Madsons, Hornets Go For NCS Wrestling Crowns

High has some of the top girl wrestlers in the North Coast Section.

This weekend, we'll find out exactly where it stands as a team.

Led by the Madson sisters, the Hornets will take a powerful five-girl contingent to the North Coast Section Championships at Newark Memorial High on Friday and Saturday.

The team is coming off an impressive first-place showing at the Queen of the Mat event at Pittsburg High. The Pirates rate as one of the favorites this week, as does Newark Memorial, the defending NCS champion.

And Novato, which finished ninth last year but has never won a section title, could be right up there, too.

"I personally believe we'll easily be in the top five and in the running for the North Coast title," assessed Novato coach . "We had a couple of injuries this season, but the five that we have competing are good athletes and they will do well for us."

That's an understatement when it comes to and .

Carissa, a freshman, takes a 19-0 record and top seeding into the event at 103 pounds.

Courtney, 22-0, is even more highly regarded than that. The senior is not only the top seed at NCS, she also rates as the No. 1 114-pounder in the nation.

"Usually at this level, experience is a big factor," Brielmaier noted. "Carissa is a freshman, but she is not a first-year wrestler. She was a middle-school state champion and also placed sixth in the nation, so she's no stranger to wrestling.

"And she has a heckuva training partner in her sister."

Also competing for Novato will be , the No. 2 seed at 122 pounds, , the fifth seed at 126, and , the fifth seed at 154.

All will be competing in their first NCS tournaments.

"They all have the potential to win their weight classes," Brielmaier boasted of the trio, all of whom finished in the top three at the Queen of the Mat.

The wrestling begins Friday at 4:30 p.m. and concludes with championship finals late Saturday. The top four in each weight class qualify for the State Invitational, Feb. 25-26, in Lemoore.