Back-to-Back: Holmes-Smith captures second state title

Enterprise freshman Evelyn Holmes-Smith has been one of the best female wrestlers in the entire country the past two seasons and on Jan. 22 captured her second straight AHSSA Girls State Championship in the 116-pound division.

Holmes-Smith went 3-0 at the state tournament in Hoover with all three wins coming by pinfall. After receiving a first round bye – due to coming into the tournament undefeated – Holmes-Smith pinned Montevallo’s Amylia Thomas in the quarterfinals and then defeated Arab’s Maggie Whitaker by pinfall in the semifinals.

In the championship match, Holmes-Smith defeated WS Neal’s Carlie Tait by pinfall to capture her second state championship. It was Tait’s first loss of the season.

“As a freshman she has accomplished a lot in the female wrestling world,” Enterprise coach Matt Pipkins said. “She just keeps getting better and we look forward to watching her push the limits to achieve excellence.”

Senior Loriah Castro also finished seventh in the 134-pound division at the state tournament. After falling in the opening round of the tournament, she picked up back-to-back pinfall wins over Tuscaloosa County’s Savannah Jones and Robertsdale’s Keoni Knotts in the consolation bracket. In the third round, Castro fell to Sparkman’s Kameron Glenn.

“She is a senior that has been one of Enterprise’s first female wrestlers, setting the foundation for future female wrestlers,” Pipkins said of Castro. “As Loriah prepares for her next steps, she has many options. Whichever path she chooses, success will surely follow.”