B-R’s Teegan Sibble makes ‘her’story with pinfall to win 1st ever New York State High School Girls’ Wrestling Championship; 2nd State Champion in Wolverines history, last being older brother Trent

[PHOTOS BY CHAR STONE]

By John Anderson/Wellsville Sun

ALBANY — If the crowd at the MVP Arena in Albany knew the Teegan Sibble story, they sure were quiet about it all day.

The Bolivar-Richburg senior joined a group of other talented high school wrestlers from across New York State for the first-ever NYSPHSAA Girls’ Wrestling State Championships. Sibble did not try to win another Section V boys title this year, instead going after the 114-pound State title.

After breezing through the Section V Girls Championship without giving up a point, it was time to take on the best in the State.

Each wrestler made history, win or lose. Each wrestler had a story, But then there was Teegan. A girl born with her intestines and other parts on the wrong side of her body. A girl who was constantly hospitalized and going to Children’s Hospital in Buffalo her young life.

A girl who needs to put on a clunky vest each day with two tubes that rattles her chest to allow her defunct lungs to get air. Yes, Teegan Sibble’s story was about a girl with severe Cystic Fibrosis, who was one win away from a State title at 5:35 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025.

She wasn’t supposed to be here. Her original life expectancy was 13 years old.

In the Semifinals, she had to stand around and wait for a match to end. And wait. She paced and paced. When wrestling started, she looked tired and was taken down. She trailed 2-0.

This is a freestyle championship, so the wrestlers constantly go back to their feet.

Her opponent, Gabriella Barone of Niagara-Wheatfield shot and appeared to have Sibble in a position to get back points. But Sibble used techniques to escape and get the three points and a lead she would never relinquish. Minutes later, she had a technical fall and went off to the Finals.

At 5:37 p.m., Sibble locked up with Gabrielle Severino of Bethpage right off the bat.

Her coach, Andrew Taylor knew exactly what was coming — a chin whip. A chin whip is exactly what it sounds like. Force and pain. Suddenly, the two wrestlers crashed to the mat with Sibble on top. Severino fought, but there was no way Sibble was letting history slip away.

At the 1:11 mark, a pin was signaled. The loudest cheer of the day from the MVP Arena crowd in Albany erupted. The Teegan Sibble story was no longer a secret. She is a warrior and now, a State champion. Something her brother, Trenton accomplished just two years ago.

“That chin whip was so good it hurt me just watching it,” Taylor said with a smile. “It’s not her go-to move, but it is a move she uses against boys when they tie up and she can take advantage of her strength.”

An unwritten tradition in wrestling is the coaches wear golf shirts or t-shirts and pants all day and the wrestlers don the singlet of their section, in her case, the purple Section V singlet.

But in the finals, the coaches are in suits and Teegan was proudly wearing the black and red of the Bolivar-Richburg Wolverines.

“Putting on the suit and having a wrestler in the State Finals never gets old,” said Andrew Taylor, who was joined on the mat by his father, Todd Taylor, who also coached the B-R Varsity program. Between Sibble’s and Taylor’s and MacDonell’s, it looked like 25 people gathering for a photo.

When everyone who came to support Teegan got together for a photo, there were so many people, the fire marshal would have shut down a crowd of this size at the Bolivar fire hall.

Teegan’s father, Shane, cried. Her brother Trae, who is also a fighter dealing with Cystic Fibrosis once again captured one of his siblings winning a State Championship. As this is being written, there are a few matches left in the State Championships. Then the podium celebration will take place and Teegan will be honored again.

Expect more tears.

And expect a generation of girls to look at her and realize there is no obstacle they can not overcome in life.