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Parkersburg South’s Samantha Miller doing her thing on the mat

Patriot grappler has a busy summer ahead

Parkersburg South sophomore Samantha Miller, pictured here competing against Belpre’s Andrew Miranda during the Williamstown Bob Zide Rumble, is hoping to have a successful offseason on the mat. Photo by Jay W. Bennett

PARKERSBURG — Samantha Miller has yet to break into the varsity lineup for current four-time defending Class AAA state wrestling champion Parkersburg South, but the sophomore continues to work hard and puts the time in with hopes of securing a starting spot in the near future.

As it stands now, the junior-to-be noted, “I believe I can be varsity next year. I’ve always wanted to be on varsity.”

Although that is indeed Miller’s future plans, her current schedule has her quite busy staying in shape and preparing for a plethora of wrestling tournaments this spring and summer.

Coming up first for Miller, who has to compete at 106 pounds in high school, but came into her 10th-grade year weighing just 95 pounds, this week is the U.S. Marine Corps girls folkstyle national championships in Oklahoma City.

“Last year (in Oklahoma City), I weighed in at 95, wrestled 100 and I was the smallest one, and I went 0-4, so I didn’t do very good. It was basically one of my first biggest tournaments and I was so nervous,” admitted Miller, who expects bigger things this time around.

“I think I have a better chance this year. I’m not going to be as nervous and I think I am more mentally prepared than I was last year.”

Getting the opportunity to wrestle only girls is a welcomed change from what Miller usually sees on a day-to-day basis.

“Wrestling girls is completely different than wrestling guys,” she added. “Girls use their hips and guys use their upper bodies.”

PSHS head coach Shaun Smith said of the only female Patriot, “I enjoy her a lot. She’s a great kid and always trying to improve on something and always working hard.

“I never have a bad thing to say about her. She’s an excellent teammate and a great person to coach. Last summer, she went out to Fargo (U.S. Marine Corps junior cadet national championship) and even though she didn’t achieve the goals she wanted to, she gained a lot of experience and you could tell from this season she’s greatly improved.”

Miller, who has been on the mat since the age of 4, said her dad and brothers wrestled and it was just something she was exposed to at a young age and loved doing.

“I want to place in Oklahoma, Fargo and I want to at least place in the world trials,” said Miller, who will compete in Fargo on July 17-21 and will attempt to qualify at the UWW cadet and junior world team trials on May 11-13 in Irving, Texas.

“I would love to get first at it, but it’s a huge step. There are a lot of girls who have been wrestling girls’ season and West Virginia is not sanctioned for that.”

The best finish in a varsity tournament for Miller this past season was a runner-up effort in December at the Jackson County Invitational. Miller’s run to a 106-pound title was stopped in the finals by Wirt County’s Logan Powell.

While competing against boys is something Miller has grown accustomed to, she admitted that “my first year, like last year when I was a freshman, I was basically beat up the first month. Then I gained their respect and they treated me like I am their own sister.”

One challenge for Miller continuing to do what she wants and going to girls-only tournaments is the cost involved. Anyone wanting to help her cause can do so my making a donation in her name at the Wood County Community Federal Credit Union.

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