Martinez State Champ

“I can do this,” those were the four magical words that Cristen Martinez told herself just before her state championship match this past weekend. And “do this,” she did. Martinez, a female wrestler in the girls state wrestling tournament clinched the state champion title after defeating junior Hannah Mariano (39-3) of Miramura High School. Martinez defeated Mariano with a fall at 1:45 at the state tournament held at the Rio Rancho Events Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Martinez, who wrestles at the 185 pound weight class has an impressive 11-0 record . “I was just trying to get points at first,” said Martinez. “I put her on her back and I got on top and pinned her.” Martinez who felt that Mariano was the most competitive person she wrestled this year is setting a goal for next year to improve and to be the repeat state champion. “It feels good,” exclaimed Martinez as she summed up her achievement. Franklin Romero - CC