Texas High School Wrestling Championships: Top Girls Wrestlers and Teams to Watch in 5A, 6A

Allen will be gunning for state title No. 16 in Class 6A; Melissa the favorite to win 5A crown

Melissa's Jaxon Johnson will look to help the Cardinals brings home state title No. 1 this weekend in Cypress. / Cody Thorn

The Texas UIL Boys Wrestling Championships start Feb. 13 and will conclude Feb. 14 at the Berry Center in Cypress, Texas.

Allen will look to repeat in Class 6A, while hunting down overall state title No. 16. In 5A, the chase seems to be wide open with two Dallas-Fort Worth and South Texas area teams in the driver's seat.

Melissa has been a top-3-ranked team all year by WrestlingTexas and Cardinals will have 10 qualifiers at the state meet. Second-ranked Mission Sharyland will provide a threat in terms of numbers, with 11 at state.

Third-ranked Azle only has five, but the Yancey brothers, Chase and Tyler, were both in the finals last year and are both back at state.

Dallas Highland Park will have 8 competing.

Allen will have the most wrestlers at state with 11, out of a possible 14 weight classes. The Eagles are an easy favorite to win again in 6A.

The Woodlands College Park will be in the hunt for a trophy as well, with 9 qualifiers. The Cavaliers enter ranked No. 2 in the state.

Of the remaining teams in the top 10, Austin Vandegrift has 8 at state, while Rockwall, El Paso Eastwood and Southlake Carroll all have 7. 

The last three years, the same three teams have brought home the 3 trophies: Allen, Arlington James Martin and College Park.

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Who to Watch for in 5A Title Hunt

Here's a look at defending champions chasing a repeat, returning finalists or wrestlers undefeated going into state.

106 — Kingston Barker, sr., North Mesquite — The senior is the only undefeated wrestlers the bracket with a 19-0 mark and has won district and regionals the past two weekends. 

113 — Charles Alvarez, so., Midlothian — Alvarez is 35-1 and is a defending state champion, winning at 106 last year

113 — Camillo Esqueda, jr., Lubbock Cooper Liberty — He’s the second undefeated wrestler in the bracket at 19-0. Esqueda won districts and regional titles. 

120 — Nathan Reilly, jr., Cedar Park — He’s a two-time champion — at 106 and 113 — and looks to make it 3-for-3 this trip. He’s 42-1 and the only loss to a 6A qualifier. 

132 — Ethan Gonzales, jr., Edinburg Vela — He’s the only returning medalist in the bracket and is 49-0 on the year for the Sabercats, probably one of the best mascots in the field.

138 — Tyler Yancey, so., Azle — He made the finals last year and finished second at 132. He’s the favorite to win this year and brings a 53-1 record to state. 

138 — Jaxon Johnson, so., Melissa — He was second last year for the Cardinals at 113. He’s ranked No. 2 going and 32-5 on the season. 

144 — Chase Yancey, sr., Azle — An all-stater the past two years, he’s been 2nd and 3rd. He’s 52-1 and aiming for the top spot on the podium. 

150 — Jaxon Russell, jr., Lubbock — Ranked No. 1, Russell is a two-time all-stater with a 2nd and 4th. He’s won 22 in a row going to state and is 29-2. 

157 — Bryce Palmer, sr., Spring Branch Smithson Valley — He’s one of the most consistent wrestlers in the whole field in terms of success. He’s been 5th twice and won the state title last year at 150 pounds. He’s 23-0 this year. 

157 — Drezdyn Ballard, jr., Amarillo — He’s a runner-up at 165 last year, but dropped down a weight class. He’s 41-3 this year and ranked No. 3 going into state. 

175 — Leo Ashurov, sr., Frisco Rick Reedy — He missed a couple of weeks in January but has shown no rust coming back. He’s 20-0 and ranked No. 1. He took 5th last year. 

190 — Mark Gallegos, sr., Canyon Randall — He’s a two-time all-stater and won the 175-pound title last year. He sports a 20-4 mark this year and is ranked No. 1

215 — Roman Nino, sr., Corpus Christi Mary Carroll — He’s the only returning medalist in this bracket. He was a runner-up at 190 last year. He’s 48-0 and ranked No. 1. 

285 — Ryder Hatton, sr., Lubbock Cooper — He’s 22-0 this year for the Pirates and ranked No. 1 going into state. He’s also the lone returning medalist in the bracket, taking 3rd in this bracket last year. 

Also of note 

285 — Peyton Miller, jr., Anna — He’s a 4-star football recruit with 33 offers and an Under Armour All-American. On the wrestling mat, he’s 18-2 and won a regional title last week. A good example of how wrestling and football are a good mix, though not something you see a lot of in the Lone Star State. 

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Who to Watch for in 6A Title Hunt

Here's a look at defending champions chasing a repeat, returning finalists or wrestlers undefeated going into state.

106 —  Hector Ortiz, jr., El Paso Eastwood — Ranked No. 1 and he’s the only returning medalist in the bracket. A runner-up last year and 5th in 2024, he’s 38-1 and should win his 1st title. 

113 — Dylan Ota, sr., Southlake Carroll — He bumped up to 113 for the first time in high school. He is 38-2 and will look for his third straight title and 4th all-state medal. 

113 — Kingston Stephens, sr., Dallas Jesuit — He was a third-place finisher last year and did it the hard way with five wins in a row. Aiming to be the Rangers’ first state champ since 2004, he’s 40-0 going into state. 

120 — Jackson Shipley, sr., Dripping Springs — He’s a defending state champion at 113 last year and a runner-up in 2024. He’s 43-1, but the loss came against Pulliam. They would meet in the semifinals if both win the first two rounds. 

126 — Izayiah Chavez, so., Allen — A state champion last year at 120 pounds, he’s the favorite to repeat for the Eagles. He’s 26-4 and is ranked No. 1. 

132 — Cayden Campbell, jr., Allen — A loaded region featured Brubaker and Milsaps. Campbell is 15-5 and won a state championship in 2024 and was 2nd last year at 113. 

138 — Cayden Rios, jr., Allen — He’s been in the state finals his first two years and should get back for a 3rd time. Rios won the title last year after losing as a freshman. He’s ranked No. 1 and is 38-6. 

138 — Luca Rios, jr., The Woodlands College Park — He’s a 2-time all-stater and made the finals last year at 126, taking 2nd. He’s 28-7 but is on the same side of the bracket with 2 other returning medalists. 

144 — Logan Milsaps, sr., The Woodlands College Park — He won the 150-pound title last year in overtime, 4-1. He was 4th in his first two trips to state. He’s 34-3 and at the top of the bracket. 

144 — Hunter Gordon, so., Rockwall — A finalist last year 138 as a freshman and is one of the best wrestlers in the state. He’s 48-4, falling to Milsaps in the finals of regionals last week. 

144 — Anthony Simpson, sr., Arlington Mirabeau B. Lamar — He’s a perfect 31-0 and made the finals last year, losing to Cayden Rios. Looking to be the Vikings’ first champion since 2008. 

144 — Pablo Aguilar, sr., Temple — Doesn’t have the state pedigree of the guys above him, but he’s 37-0 going to state. Will likely see Gordon in the quarterfinals. 

150 — Keagan Sieracki, sr., Southlake Carroll — The George Mason pledge is looking to repeat for the Dragons. Sieracki is 37-3 on the year and two losses are Dominic Wilson, ranked No. 1 at 157.  Sieracki has been 1st, 2nd and 3rd at previous trips to state. 

150 — Micah McCaskill, sr., San Antonio Winston Churchill — The Chargers’ standout is 51-0 and ranked 5th going to state. 

157 — Dominic Wilson, sr., Rockwall — He was a runner-up last year at 150 with an overtime loss to Milsaps. Wilson is 46-2 and is 46-0 against wrestlers not named Landon McDowell, a wrestler from St. Pius X in Kansas City, who beat him twice at the KC Stampede before Christmas.

165 — Keith Remington, jr., League City Clear Creek — He took 6th last year at this same bracket and is at the top of the bracket the year with a 37-0 record. 

175 — Jared Remington, sr., League City Clear Creek — He’s a two-time all-stater with a 2nd and 4th. He’s 42-0 going into a state and looks to be his school’s first state champion. 

175 — Carter Nekvapil, sr., Allen — The St. Cloud State signee won a title last year and was 3rd in 2024. He’s 31-8 and is coming off district and regional titles. 

190 — Sean Perez, jr., Humble — Perez is going to state with a 48-0 mark. He’s ranked No. 2 and was 3rd last year at 175 pounds. 

215 — Aiden “Cash” Cooley, sr., Allen — The Missouri signee is 44-1 and has been dominant. His lone setback was back on Dec. 12 against Lehigh signee Cael Weidemoyer from Faith Christian Academy (Pa.) at the Ironman in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Cooley has been all state his first three trips, winning 190 last year. He’s also been 2nd and 3rd. 

Also of note 

165 — Jonathan “Steel” Meyers, jr., Allen — The North Carolina pledge is 43-2 is ranked No. 1 in state. Outscored foes 47-3 in three matches at

285 — Jackson Stoner, sr., Rockwall — He’s ranked No. 6 going into state after winning district and regionals. He’s 24-2 overall. He’s also a UTEP football signee and his brother, Jarrett, was a state champion at Rockwall and currently wrestles at Missouri.