Amanda Hendey put the hurt on her opponent during her championship final at Saturday’s final round of the CIF State Girls Wrestling Championships at Lemoore High School in Kings County.
So much so that her opponent, Mable Flores of Los Banos High, couldn’t finish the match. A shoulder and rib injury forced a stoppage of the match at the 5:42 mark of the third period.
And just like that Hendey became a State Champion.
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“I am just so happy, I am ecstatic,” Hendey said. “The final was a good match for me and I just want to keep winning.”
But Hendey’s high school wrestling career isn’t over yet. Hendey plans on competing in the National Championships in March.
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“Like my uncle said, I’m working on my masterpiece and I am not done with it,” Hendey said. “I have nationals and that is a big part of all of this.”
Hendey and Flores were no strangers. Matter of fact, Hendey drew some inspiration from a match they had this past summer. Flores defeated Hendey and it drew the media’s attention, something that didn’t sit well with Hendey.
“There’s a little history to this,” said Hendey, who had beat Flores five previous times. “I lost that match and it really got to me. I definitely wanted to wrestle hard in this one.”
Hendey’s family made the trip to watch Amanda compete.
“I have felt all the emotions,” said Michelle Hendey, Amanda’s mother. “I cried, laughed, all the emotions. The biggest thing I have felt is pride. I am so proud of my daughter.
Hendey opened the tournament on Friday with pin fall victories over Shelby Baker of Scotts Valley and Christina Arechiga of Albany. In Saturday’s semifinal Hendey posted a pin fall victory over Rocklin’s Olivia Seppini.
That match, of course, set up her dominant championship final.
“I was definitely nervous,” Hendey said. “The second day, I was really nervous. I am glad I was able to pull it off.”
