Royal girls wrestlers rise to the challenge, have high hopes for state tournament

ROYAL CITY — They’ve had a lot of success on the mat, but it’s still been a tough year for the Royal High School girls wrestling team. Their coach Seth Weeks said the girls have risen to meet the challenge.  

Jesus Carlos Villa, the head coach who led the Knights to a second-place finish at the 2025 Mat Classic, suddenly passed in a car accident in July 2025. Coach Carlos has been missed, Weeks said. 

“It was tough and emotional, and it still is. We've got that to wrestle for,” Weeks said. “We're doing it for Coach Carlos as much as doing it for our school and ourselves. I think the girls have used that as motivation more than anything, to do it for their coach.” 

The Knights qualified 16 girls for the 2026 Mat Classic, including four who won district championships last weekend. Royal lost the 2025 championship by two and a half points to Granger, and Weeks said he likes the team’s chances for a similar finish, possibly even a state title. 

“We've got lots of tough girls that, even if they get bumped down into the bottom half of the bracket, we're still going to come back and score lots of points,” Weeks said. “That’s the way you win as a team.” 

Royal has been working toward the state tournament all season, he said. 

“We're peaking at the right time. That was our goal all season long – it doesn't matter what happens in the first couple months of the season, we’ve got to be ready to wrestle and be our best at the state tournament,” Weeks said. 

Hard work has been the focus of the team all season; Weeks cited junior Rebecca Carlson as an example. Carlson had been wrestling at 105 this season. However, when spots became scarce in and around those lower weight classes, Weeks said she volunteered to bump up to 120-lb, where there were more open spots.  

“She qualified for state at 120 pounds. Been wrestling (junior varsity at) 105-lb all season. It's those types of things that really make a difference for your team. She scored lots of points for us in the postseason, and she didn't expect to wrestle in the postseason until the week of (the tournament). I'm so excited for Rebecca. She's the hardest-working girl in the room and made the most of the opportunity that was given her. She deserves a shot,” Weeks said.  

Eight Royal wrestlers received byes into the second round. Sophia Garcia is the top seed at 110 pounds and the district champion. 

“She’s been wrestling super tough,” the coach said. 

Freshman Elizabeth Jenks took home a district title and is the second seed in the 170-pound class. 

“Lizzie Jenks won the district tournament over the girl from Granger that was second at state last year,” Weeks said. “We’ve got pretty good seeding in that bracket.” 

Reese Prescott, 115 pounds, and Heaven Parker, 125 pounds, also won district titles.  

“(Parker) beat some girls that had beaten her in the past, and she had a great district tournament,” Weeks said. 

Hali Christensen is the Mat Classic third seed in the 135-pound class.  

“Hali is definitely one to watch,” the coach said. 

First-year wrestler Leah Christensen placed second at district and is the seventh seed. Prescott is the fourth seed at 115 pounds – and could face her teammate, fifth-seeded Isabel Barajas, in the quarterfinals. 

“We should be able to get most of the girls on the podium,” Weeks said. 

    Isabelle Barajas from Royal faces off against her opponent at a home meet earlier this season. Barajas finished fourth in the 115-lb bracket at districts.
  

    Knights wrestler Reese Prescott takes down her opponent in a tournament earlier in the season. Prescott finished the district tournament as the champion of the 115-lb bracket.