Last weekend, Lexi Lauta–a sixth grader here at Corry–wrestled at the 67th annual Tulsa Nationals located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This tournament was for girls and boys all around the country to go to and wrestle at, and lasted from January 14 through the 16. Lexi wrestled in the 91 lb weight bracket along with 26 other girls. Through hard work and grit, she ended up finishing in the top eight, going 2-2 (2 wins and 2 losses). Lexi wrestles for Bad Karma, which is a wrestling team that consists of athletes from all over.

Lexi clearly left everything on the mat, striving to do the absolute best she could. With packed bleachers and a thunderous crowd, Lexi took on four other girl wrestlers. When asked if she was nervous or excited upon getting there, she responded with, “I was really excited but I had the number one ranked girl in the nation my first match.” Lexi fought hard, but was unable to win her first match.

When discussing her first match, Lexi noted, “Since the girl I had first was ranked and seeded first, she also won the bracket…I did my best against her, so then I had to work my way up from the consolation.” And Lexi did just that.

Clearly determined, she fought hard and came out victorious her next two matches, leading her to the Blood Round. She lost her last one in the blood round, 2-0 though, but not without fighting. (The blood round is the round of wrestling that leads to either making the podium or being done with the tournament. The name “Blood Round” fits it quite well, as many wrestlers go all out in an attempt to beat their opponent and continue making their way through the bracket to place.)

When asked if anything stood out to her at the wrestling tournament, Lexi responded with, “Everywhere around the event center was quoted ‘Hardest Tournament in the World.'”

In regards to returning for the tournament next year, Lexi was quick to respond with, “Yes, of course. Literally everyone in the [wrestling] bracket except for…four girls counting me have been wrestling for six or more years, and this is my fourth…And next year I am really excited to know that they are all moving up so now it’s my chance to win it.”

All of the girls she wrestled were almost thirteen, whereas Lexi had just turned 12 not long before the meet. Evidently there was quite the age and experience difference, but she still managed to do exceedingly well.

Overall, last weekend Lexi took on some very tough opponents, but was able to do much better than a lot of the girls she wrestled. We will all be cheering for you next year when you return to Tulsa again. But until then, good luck this season, Lexi.