By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
In the fall of 2012, Alouette Gonzalez was determined to find her next challenge. She had already excelled in cross country at Rio Grande City, and was competing in basketball, when she approached wrestling coach Ronald Pratt about joining his team.
She attended practice one day and told Pratt about her intention to quit basketball, leaving her enough time to focus on wrestling.
Three years later, Gonzalez finds herself in elite company. She’s one of only three Rio Grande City wrestlers — between the boys and girls — to go undefeated this late in the season, days before the district tournament gets under way. And she’s done it by going 30-0 — an accomplishment not even teammate Lisa Gonzalez was able to reach the year she won state.
“She’s a competitor,” Pratt said of Gonzalez. “She wants to get out there and be the best at what she’s doing.”
Already, Gonzalez has competed twice at state. As a freshman, she lost in the 110-pound class. Last year, she fell short in the quarterfinals to the eventual champion at 102.
Now, Pratt believes, Gonzalez is better-equipped to win. Not only does she have experience on her side, but she’s bigger now in the 95-pound class, competing at around 97-98 pounds.
Gonzalez is determined to get there. She says she doesn’t think much about her record.
“It’s what I do at state that counts,” she said. “That’s what I worry about most.”
Three years ago, her approach was different. She said she didn’t understand how big a deal state was, going as far as to say she “didn’t take it serious, at first.” What changed, however, was her focus.
“I actually wanted to do good (last year),” Gonzalez said.
Losing in the quarterfinals feeds into that this year. For each of the past three seasons, she’s been on an upward trajectory, posting a 17-15 record her freshman year before going 25-7 last season.
Gonzalez has seemingly had an affinity of challenges her entire career at Rio Grande City. She’s been a standout cross country and track athlete, reaching the regional tournament. She made the varsity softball team as a freshman. And she briefly competed in basketball before quitting to devote her time to wrestling.
“She’s a tremendous athlete,” Pratt said. But “I think this is where she’s more focused in what she wants to accomplish. This is where she’s going to get a lot of recognition.”
Gonzalez has stuffed her trophy case this season by winning the Mustang Tournament, Lady Texan Invitational, Snakebite Tournament, Gator Roll and Coyote Tournament. What eludes her, still, is the state title.
Pratt sees a change, though.
“Her competitiveness is the first thing,” he said. “The second thing is, she’s a good technician. She tries to be real perfect on her technique. She knows where her body is on the mat. She doesn’t lose track of things.
“She’s going to work on something and she’ll keep trying until she succeeds.”