ALBANY, Calif. – On Saturday, April 2, Mavis Pyorre – entered as an individual wrestler from Lakeport – headed out to the California Girls Middle School State Wrestling Championships to wrestle in the 99-pound weight class.

Medals were awarded to the top six placers.

Mavis was seeded third, but this did not turn out to be any advantage, as she faced one of the toughest paths through the bracket.

For her first match Mavis faced off with the eventual eighth placer Taylor Micallef from Raul Castillo Martial Arts.

Mavis would get the first takedown and would win the battle 2-0 (Micallef’s only other loss was 2-3 against the third place finisher).

Next up, Mavis would face the eventual state champion from Star Wrestling Academy in Bakersfield.

Mavis fought hard, but after a battle at the end of the first period was down 0-2.

Mavis put the pressure to her for the next two periods, but just could not get her turned to her back, in one last effort to turn her in the final minutes of the match; Mavis’s hold would slip and ended losing 0-4 (just as last year this was the closest match the state champion would face all day, as she went on to pin her other opponents and beat her finals opponent the No. 1 seed, 8 to 2).

In her next match Mavis would pin a hometown opponent from Albany. Then, Mavis would battle it out with the second seed from Smash Gyms in San Jose and eventual 4th place medalist.

With a questionable choke hold her opponent was using, Mavis fell behind 0-5 in the first period. In the second period they would face off standing in the neutral position; again the opponent went for the chip whip, this time Mavis would fight it off and take her down to her back; just about pinning her.

Unfortunately Mavis was only awarded the takedown points. In the final period after a reversal, Mavis was able to get an escape, a takedown and was in the process of turning her opponent to her back as time ran out, leaving Mavis just short 5 to 7 and missing advancement to the medal rounds.

Mavis ended the day at 2 and 2, and finished in seventh place (both the fifth and sixth place medalists were pinned by the opponents Mavis had faced). Mavis said she looks forward to high school where the match time period is longer.

“She did great, I’m so proud of her, there is no quit in this girl!” said her dad and coach Rick Pyorre. “In fact I told her the United States Girls Wrestling Association National Championships Tournament will be held in American Canyon on Saturday, April 16, and each period will be 30 seconds longer.”

Looks like Mavis may have one more tournament. 

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Written by: Elizabeth Larson

Published: 04 April 2016