Girls wrestling state championships: Crofton’s Lexy Pabon wins 3rd title
UPPER MARLBORO — When the area’s best arrived for the 2025 girls wrestling state championships, so too did the chance to make a statement.
Crofton’s Lexy Pabon not only capped her career with another state championship, but after pinning Stephen Decatur’s Rachel Plata for the 125-pound title, she made a bold declaration about her future.
Holding up a black T-shirt, Pabon announced her commitment to Life University.
“I’m very happy about my commitment,” she said. “I’m really excited to have the opportunity to go and wrestle for them.”
Pabon described her final year as “pretty hard,” partly because of weight cutting. Her pin finished off a 31-10 season and secured her third state championship.
“She can score outside or with the double leg, she can run through you, or she can be finesse,” Crofton coach Jason West said. “You couldn’t ask for a better person to build your program around than Lexy.”
For Pabon, the win is just the beginning. The future Running Eagle plans to hit the ground running when she arrives in Georgia, proudly representing her school and, quite possibly, her country on the wrestling mat in the future.
And after that, of course, there’s the final step in her master plan: returning to Crofton to take West’s job.
Havre de Grace star Madison Birth goes back-to-back
Facing a familiar foe in the 110-pound final, Harford County sophomore Madison Birth went back to the basics to secure her second state championship in as many seasons.
“I didn’t go sit in the stands; I kept moving,” she said. “I was able to stay active and stay warm.”
Birth came out firing from the opening whistle and earned a 10-6 decision over Eastern Tech’s Ariana Carnahan, who entered the match 29-0 before falling to the talented sophomore.
After the two exchanged takedowns, Birth took control of the match and cruised to victory. Having wrestled predominantly against boys all season, nothing deterred Birth. She kept her head down and put in the work, and it paid off with the ultimate prize.
Moments after her victory, Birth was already talking with her coaches, focused on the road ahead after reaching the mountaintop this season.
“We knew it was going to be a tough year, but I figured it out,” Birth said. “We’re going to get to work over the summer with strength training and hopefully get better.”
Oluwadamilare Idowu might not have had the largest cheering section inside Show Place Arena on Saturday, but when she pinned Brunswick freshman Catherine Orndorff for the 105-pound state title, her two best friends cheered and cried louder than anyone, rushing down to the floor to shower her with praise.
Idowu and her friends, one of whom is Randallstown alum and three-time state champion Ugochi Anunobi, shared laughs, tears and a big group hug as Idowu finally became a state champion.
“This is the best I’ve ever been,” Idowu said. “I listened to [Anunobi] every time she told me to keep going, not to stop, and to wrestle how I want to wrestle.”
Idowu’s win marks her first state title, a feat she once thought impossible. Now, she’s more confident than ever.
“I used to think my opponents were better than me,” she said. “Before, my confidence was bad. I didn’t believe in myself, and I wasn’t believing in the moves I was making.”
After a 29-1 season and a state title, it’s clear no one was better than Oluwadamilare Idowu. Now, the entire state knows it.
Violet Land wins for Howard County; Sophia Hodges on top, too
Violet Land became the lone Howard County champion on Saturday, pinning Alexandra Conley of Queen Anne’s County to win the 100-pound state championship. Land finishes the season 22-17 for Marriotts Ridge.
After finishing third the past two seasons, Northeast junior Sophia Hodges brought home another title for Anne Arundel County by defeating Aubry Spadoni of Quince Orchard, 6-2, in the 135-pound state championship. Hodges finishes the season with an impressive 24-1 record.
Randallstown’s Wura Idowu reacts to pinning Brunswick’s Catherine Orndorff in the final of the girls 105 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Arundel’s Gigi Orellana-Henriquez, left, battles Northeast’s Jaziah Bond in the final of the girls 190 weight class during the 4A/3A East regional wrestling tournament at Northeast High School on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Randallstown’s Wura Idowu, right, tries to take down Brunswick’s Catherine Orndorff in the final of the girls 105 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Winters Mill’s Gabbie McLeod, left, battles Rising Sun’s Reagan Ramadan in the final of the girls 155 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Atholton’s Samantha Semprun Salazar controls Walter Johnson’s Sonia Pegoue in the final of the girls 145 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Northeast’s Sophia Hodges embraces her coach after defeating Quince Orchard’s Aubry Spadoni in the final of the girls 135 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Severna Park’s Alanna Adams tries not to be pinned by Laurel’s Alexandra Ford in the final of the girls 140 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Northeast’s Sophia Hodges controls Quince Orchard’s Aubry Spadoni in the final of the girls 135 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Havre de Grace’s Madison Birth tries to pin Eastern Tech’s Ariana Carnahan in the final of the girls 110 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Crofton’s Lexy Pabon flips her coach in celebration of her win over Stephen Decatur’s Rachel Plata in the final of the girls 125 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Atholton’s Samantha Semprun Salazar, left, battles Walter Johnson’s Sonia Pegoue in the final of the girls 145 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Crofton’s Lexy Pabon celebrates her win over Stephen Decatur’s Rachel Plata in the final of the 125-pound weight class during the state championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Crofton’s Lexy Pabon controls Stephen Decatur’s Rachel Plata in the final of the girls 125 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Marriotts Ridge’s Violet Land reacts to pinning Queen Annes County’s Alexandra Conley in the final of the girls 100 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Marriotts Ridge’s Violet Land celebrates her win over Queen Annes County’s Alexandra Conley in the final of the girls 100 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Randallstown’s Wura Idowu controls Brunswick’s Catherine Orndorff in the final of the girls 105 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Havre de Grace’s Madison Birth celebrates her win over Eastern Tech’s Ariana Carnahan in the final of the girls 110 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Northeast’s Sophia Hodges defeats Quince Orchard’s Aubry Spadoni in the final of the girls 135 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Eastern Tech’s Ariana Carnahan, left, and Havre de Grace’s Madison Birth battle in the final of the girls 110 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
Marriotts Ridge’s Violet Land pins Queen Annes County’s Alexandra Conley in the final of the girls 100 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
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Randallstown’s Wura Idowu reacts to pinning Brunswick’s Catherine Orndorff in the final of the girls 105 weight class during the MPSSAA Wrestling State Championships at The Show Place Arena on Saturday. (Brian Krista/Staff)
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