Emma Mantali and Kayla Rosa-Cesani: empowering the next generation of women wrestlers in Washingtonville

Washingtonville High School is closing out Women’s History Month by highlighting two phenomenal women on the varsity wrestling team, sophomore Emma Mantali and junior Kayla Rosa-Cesani. These two ladies have displayed astonishing talent and leadership on and off the mat, motivating the next generation of Wizards.

"Emma and Kayla are leaders in the wrestling room and in life. They have motivated many younger female Wizards to wrestle,” said varsity wrestling coach Andrew Poust. “I've told Emma and Kayla, you don't just wrestle for yourself. You wrestle for future generations on Wizards. They root for you when you wrestle and take your example when it's their turn. The sky's the limit for these girls!"

Kayla has been a part of the wrestling team for three years. She was motivated to join the team after her teammate from the football team convinced her to try it out. Kayla joined the modified football team in eighth grade, and eventually made her way up to varsity. 

“I just felt like after COVID, I wanted to play a sport and I played flag football in seventh grade,” Kayla said. “I thought, ‘I kinda want to try out regular football,’ and I saw that I could sign up for it, and I just did.”

For Emma, wrestling runs in her family. Her father wrestled most of his life and her brothers also wrestle, which played a big part in her joining the team. Another contributing factor for her joining was that there was another female wrestler currently on the team.

“I have a family full of wrestlers,” Emma said. “I have four brothers, everybody's wrestlings; and I thought ‘you know what, there’s another girl on the team, I won’t be alone,' and so I joined."

For Emma, Kayla has played a big factor in helping craft her skill and confidence this past season. 

“I wanted to join wrestling, and of course I joined, and I was so inexperienced,” said Emma. “But then I had Kayla and she showed me how to wrestle. That honestly built me to where I am right now.” 

Not only are the two uplifting each other, but other young inspiring wrestlers as well. After watching Emma and Kayla wrestle on varsity in the boys division, Amelia Delilo and Leah Cardona (on the youth wrestling team) took part in the NYWAY (New York State Tournament for elementary school wrestlers) wrestling tournament. Here, Amelia took fifth place in the girls division and Leah took  fifth place in New York State in the boys division, starting off their careers strong.