Fargo Champion: El Paso Eastwood’s Hailey Delgado Dominates

Hailey Delgado is already one of the top wrestlers in the state of Texas.

The sophomore-to-be at El Paso Eastwood took home first at the U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in Fargo. Her win on July 13 made her El Paso’s first-ever Fargo champion.

She posted a 6-0 run in the 105-pound bracket and dominated in all of her matches, giving up only two points. 

“It was a lot of fun,” Delgado said Monday after flying home. “The environment of the finals was really amazing. There was so many people cheering for me. It was just a really great feeling to have all the support that I had to go out there. I just wanted to go out there and wrestle like I know how to wrestle.”

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Her path to the championship included:

• 10-0 tech fall in 34 seconds against Ava Montes from Pennsylvania
• 10-0 tech fall in 28 seconds against Isabelle Goedl from Washington 
• 11-2 decision against Isabelle Fodera from California
• 11-0 tech fall in 1:55 against Ava Schultz from Minnesota 
• 11-0 tech fall in 1:35 against Chloe Skiles from Illinois 
• 7-0 decision against Gail Sullivan from New York 

Sullivan, a state qualifier for the boys’ New York State Public High School Athletic Association, had two decisions, two tech falls and a pin to reach the finals.

Delgado said she’s wrestled with Sullivan on dual teams in the past, but this was the first matchup. 

“I wasn’t trying to put more pressure on myself than I needed; it was just another match for me,” Delgado said. “I wanted to go out there and wrestle.”

She said she relishes the fact that she’s the first El Pasoan to win a Fargo title, but knows the road to the title was paved with help from coaches, teammates and her family.

“I wouldn’t be here without all of their help and all of their advice and knowledge,” she said. “It’s a great feeling.”

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With Fargo in the rearview mirror, she says she will get back in the wrestling room and prepare for some preseason tournaments. Delgado says she’s got to keep on putting in work that includes three practices a day at a time.

“I gotta keep putting in the work,” Delgado said. “I think, just knowing that I’m at such a high level, I think it pushes me to work even harder. I know there’s kind of a target on my back, and people are trying to be in the spot that I am. I’m so grateful to be in the spot that I am in, but I know other people are trying to be where I am. It encourages me to keep putting in the work because I want to stay at this spot. And you know, I think it drove my love for the sport even more.”

She had a banner freshman season for the Troopers, going 46-0 and winning the Class 6A 100-pound title. She also helped her team claim the state championship.

Many of the teammates are working out with her this summer, like Nayeli Ortiz, Allessandra Toscano, Isabella Moreno and incoming freshman Jaylee De Santos, who are working out with her. 

“They’ve been in that room to help us get better, too, just to keep improving,” she said. “So it’s very exciting to see how we’re going to do, because I truly believe that we will do great if we just keep working hard.”