday January 13, 2024 at Alliance High School. Michael Skolosh/Special to the Alliance Review
Tackett is in just her second year as a competitive wrestler. The sophomore endured growing pains as a freshman but hard work over the summer has led to a breakout season.
“I was a basketball player before I joined the wrestling team last year,” Tackett said. “It just ultimately wasn’t a good fit for me. I tried wrestling and I loved it. This whole thing is just crazy for me. Last year, my record was not great. I would have been shocked if you told that version of me that I would be standing here today as a weight class champion at Top Gun.”
Alliance’s Adilyn Mozden jumps into her mother Becky’s arms after winning the girls’ Top Gun 145 pound championship match Saturday January 13, 2024 at Alliance High School.
Isabella Hall also posted a third-place finish at 190 pounds with a quick pin for Alliance at the tournament.
“This whole weekend has just been an incredible experience for us,” Hall said. “We’re super excited about the future and super proud about what we were able to accomplish by winning a team championship today.”
First place at Top Gun checked off a major goal for Alliance. The Aviators still have big dreams going forward.
“We achieved a big goal of ours for the season by winning this tournament today,” Johnson said. “The next big thing we are going to be looking toward is the state duals team tournament. We want to have a good showing in that. After that, it’s the individual state tournament. We want to get as many girls to that as we possibly can.”
Reach Cliff at [email protected]
On X: @chickmanREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: ‘Enough to bring tears to my eyes:’ Alliance girls wrestling makes history, wins Top Gun
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