The best current high school rivalry added its strangest chapter to date.

Jordyn Fouse and Isis France have met eight times since March 18, 2022, each winning four matches. It was no surprise when they wrestled for a ninth at the 2024 Junior National Duals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Both attend high school in Pennsylvania despite hailing from different states. France is from Phoenix, Arizona, and attends Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, while Fouse is from Roaring Spring and attends Bishop McCort in Johnstown. 

Fouse represented Pennsylvania Blue and France represented Arizona when they faced off at 140 pounds. Each had three victories entering their first-round match of the gold bracket. 

France scored first with an ankle pick before firing off a takedown several seconds later leaving Fouse unconscious after their heads collided. Officials deemed the move unnecessarily brutal since France didn’t change levels, leading to disqualification from the match and the tournament. 

Neither wrestled the remainder of the event. 

“I’d love to talk about it but I don’t remember too much,” Fouse said. “I got taken down right off the bat and we were hand-fighting like always. We go after it and the next thing I know I was on the ground. 

“She came over and gave me a hug and we’re all good. I’m excited. I’ll probably see her at Fargo.”

Pennsylvania Blue defeated Arizona, 48-18, before falling to Colorado, 36-33, in the next round. Fouse assumed the role of mathematician since Pennsylvania could still win the team title. There was a delay due to computer issues so team scores wouldn’t appear on the monitors. 

The board was eventually corrected, but they didn’t want to risk another computer malfunction.

“I wasn’t wrestling (against California) but I was on the stage doing math in a notebook,” Fouse said. “We had to score 27 points against California and beat them to go to the finals. That was our goal and we did it.” 

Pennsylvania Blue downed California Blue, 47-23, before upending Missouri Blue, 38-31, in the finals. 

“We built this team from the ground up,” Fouse said. “We all just came along and we’ve gone through it together through the sanctioning (of girls’ wrestling in Pennsylvania), we’ve been through it. I think that’s what brought us together.”

Jordyn Fouse vs Isis France

2024 Junior National Duals on June 20, 2024: Fouse won by disqualification
2024 Tallinn Open (Estonia) on March 23: Fouse won, 7-6
2023 Ultimate Club Duals on September 17: Fouse won by fall, 2:14
2023 16U National on July 16: France won by fall, 3:10
2023 U17 World Team Trials on April 14: Fouse won by tech, 10-0
2022 U15 Pan-Am Team Trials on August 6: France won by injury default: 28
2022 U15 Nationals on May 7: France won by fall, 2:19
2022 Girls Folkstyle National Championships on March 18: Fouse won by fall, 5:38
2022 Girls Folkstyle National Championships on March 18: France won, 5-3

Fouse leads the series: 5-4