Panthers, Scots Send Wrestlers to State
Four wrestlers from Hillcrest and three from Highland Park will grapple for titles at the UIL state wrestling meet this weekend in suburban Houston.
The Panthers had two champions at the Class 5A Region II meet in Frisco — senior David Gormley in the boys 175-pound class and junior Alexa Rodriguez in the girls 100-pound class.
Gormley (52-2) will face Lubbock’s Reese Daniel in the opening round on Friday in Cypress. Hillcrest’s Victor Ramirez (50-2) will meet Gavin Alvarado of Amarillo Caprock at 113 pounds.
On the girls side, Rodriguez (54-3) will be matched up against Killeen Chaparral’s Dulce Samaniego. Her teammate, Inergee Donald (56-7), is set to face Svala Starcher of Smithson Valley.
Meanwhile, HP seniors Carter Baumgartner (126 pounds) and Elliot Hoff (175 pounds) qualified for state with third-place showings at the 6A Region II tournament.
Baumgartner (47-4) will begin his third and final run at a state title against Copperas Cove’s Corbin Porter. Hoff (45-7) will make his state tournament debut versus Boede Gibson of Southlake Carroll.
HP’s Ryan Wright (21-7), who finished fourth at regionals at 132 pounds to earn a state berth, will meet unbeaten Cayden Rios of El Paso Eastwood in the first round.
