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River City High School women's wrestling team makes history as first-ever league champions

West Sacramento girls' high school wrestling team makes history as first-ever league champions
West Sacramento girls' high school wrestling team makes history as first-ever league champions 02:32

WEST SACRAMENTO -- The women's wrestling team at River City High School and the MEL League made history Wednesday night. 

The RCHS Raiders were crowned league champions, the first time women's wrestling in this league has had enough participation to rise to this level of competition. 

"Having women's wrestling grow as much as it is is so amazing in the first place. Now, we have a league of our own and it's even more amazing. I can't tell you how proud I am to be one of the girls a part of this, doing this," RCHS senior Lily Dempsey said. 

RCHS beat out Rodriguez High School, which hosted the duel, 30 to 27. 

"The MEL League has never had a girls wrestling pennant or a league champion. We're trying to make history with winning the very first one," varsity head coach Donald Stevens said before the competition. 

With this win, the Raiders women's team gets to move on to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section's first-ever girls' team duels championships in its history on Saturday in Stockton. 

The CIF confirms that only a handful of local leagues have full schedules and can compete at this level. The SFL League of Del Oro, the SJAA League within Stockton schools, the WAC League in Stanislaus County, and the CCC League in Merced County have been hosting women's league championships, but only for a few years now. 

"These girls train five days a week, three hours a day. They take tournaments every Saturday. They really give up a lot," Stevens said. "This sport, for one, teaches you how to overcome a lot. You have to make weight, you have to be accountable." 

Stevens says the MEL League is made up of seven local schools. RCHS has 18 girls currently wrestling for their team with an expected jump up to 30 next year. From there, Stevens says more doors are opening for collegiate opportunities. 

"Women's wrestling is growing at colleges every day. In California right now probably at least one of every two girls has an opportunity to wrestle in college," Stevens said. 

Junior Kailani Griffith of RCHS tells CBS13 before a match she gets her mind right while watching the boys compete. 

"I think about what mistakes they make and how I can work through that in my match," Griffith said. 

Griffith expressed her excitement, not only in her team's domination but the sport's growth in recent years. 

"I really wish this sport had grown a long time ago. But I'm so happy that it is now and I'm here to be a part of it. I get to tell my future kids I was a part of women's wrestling when it was booming," Griffith said. 

For Griffith and Dempsey, this history-making squad is more than just a team. 

"We're family. We do everything together," Dempsey said. 

From the stands, family watches with excitement. Sarah Adeva's niece wrestles for Rodriguez High School. 

"I can't not get up on my feet when I'm watching them compete," said Adeva. "I'm just thrilled to see not only her grow in the sport but the sport itself grow." 

Because in wrestling, a win for one girl is a win for all. 

The Sac-Joaquin Section Team Dual Championships will be hosted at Lincoln High in Stockton on Saturday, February 1. 

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