BATH

Just a few short years ago, Morse High School senior Micailah Albertson had no idea that she’d be competing on a wrestling mat, let alone at a national event.

Albertson will compete at the USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle National Championships. The two-time winner of the USA Wrestling Maine Women’s State Championship will travel to Oklahoma City for the tournament, Thursday-Sunday.

Wrestling is relatively new to the senior, but it’s something she picked up quickly.

Beginnings

It all began her sophomore year when she managed the high school’s wrestling team. She was around the team a lot and seemed to take interest in the sport. She’s run cross country in the past and played soccer in the fall, as well as softball in the spring, but wrestling never seemed on her radar.

Assistant Morse wrestling coach John Gardner asked her, “why not wrestling?”

“I’d never really thought about it,” said Albertson. “My boyfriend was on the team and I just wanted to be around it. I thought it was too late to start picking it up.”

She dabbled a little on the mat during her sophomore year. After convincing her parents to allow her to wrestle, Albertson joined the team her junior year, as a wrestler, wrestling a jayvee schedule.

“I was totally against it at first,” noted her mother Kimberly. “I wanted her to wrestle a jayvee schedule and hopefully only against other girls.”

When Micailah took the mat for the first time her junior year, it wasn’t quite what she expected.

“It was against a boy, probably his first match as well,” said Albertson. “He got me down, but I then picked him up and pinned him. It all seemed to click for me.”

“Once we saw her wrestle that day, I, as well as others around her, knew what she was capable of doing on the mat,” said Kimberly.

“It was a learning curve for Micailah,” said Mike Hays, a former Morse graduate and wrestler who is a volunteer coach and heads the Morse girls wrestlers. “But she has a ‘never quit’ attitude and it showed.”

Although she considered herself “very green” with wrestling, Micailah continued to grow that first season, learning the skills that ultimately pushed her to be better.

At the end of the high school campaign, she competed in a state-wide tournament featuring some of the state’s other female grapplers.

“We (John Gardner) and I heard about the women’s state tourney so we took her down,” said Hays. “Micailah went to the tournament not sure what to expect. She beat two seasoned wrestlers that have been wrestling pretty much their whole lives to capture that first title.”

Wrestling in the 115-pound class, the first-year wrestler captured the 2017 USA Wrestling Maine Women’s State Championship.

Following that successful first season of wrestling, Albertson continued to hone her skills, joining up with the Maine Trappers, a wrestling club located in Bath that wrestles year-round.

“I was just wanted to get on a mat,” said Albertson. “Anything I could do to learn more and get better.”

Her family and friends have supported Micailah all the way.

“After that first Westlake Tournament, everyone was behind me 100-percent with my wrestling goals,” said the senior. “My parents were initially nervous with all the things that come with wrestling (wrestling boys, making weight, contact sport).

“But they quickly got excited after that first match. I’ve had other family members wrestle, but never a female.”

Senior year

Heading into the 2017/18 wrestling year, Albertson continued to wrestle in the 115-pound class.

“She was more determined this year,” said Hays. “In our Westlake Tournament at the beginning of the year, she placed third against the boys, that had not been done before.”

After competing in various tournaments during her senior year, Albertson once again took her talents to the Maine Women’s State Championship last month. However, this year she added a “bite” to her preparation for the meet.

On the Friday before the tournament was to begin, Micailah was visiting a friend. Like many times before, Micailah went through the door and greeted the family dog. This time, the dog snipped at Albertson, biting her in the he mouth, ultimately resulting in her receiving 20 stitches to her lips.

“She texted me Friday night with a picture of her lips,” said Hays, who accompanied her to the tournament. “I saw her on Saturday and she didn’t look too good.”

While still needing to train and maintain her weight over the weekend, Albertson remained focused on the task at hand.

“It took a lot thinking about keeping focused,” said Albertson. “I know how to wrestle, but I wasn’t sure how it was going to effect me.”

Once the swelling went down, Albertson was able to use a wrestling mask that coach Hays borrowed from the Mt. Ararat wrestling program to protect her stitches.

“Thankfully they had one and let me borrow it,” added Albertson.

After her family doctor’s approval, Albertson wrestled and captured her second straight title in Maine.

With her lips on the mend, Albertson’s mother and Hays accompanied her on the trip to the New England’s, where her four victories were swift and to the point, totaling under two minutes while recording four straight pinfall victories.

“She was more determined than ever to be a two-time state champ,” added Hays.

Albertson is always looking to use her knowledge and assistance she has gathered from her coaches along the way.

“My coaches have helped me so much. From coach (Mike) Bennett, Gardner, Gary Stevens and Hays,” listed Albertson. “They have each driven me to be the best that I can be.”

“Coach Gardner gave me so much courage my sophomore and junior year,” said Albertson. “He showed me ‘it’s OK for a female to wrestle.’”

Albertson, who understands that student comes before athlete, looks to take her wrestling skills on to college, where she plans to study nutritional sciences. But first, she has other plans.

“This summer, I’m going into Army basic training,” said Albertson. “After basic training, we’ll see where I go. I plan to do the ROTC program and join the Maine Army National Guard.”

With Micailah’s near future set, her father, Leif, praised his daughter.

“There isn’t a lot she can’t do,” said Leif. “We couldn’t be more proud of her.”

“She’s very goal oriented and if she puts her mind to it, she does it,” said Hays. “I am sure if she wanted to play the guitar or fiddle, she would be able to do it in no time.”

It’s been only two short years, but Micailah agrees, wrestling has “done a lot” for the young athlete.

“A lot of good things have come out of all of this (wrestling competitively),” added Albertson. “I am proud to wrestle for Morse. I don’t know where I would be today without my coaches, teachers and my family.”

“She’s a leader out there by leading by example,” said Hays. “I know she wants to help pave the way for other females interested in wrestling. It’s just amazing to have someone compete at nationals.”