Heritage Wrestler Chavez to Represent the Girls at State Meet

Girls wrestling is still relatively new in CIF sports, and at Heritage High School as well. The Patriots have had only five female wrestlers in the three years girls have joined the boys team in competition.

One of those pioneers is senior Chelsea Chavez, in her third year as a wrestler at the school. An eighth-place finisher at the CIF girls state championships last year, she has qualified again for the state tournament, which takes place Friday and Saturday in Visalia.

"She's gone the furthest of all my wrestlers," said Mario Moreno, the school's wrestling coach. "My boys haven't even been to state yet."

Wrestling at 101 pounds, Chavez competed against boys most of this season because there is no girls league in the area. Like most schools, Heritage doesn't have a girls team. Chavez works out with the guys -- usually wrestling against 120-pounder Isaac Guerrero in workouts.

"It's kinda weird," said Guerrero, who placed second in the Sunbelt League finals and advanced to the CIF finals. "I had never wrestled a girl before. I didn't know whether to take it easy or go hard."

Saying her male counterparts on the wrestling team are very supportive of her, Chavez looks forward to another shot in the state meet.

"I was like a nobody when I started," Chavez said. "I've come pretty far. You just have to keep at it. It was definitely not easy in the beginning.

"It was just something I liked. Guys don't think girls can do it. This is to show people we can."

Chavez said it is worth the challenges she faces in finding female opponents and in facing male opponents -- some of whom she has defeated.

"Since we don't have a girls team, it's hard to find girls to wrestle," she said. "Most of the past two years, I've wrestled against boys. I usually lose, but I think they underestimate girls wrestling. I have beaten a few guys. They end up really upset. I feel kinda bad for them."

Chavez placed fifth in the girls CIF qualifying meet Feb. 7-8 at Rancho Verde High School. She then took second in the state qualifying meet Feb. 15 at Roosevelt High in Eastvale.

Chavez said she would like to continue wrestling at the college level if she can get an opportunity at one of the few schools that offer it.

"It is definitely something I want to explore," she said. "I've looked into some colleges that have girls wrestling. It's fun."

Chelsea Chavez works out with Isaac Guerrero of the boys team to stay in shape.