The Caprock girls won the Region I-5A wrestling tournament at El Paso Bel Air on Saturday. [Provided photo]
It was a stellar evening for the Amarillo-area at the University Interscholastic League Region I-5A girls wrestling tournament at El Paso Bel Air High School on Friday and Saturday.
The Texas Panhandle advanced 14 wrestlers to the UIL Class 5A state wrestling championships set for next Friday and Saturday at the Berry Center in Cypress.
Caprock won the team championship with a total of 124 points, qualifying three to state. The Lady Longhorns scored the majority of their points on the back end with Tatiana Garcia leaving as the only regional champion. Garcia (22-0), a state qualifier a year ago, continued her unbelievable season pinning El Paso Austin’s Morayma Montes to win the 119 pound division.
Joining Garcia in Cypress will be teammate Jaden Culifer (138 pounds) and Niyasia McCampbell (185).
Amarillo High‘s Faith Anderson not only won gold in the 148 pound division but also was named the Region I-5A Most Outstanding Wrestler. [Provided photo]
Amarillo High’s Faith Anderson is state bound earning the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the regional meet. The senior out of the 148 pound weight division owned the mat earning pins in in under three minutes during her quarterfinal and semifinals, then Anderson (22-1) followed that up with a pin-fall of Jazmine Garcia of El Paso Ysleta at the 2:00 minute mark.
Tascosa placed third as a team with 79 points, as Randall finished fourth with 72 points as each team qualified three to state.
Randall’s Avery Stout was the 95 pound champ, followed by teammate Jaryn Ortegon in the 102 pound division.
Tascosa’s lone champion wad Elsaiah Cruz in the 138 class. Cruz (22-2) pinned Dumas’ Emily Loya, who also punched a ticket to state, at the 4:57 mark.
Hereford’s Savannah Chavira (14-5) brought home gold out of the 165 division beating Ja`Zyria Simpson of Lubbock High by a pin at 1:03.
Top 10 team scores: 1. Caprock 124; 2. El Paso Hanks 79.5; 3. Tascosa 79; 4. Randall 72; 5. Lubbock Monterey 66; 6. Dumas 63; 7. Lubbock Estacado 58; 8. El Paso El Dorado 54; 9. El Paso Andress 51; 10. Lubbock High 41.
Texas Panhandle girls state qualifiers
95 pound
1st: Avery Stout, Randall
2nd: Zurri Zamora, Tascosa
102 pound
1st: Jaryn Ortegon, Randall
2nd: Miliyah Pacheco, Tascosa
3rd: Audalie Cruz, Palo Duro
110 pound
3rd: Avery Martinez, Randall
119 pound
1st: Tatiana Garcia, Caprock
128 pound
1st: Elsaiah Cruz, Tascosa
2nd: Emily Loya, Dumas
138 pound
2nd: Valeria Ordonez, Dumas
3rd: Jaden Culifer, Caprock
148 pound
1st: Faith Anderson
165 pound
1st: Savannah Chavira, Hereford
185 pound
2nd: Niyasia McCampbell, Caprock