Edinburg Vela’s 110 state qualifier, Alexis Altamira, has a possibility of facing one of the more interesting stories in wrestling.
Mack Beggs, a Euless Trinity junior, is a transgender student transitioning from female to male and wrestling in the girls division. UIL rules state that a wrestler must compete by their birth certificate sex and bans athletes from wrestling across genders, keeping Beggs (52-0) in the girls pool.
A few weeks ago, parents of a north Texas wrestler filed a lawsuit against UIL citing bodily harm to other wrestlers. Beggs takes testosterone as part of treatment. The UIL has approved the treatment.
Altamira and Beggs could potentially meet in the second round of the state tournament. Edinburg Vela coach Joseph Cantu declined comment on the situation.
Vela does have another state qualifier, Mike Mendez, who is in the opposite side of the bracket from crosstown rival Dillion Toavalu of Edinburg North.
“The state 195lb class is loaded with genetically gifted athletes, like Mendez and Toavalu,” Cantu said. “At any time, one misstep or slip up in defense, and they are instantaneously smothering you into a fall. Focus will be as key, as skills set is pretty much an even playing field.”
LAST PANTHERS STANDING
Melissa Ibarra is the last hope for Weslaco High girl’s wrestling. The 102 junior wrestler is fresh off a regional championship over Juarez-Lincoln’s Nancy Becerra.
Weslaco coach Ronaldo Becerra commended the increasing talent level of RGV wrestling as a source of confidence moving into the state tournament.
“The Valley the last 10 years has produced a lot better competition,” Ronaldo Becerra said. “Sometimes, it’s not even necessary to travel out. It’s a great barometer for them that they’re able to hang with these people and beat these people at the regional level that are tough.”
A staple of lighter wrestlers is their speed and agility. Ronaldo Becerra says that Ibarra’s strength is also a key to her success.
“It’s actually probably the power,” Ronaldo Becerra said. “It’s her dedication to the weight room. That’s been a big focusing point for her. What surprises most of these girls is the power behind her technique.”
Though Ronaldo Becerra feels Valley schools can get state-level competition close to home, he does take his team to large tournaments around the state during the season so they can see a wider variety of athletes. Ibarra is making her first trip to the State tournament, but the Panthers already competed in the Berry Center in Cypress during the Cy-Fair ISD Invitational in January.
That experience will be useful for Ibarra and Weslaco’s boys state qualifier at 152, Caleb Muñiz.
Muñiz, a junior, qualified in fourth place at the regional tournament last weekend. Also in the bracket is PSJA High’s Edison Brooks. Muñiz and Brooks met in the consolation bracket last weekend, with Brooks earning the pin to claim the bronze medal.
Welsaco’s Muñiz won the fourth-place match, earning his trip to state.
RATTLERS TAKE A PACK
The Rio Grande City Rattlers are no strangers to the state wrestling tournament. The Rattlers have are sending the largest group of athletes among RGV wrestling teams. Coach Ronald Pratt has had one state champion, Lisa Hernandez in 2013.
Now he has another as part of his coaching staff. Sam Mangum was a two-time champion at McAllen High.
“These kids are very coachable,” Mangum said at the district tournament a few weeks ago. “I just feel very lucky that these kids are so forthcoming with what I have to give them. I’m just trying to help along the way on that road to success at state.”
Many of RGC’s state qualifiers have previous state experience. Rupert Bautista (132), Alonso Berrones (145), Alejandro Islas (285), Lizbette Lara and Jythssel Mascorro (165) are all returning to the Berry Center to try to capture gold.
Though the Rattlers have experience as a group, two individuals are new to the largest stage of high school wrestling: sophomore Elias Sanchez and senior Kassidy Ramirez.
Pratt feels Ramirez’s background pitching in big games as a softball player will help her. The 95-pounder is ranked sixth by WrestlingTexas.com, although the defending state champion at 95 and last year’s runner up at 102 rank ahead of her.
Sanchez, one of five underclassmen in his 113-pound weight class, is who Pratt worries about the most. He’s been counseling his youngest state qualifier leading up to the tournament.
“He’s really young and he’s probably the one we’ll have the biggest problem with,” Pratt said. “Hopefully he’s wise beyond his years, and he focuses when he needs to focus.”
OTHERS TO WATCH
>> Guadalupe Rodriguez, 138, Mission High. Rodriguez was the only boy at the region-IV 6A tournament last weekend to return to the Valley with a gold medal. He was named male outstanding wrestler of the regional competition.
>> Blythe Romero, 138, McAllen High. Romero, a senior, enters the state tournament at 35-5 this season. She finished runner-up at last weekend’s regional tournament. This will be her third time wrestling at state.
>> Jesenia Gaytan, 215, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln. Gaytan leads a pack of Huskies into state as their lone regional champion. Joining her are teammates Nancy Becerra, runner-up at 102, Ricardo Villegas, runner-up at145 and Leonard Mendez, fourth at 148.
>> Lauren Segovia, 165, PSJA North. Segovia became the first Lady Raider to win a regional crown. She will be making her first trip to the state tournament and is the last PSJA North wrestler standing.
>> Diego Serna, 106, Sharyland PIoneer. Serna, a sophomore, is making his first appearance at state. The underclassmen won’t be alone as a youngster, joining 10 freshmen and sophomores in his 5A bracket.