by Desiree French

138-lb weight class had a distinctive champion that everyone called Frisco’s Vanessa Epps. She pinned her way through the tournament and not just by using the headlock either. In matches this all-American racked up huge points on her opponents proving herself a well-rounded wrestler. She won her first gold medal – a nice addition to her silver from last year. The real interesting story is that of Ivonne Ramirez of Seguin, who few thought would be in serious medal contention. She pulled off an amazing 8-6 win over Stephanea Hignight of Caprock, and a 5-3 victory over Dainele Williams of Killeen.

Both of these ladies were top seeds from their respective Regions. Ivonne also fought and wrestled all out against Epps, lasting longer than any of Epps’ other competitors – and she was still fighting hard at the end. Another amazing dark-horse story was Richelle Thompson of Southlake Carroll. She pulled off a huge first round upset over Katy’s Alex Bradshaw. Incredibly, Thompson, is a first year wrestler! She came into the tournament not knowing anybody and just wrestling for the fun of it. It paid off as she captured fourth. Bradshaw was out of the tournament when she lost to Whitney Disotelle of Waller, who ended up taking 5th.
Disotelle had previously lost to Bradshaw at the Regional tournament. Stephanea Hignight was able to come back and take third over Thompson (12-6).

The 148-lb weight class was about total dominance. And whom would that dominant player be? None other than the one and only reigning state champion, Lindsey Brooks. Any one who accuses Lindsey as being vainglorious is absolutely wrong. Backing up the talk with a 44-0 record and her second state title, Lindsey now proudly owns the coveted hardware she worked so hard to win. What is amazing is that our Ms. Brooks will return for one more year. Lindsay had the only tech fall of the tournament, and she was able to pin through the rest her competitors. She is mentally strong, physically aggressive and has her technique down pat. Three things anyone who wrestles to win a state championship needs to reach the highest pinnacle in Texas Girls UIL wrestling.

Junior Maci Alvarado of Caprock placed second, pinning her way to the finials. Senior Sasha McElory of Arlington had a strong tournament, her only loss being to Brooks (20-5 technical fall). I would have liked to see McElory and Alvardao go at it for just for kicks. Sasha beat sophomore Katie Brakin of LBJ (11-6) for the bronze medal. For fifth place senior Brittane Mergerson from Arlington Martin won over senior Samantha Richardson of Austin Akins (11-3).

165-lb class was the only weight class I have seen where the 6th place girl of a region got the green light to step into the state tournament. The first placer from Region III Venus Barron of Katy Taylor lost her eligibility so one would assume that the senior alternate, Veronica Martinez from Cypress Ridge would fill the void. But for some unknown reason she was not on the brackets.

Instead it was Stephanie King of Klein Oak. Also absent was Roxy Serpas of Houston Lee who inexplicably was a no-show. Incredibly there was an actual hole in the bracket in the first round, which gave Janie Gonzalez of El Paso Hanks a sleeper in before her first match.

Gonzalez won her first match but lost her second, sending her to the consolation bracket where she then pinned her way to a fabulous bronze medal over Eunice Hogan of SGP. Senior Toni Rodgers, the red hair international team member from Coppell was the whirlwind who sent Gonzalez to the consolations with a pin in the semi-final round. Toni then advanced to the finials to yet another rematch against regional rival and fellow national team member, junior Erica McClendon of Seguin.

Erica pinned her way through the tournament and had a dominating journey to the finials imitating the more experienced Toni. This weight class was going to have an outright war in the finials with neither competitor surrendering. Toni held an early lead by scoring the first take down but was soon unable to keep her energy level up which allowed Erica to build and gain a small lead. In the third period, Erica was up by one point in the top position and clearly dominating her fatigued opponent, but Erica mistakenly locked hands trying to keep Toni down and one penalty point was awarded.

Tied 5-5 Erica was still in the war which was something that didn’t happen two weeks earlier when Toni beat her soundly by a score of 16-4. Toni knowing she could maybe get the lock hands again attempted to standup to see if she could catch the extra penalty point. Erica was cautious but then again mistakenly locked up her hands right as the buzzer sounded.

What appeared to be a forthcoming overtime bout, which either competitor could win, suddenly ended when the associate referee threw up his hands in a locked hands signal. After a short conference meeting the referee awarded two points for the second technical violation to Rodgers and her hand is raised as she wins her first state championship (7-5).

As much as I would have liked that associate ref to keep his mouth shut and see the extra effort put forth to get the last take down … Erica you can’t gut wrench quite yet and there is always next year. Also knowing these girls’ summer wrestling habits there may be a freestyle rematch soon to come.

185-lb weight class: If JR asked me for another girl for him to write a profile on it would be this year’s state champion from Vista Ridge Carrie Clark. Clark, a state runner up last year, played all her cards right by managing a knee injury and blast doubling her way to the finals while still being the goofiest and most considerate girl at the tournament.

She is our first upper weight girl to actually shoot and display an assortment of technique. Her only loss earlier in the season came from the hands of Senior Kaccee Ravenberg of Katy whom she would face in the finals. Carrie had already beat Kurt of Taylor in the semi’s, who was the sophomore that beat Ravenberg earlier for the region title, but who said that counted for anything. Carrie stuck to her game plan and was able to beat Kaccee (5-3). Kurt was able to wrestle back and claim the bronze over Aumaya Vernon of Dallas Samuell (9-1). Wanting to see more outstanding wrestling I would have liked to watch a second place challenge match between these two just for kicks. A match to look forward to for next year’s state tournament would be Clark vs Kurt again but in the finials next time. For fifth it was Tiffany McFarland from Adamson pinning Marissa Schrapel of Tascosa in twenty-four seconds, which happened so fast I was unable to report it.

215-lb weight class had great talent in a first year senior, a stellar sibling, and Kiki (who’s name is just too cool). Tayler Yocum of Eastwood was the one to watch, as little sister to Tressa Yocum, she had a lot to live up to and up to the weigh-ins Saturday morning she was doing a great job. Saturday morning found Yocum reportedly almost two pounds over the weight allowance thereby disqualifying her from the rest of the tournament which found her falling to the sixth spot when many believed she could have held her own in the finals, if not had won it.

But the final spot went to Sara Lewis, the first year senior from Centennial, coming off an amazing January and February season and qualifying first in her region from seemingly out of no where. Lewis proved herself to all her doubters the first day by making it to the finals against junior Kiki Williams of Katy. Though Lewis is a senior, Kiki had veteran experience at a state tournament by placing third last year, and was able to use Lewis’ inexperience to pin her in the second period 2:39 into the match, a fabulous finish for both of them respectively no matter how you look at it. For the third place medal it was Karen Scott of Austin Johnson (6-3) over Amanda Athon of Arlington.

This year’s tournament exhibited great improvement in the quality and technique of girl’s wrestling and it is hard to not notice who is successful at the UIL state meet. Six out of the ten champions were national team members and out of the team members who could qualify for state (non-graduated or private schooled) all except two did (one being injured – me), and only a small handful of them did not place.

The other girls I saw wining and placing at state this year were girls that I recognized wrestling at various summer tournaments and camps. Now I know there is always a counter example, but when this sport is still so young and sometimes quality practice partners difficult to find, the extra wrestling time in the spring-summer season can improve an athlete by leaps and bounds. It is a way to bridge the gap between the upper echelons of champions and the novice athlete, making the state tournament more competitive in every round, not just the final bouts.