Anchored by three individual champions, the Harker Heights Lady Knights bested the rest of the 40 teams Friday and Saturday in the Class 6A Region IV wrestling tournament to secure the top prize –– a team title.
One week after the Lady Knights secured their third consecutive district crown, they ventured into the Delco Activity Center in Austin, piled up 164.5 points over the course of two days of grueling competition –– almost 40 points more than second place San Antonio Madison –– and made it three regional golds in a row, too.
The top four individuals in each weight class advanced to the UIL State Wrestling Championships Feb. 14-15 at Cy-Fair ISD’s Berry Center.
Heights’ Aniya McConico (132 pounds), Xenia Gutierrez (138) and Saniah Ebron (235) secured their state spots in championship fashion. Gutierrez and Ebron both defended their regional titles, while all three are making a return trip to state. Gutierrez earned a podium position in the season finale a year ago, placing fourth.
Joining that trio this year is Ana Davis (185) and Violet Raymond (126), who finished third and fourth, respectively, at regionals.
The Lady Knights’ haul –– which included first-year head coach Kris Perkins earning 6A-IV coach of the year –– highlighted a thrilling weekend for Killeen ISD wrestlers, who ended up tallying 11 state berths overall.
Shoemaker’s Aljon Morales, who last week went unbeaten at the District 13-6A meet, delivered an unblemished 4-0 record at the 6A-IV tournament and exited Austin as the regional champion at 120 pounds. Morales is making consecutive state appearances. He went 2-2 in 2024.
In the Class 5A Region II tournament at Dallas ISD’s Alfred J. Loos Complex in Addison, Chaparral and Ellison combined to send five to state.
Ellison’s Adrian Mitchell (285) rebounded from a loss in the semifinals with two straight wins to take third, while teammates Darlah Louis-Charles (100) was third and Giselle Solis-Leon (145) was fourth in the girls competition. Louis-Charles and Solis-Leon also were state qualifiers in 2024.
The Lady Bobcats will have two representatives on the state stage next weekend after Lanaya Padilla (100) placed second and Mikayla Hudson (107) took fourth.
Shoemaker’s Sheldon Gunnels (285), Chaparral’s Desiree Madrid (120) and Alyssa Thomas (132) and Harker Heights’ Emily Malbrough (100) placed fifth and are alternates for the state meet.
In all, KISD had 45 wrestlers in the regional events.
Click the links below for full regional results for each team.
Class 6A-IV boys: https://tinyurl.com/dwwhvc2t
Class 6A-IV girls: https://tinyurl.com/26kyyvbw
Class 5A-II boys: https://tinyurl.com/yjdb3k69
Class 5A-II girls: https://tinyurl.com/5ctxtybz
Here are the brackets for the boys and girls at the state tournament.
Boys: https://tinyurl.com/2p9mxfj9
Girls: https://tinyurl.com/murkntz9
