Stewarts Creek High School senior makes history as state wrestling champion

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A wrestler from Stewarts Creek High School made history after becoming the champion of her division at the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) Championships over the weekend.

Saturday, Ashleigh Williams became the first-ever wrestling champion at SCHS after she defeated a West Creek High School student and placed first in the girls’ 235-pound weight class.

Williams said she was determined to go to the next level after qualifying for regionals last year.

“When it comes to pushing yourself there’s two different sides, you’ve got your physical side, and that was a lot of conditioning. Everybody thinks they’re in shape until you try wrestling conditioning. And then there’s the mental side,” she said, “My biggest problem throughout the years of me wrestling has always been getting out of my own head. But I learned to overcome that recently.”

The result of her determination is evident; she only lost one match during the wrestling season before competing in the TSAA Championships.

Williams’ mother, Jessica Cole, told News 2 her daughter is a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) first sergeant in the Red Hawk Battalion and the brigade command sergeant major over Rutherford County Schools. In addition to her dedication to school and JROTC, Williams also balances work commitments. She is a senior at SCHS and is considering her post-high school options.