HERMISTON, Ore.-Hermiston’s Varsity Girls Wrestling team concluded a dominant season on the mats against Chiawana on January 29.
The 2026 Mid-Columbia Conference (MCC) Champion Bulldogs celebrated their seniors before grounding the Riverhawks 63-16 in front of the home crowd.
“Our core has been battle-tested,” said Hermiston Head Coach Al Davis, of the group of seniors that won three out of four MCC titles during their time at Hermiston. “They’ve seen a lot of winning, and they’ve been a part of it.”
Tradition
Hermiston’s senior wrestlers are now a part of the storied Bulldog wrestling tradition, something they felt the past four years and are proud of now.
“The support from Hermiston means a lot,” said Jamie Torres Medrano. “You can feel it when you’re wrestling, and it makes it more fun knowing the community is behind you.”
For Denisse Bracamontes, being part of that tradition means a lot and was always a source of motivation.
“Wrestling culture is different, you have that positive pressure to be better,” said Bracamontes. “I will miss the community of Hermiston wrestling.”
Memories and lessons
While Hermiston’s senior wrestlers hope their greatest memories will be state titles in the next month, some moments already stand out, and lessons learned on the mats will be carried throughout life.
For Maggie Katin, the memory that stands out from her time wrestling for Hermiston is competing in a big match in Kelso after coming off a knee injury.
“It was my first-year wrestling, and I was nervous, but my coach said, ‘you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain,’” said Katin. “Then I went out there and ended up winning two matches.”
“Discipline is one lesson I’ll take from wrestling moving forward,” said Lily Foreman. “Coming ready every day, trying to be positive and focusing on one step at a time.”
For Harleigh Cubbage, the commitment wrestling required will transfer to other aspects of life, such as work or school.
“I started wrestling late, but the lessons from wrestling that have impacted me are dedication and commitment,” said Cubbage, who hopes to wrestle as long as she can before becoming a wrestling coach. “Wrestling will be the rest of my life.”
Hermiston Girls Wrestling will compete at the inaugural Washington 3A Girls Dual State Championship in Kelso, Washington on January 31.
Mat Classic XXXVII, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) State Tournament, is February 19-20 at the Tacoma Dome.
