COLUMBUS — Rematches against the No. 1 ranked wrestlers in the state in their respective weight classes didn’t change course for two area girls wrestlers who reached the championship final on Sunday at the girls state wrestling tournament at the Schottenstein Center.

United Local senior Auston Brown and East Liverpool junior Paige Cowan both had seen their finals opponents earlier in the season, but the overwhelming favorites did their job.

At 125-pounds, Cowan (42-5) was pinned by Chippewa’s Kayla Moroschan in 1:59. Moroschan had a takedown at 1:37 before putting the match away. Cowan had lost to Moroschan by pin in 1:09 on Jan. 24 at the Fear the Spear tournament.

Cowan, ranked fifth in her weight class by DubStat, arrived at the final with a 3-1 win over Grove City’s Kendleigh Dowalter in the quarterfinal and a 6-2 win over Clermont Northeast’s Liberty Johnson in the semifinal.

Moroschan (51-1) was third at 120 as a sophomore and first at 120 as a freshman.

In the 135-pound final, Brown faced Steubenville junior Talea Guntrum for the fourth time this season and like all the other ones it was Guntrum who was in control. Guntrum scored three takedowns and a four-point nearfall before a pin at 2:53.

Guntrum, a state champion at 110 as a freshman and 120 as a sophomore, had beaten Brown three times earlier this season, all in first-place finals. At Fear the Spear on Jan. 24, Guntrum won by pin in 1:47. On Feb. 21 at the Carrollton Spearhead Invitational, Guntrum won an 8-5 decision. On March 8 at the Mentor girls district, Guntrum won by pin in 51 seconds.

To reach Guntrum (45-0), Brown bested Lakewood’s El Tha with a pin in 4:16 in the quarterfinal. In the semifinal, Brown was down 12-2 with 1:06 to go in the match but came through with two takedowns and two four-point nearfalls to pull out an incredible 16-14 comeback over Alter’s Alora Strauser. Strauser had pinned Brown earlier in the season.

Brown ends her senior season at 44-6 having placed at state four times — fourth at 125 as a freshman, third at 125 as a sophomore and third at 125 as a junior.

Massillon Perry won the girls team championship.

Paige Cowan

East Liverpool Potters

125 pounds

Jr., 42-5

FIRST ROUND: Cowan tech. fall Isabela Jordan (Defiance), 20-0

QUARTERFINAL: Cowan dec. Kendleigh Dowalter (Grove City), 3-1

SEMIFINAL: Cowan dec. Liberty Johnson (Clermont Northeast), 6-2

FINAL: Kayla Moroschan (Chippewa) pin Cowan, 1:59.

Auston Brown

United Eagles

135 pounds

Sr., 44-6

FIRST ROUND: Brown pin Katelyn Norris (Big Walnut), 2:47

QUARTERFINAL: Brown pin El Tha (Lakewood, 4:16

SEMIFINAL: Brown dec. Alora Strauser, 16-14

FINAL: vs. Talea Guntrum (Steubenville)

Paige Menough

Salem Quakers

140 pounds

Sr., 46-5

FIRST ROUND: Menough pin Alanna Smith (Olentangy Orange), 5:57

QUARTERFINAL: Youstina Hanna (Columbia) dec. Menough, 13-8 SV

SECOND CONSOLATION: Cara Leng (Marysville) dec. Menough, 11-8

Grace Bates

West Branch Warriors

155 pounds

Jr., 40-11

FIRST ROUND: Maya Keane (Hartley) major dec. Bates, 11-1

FIRST CONSOLATION: Bates pin Joanna Torres (Valley Forge), :53

SECOND CONSOLATION: Taylor Owen (Black River) pin Bates, 1:36

Alanna McGonigal

East Liverpool Potters

170 pounds

Jr., 29-10

FIRST ROUND: Razilee Wisseh (Canal Winchester) major dec. McGonigal, 10-1

FIRST CONSOLATION: McGonigal injury default over Paige Gamby (Tinora)

SECOND CONSOLATION: Jordan Mills (Gahanna Lincoln) injury default