McLain Student Hits Milestone As The School's First Girl To Qualify For State Wrestling Tournament

A McLain High School student is paving the way for young women to compete in wrestling. For the first time in the school's history, a girl qualified for the state tournament this year.

Sophomore Aubrey Bolton is the first girl from her school to qualify for the state wrestling tournament.

"It feels good. It feels like I accomplished something,” Bolton said.

While she did not move on after her first match at the state competition, she has come a long way.

Last year, girls wrestling was not offered at McLain, so she competed with the boys.

"I joined the football team last year because I wanted to get better at wrestling,” Bolton said.

She put in the hard work and will never forget the moment she knew she was heading to state this year.

"And just winning that match, like, I don't know like, that feeling, I've never felt that feeling before,” Bolton said.

Bolton has a goal to make it to the Olympics one day, but she also has a goal to make an impact right here at home, by showing people what's possible.

"The girls - she's making a path for them,” McLain Girls Wrestling Coach Tre Steele said.

He said Aubrey has inspired several other girls to try the sport. There were six girls who competed during McLain's first official season.

"When she comes back to school and they make the announcement over the intercom, I think the other girls are hearing, 'oh if she can do it, I can do it,'” Steele said.

"Just do it,” Bolton said. “It doesn't really matter what other people think. What other people say. Just do it."

Steele said two girls from Will Rogers High School also qualified for state.