NATHANIEL MATA | THE MONITOR
McAllen High’s Serna Cervantes will put her 47-0 record on the line today against Xochitl Mota-Pettis of Klein High School, who owns a 56-0 record. The two clash for a chance to advance to the gold medal match of the UIL state wrestling tournament at the Berry Center in Cypress.
After an intense day of wrestling against stout competition, the senior Cervantes and Sharyland Pioneer’s Mia Padilla represent the RGV’s only two competitors remaining in the championship brackets. The Valley sent 41 athletes to the state meet.
Cervantes reached the Class 6A 128-pound semifinal after earning pins over Katy Seven Lakes’s Sophie Stegenga and Coppell’s Allie Baudhuin on Friday.
Pioneer’s Padilla is also fighting to reach the gold medal match today. She won her first-round match via pin of Prosper’s Julianna Baughter and then picked up a 5-2 decision over Bryan’s Desire Campos.
Padilla, a sophomore, will face Class 5A Region III champion Danielle Walker of Waller in an attempt to qualify for the 138-pound state title match.
Valley wrestlers in both the boys and girls tournaments will have an opportunity to medal and earn points for their teams in the consolation brackets.