“Refuse to Lose” has been the wrestling team’s motto for the past couple seasons. On the way to the State Tournament at The Berry Center in Cypress, the motto has never meant more. 

Four boys and one girl will compete at the state meet today, Friday and Saturday. They qualified for state by winning at regionals last weekend.

Senior Anna Vargas is the only girl from the team who qualified for state this year. 

“I feel powerful and it motivates me to do better for the girls that didn’t make it and it’s not just a boy sport and I want to show Willis that,” she said. “I am excited for wrestling for the first time at state, and I am ready to show everyone how hard I have worked to get here.”

The team is coached by Coach Brian Thomas. This is not Coach Thomas´s first rodeo going to the state meet. The district Coach of the Year is excited to see what the next three days will bring. 

“To win coach of the year means that my kids have worked really hard and they are doing the right things on and off the mat,” he said. 

The boys team is being represented by senior Josh King, juniors Cameron Collier and Skyler Murillo and sophomore Aiden Collier. 

Heading back to state is nerve racking, but Cameron Collier knows what to expect. 

“It is my second year going to state,” he said. “I want to do better than I did last year and show everyone how hard I have worked. It feels great that getting to go to state for the second year in a row shows how hard I have worked.”