Newsday Athlete of the Week is Valley Stream Central's Tyasia Buxton
Tyasia Buxton of Valley Stream central wins the 94-pound class at the Nassau girls wrestling championships on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2023. Credit: Neil Miller
Tyasia Buxton hadn’t wrestled before this season, so when she joined Valley Stream Central’s boys wrestling team, she never envisioned being in a position to make history.
“This was something I did to test myself. I had given up on things in the past and I wanted to learn discipline,” Buxton said. “With this sport, you have to know what you want and go after it.”
Buxton earned a win over Bethpage’s Addison Moerler, 21-11, by technical fall in 4:56 in the 94-pound final at the inaugural Nassau girls wrestling championships on Feb. 2 at Bethpage.
With her weight class being the first championship match to take place on the day, The junior will hold the distinction of being Nassau’s first girls wrestling champion.
For her historical feat, Buxton is Newsday’s Athlete of the Week.
“It’s mind-blowing to wrap my head around, I really haven’t processed it yet,” Buxton said. “It’s a big milestone for me, but there’s even more ahead that I want to accomplish.”
For Buxton, the journey to this point has always meant more than the results. The discipline she hoped would come from wrestling was exemplified as she worked to cut and make weight for the championships.
“I had worked so hard, just trying to make weight,” Buxton said. “I had to give it my all, because if I wasn’t willing to, then what’s even the point of showing up?”
Buxton is the only female athlete on Valley Stream Central’s wrestling team and found it to be tough at first. But instead of that being a deterrent to her drive, she credits working with the boys for the improvement of her craft.
“Tyasia doesn’t mind working with the boys,” Valley Stream Central coach Chris Carbajal said. “She’d rather work with them, she thinks they push her a little harder.”
Now Buxton will get the opportunity to add to her accomplishments as she will compete in the state girls wrestling championship on Feb. 27 in Albany.
“I want to go up there and show what I can do, give it my all,” Buxton said. “I want to take advantage of the opportunity I’ve been given, because many girls have worked hard and would love to be in this position.”
“This is something we never imagined she’d attempt, but we’re so proud of her,” Tyasia’s mother, Precious Buxton said. “Even when she started wrestling with the boys, there were people who didn’t think she’d make it, but here we are.”
Christopher Matias covers high school sports for Newsday after spending time in Athletic Facilities and Operation at St. John’s and in Sports Information at CUNY York college.
More High Schools
