5A Girls: State Fan Guide

When the UIL Girls State Wrestling Championships begin Friday at The Berry Center in Cypress, the girls 5A bracket will be loaded with some of the top talent in the country on display.

The 120-pound weight class might be the most anticipated of all this season, as seniors Maddie Pena and Akeelah Moore will try to fight off talented underclassmen like Genevieve Bellino and Aniz Ramirez. Meanwhile, the 185-pound class has is also loaded with top performers like Mareetza Marceda and Emma Heaton, while one of the top amateur grapplers in the nation, Ariana Chavez, will look to remain unbeaten at 235.

Lubbock Cooper won the team title last season with 99.5 points. Azle took second with 70 points, while Frisco was third with 63.

Lubbock Cooper is back atop our team rankings this season and are the team favorites going in with nine wrestlers ranked, earning 114 points in our rankings system.

Frisco is currently No. 2 on our team rankings with 72 points, followed by Azle 71, Lampass 69 and Comal Pieper 60 rounding out the top five teams.

Here’s a breakdown of each weight class and some of the top wrestlers to keep an eye on at the state tournament.

100

The favorite

Noah Kovach, so., Azle ­– A district and region champion already this season, she’s currently 31-1. Kovach went 46-7 and placed second at state as a freshman last season at 100, dropping a 5-3 decision to Amarillo Tascosa’s Zurri Zamora, who went 48-0, in the final.

The contenders

Jackelyn Sanchez, sr., El Paso Burges – She went 48-10 and placed fourth at state last season. Sanchez (50-6) won her district and placed second at regionals after losing to Kovach in a 9-2 decision.

Alexa Rodriguez, sr., Dallas Hillcrest – A three-time district champion and back-to-back regional champion, Rodriguez looks to get back onto the medal stand after placing fifth at state last season. She’s currently 48-1.

The dark horse

Abigail Mendoza, sr., Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial – She took fourth at state as a freshman but failed to place either of the last two seasons. At 42-2 overall, she’s having a fantastic run as a senior.