VALLEJO, Calif. – On Saturday, March 30, Ashley Pyorre competed in the California Girls Middle School State Wrestling Championships and won a fifth place medal after going 4-2 with four pins in the 103-pound division.

She’s believed to be the first state medalist for the Terrace Middle School Vikings, girl or boy in any sport.

As one of the largest Girls Middle School Wrestling Tournaments with more than 220 girls entered, Ashley wrestled extremely well with her natural balance, strength and instincts, along with a handful of moves that kept her right in the mix with all of the top seasoned wrestlers. She only wrestles a few weeks a year, diversifying her time between other sports such as soccer and snowboarding.

As the tournament began, Ashley would takedown and pin hometown favorite Reigne Ramos of Vallejo in the first period. Then she would face the No. 3 seed and eventual third place medalist Ella Harper of Sacramento. The match was a close battle at 0-0 going into the second period. In the middle of the second period Harper would slip away with an escape point.

Now Ashley was behind 1-0 going into the third period. Harper took down and as Ashley was trying to turn the stalling opponent she was penalized a violation point for what they called an excessive elbow to the head during her power half. Now down 2-0 Ashley tried to force the turn, was reversed, but immediately got an escape, went in for a shot, but ran out of time and would go down 4 to 1.

In the first period of the consolation round Ashley would takedown and pin Lauren Agular of San Lorenzo. Next up Ashley got the takedown and pin in the first period of the Blood round against Elizabeth De Mars of Elk Grove.

Then in the consolation semifinals match Ashley was turning her opponent for back points, when she went to switch sides, got her arm caught and fell to the No. 4 seed and eventual fourth place medalist Mickayla Bridges of Modesto.

That loss really got to Ashley, because she knew she had her and was going on to get another crack at Harper, but it wasn’t to be and she had to get her head back together.

In the fifth place match Ashley came back with a vengeance against Isabelle Camarillo of Union City, taking her down and turning her for points and then turning and pinning her in the third period, winning the 5th place State medal.

As the medals were being handed out the tournament host said, “In my opinion this 103-pound division was the toughest in the tournament.”