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Brianna Thomas makes history as Denair High’s first state wrestling qualifier in three decades
Brianna Thomas
Denair High junior Brianna Thomas (right) was the first Coyote in 30 years — and the first female in program history — to appear at the CIF State Wrestling Championships, competing in the 155-pound bracket (CANDY PADILLA/The Journal).

Just about every time Brianna Thomas steps onto a wrestling mat these days, she makes history.

She did it again over the weekend by becoming the first Denair High School wrestler to compete at the CIF State Wrestling Championships in 30 years.

The 155-pound junior, who finished fourth in last week’s Sac-Joaquin Section Masters meet, competed in two matches in Bakersfield. Although she couldn’t pull out a victory — she lost to Poway’s Emmyjane Bragg and Temescal Canyon’s Gwenna Mitchell — it’s not bad for somebody who got into wrestling just three years ago solely to learn self-defense techniques.

“I really enjoy the physical aspect of the sport,” said Thomas, who helped deliver the girls’ first Southern League wrestling title in school history, and the first league title in the sport — boys or girls — in more than 40 years. “I think I realized when I made Masters last year as a sophomore that maybe I could go all the way and make it to state.”

In addition to dominating on the mat, entering Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield Thursday with an impressive 30-9 record, Thomas has helped outside of the wrestling room, too. She recruited friends to join the squad and has helped mentor young wrestlers in the Denair Den youth program. It’s all helping to revive a program that just a few years ago was at an all-time low.

“Brianna and Makenzie (Miguel) were the only girl wrestlers last year,” said coach Bryan Herrington. “This year, we had 10 girls on the team and won the league title. I’m not sure any of this would’ve been possible without Brianna and Makenzie.”

Miguel also qualified for the Masters meet but did not advance to state competition.

“Everything is pointing toward my senior season and getting on the podium,” Thomas said.

No matter the results at the state tourney this past weekend, Thomas is happy to have played a role in getting the girls program off the ground.

“Winning the league title was a grand achievement for sure,” she said. “It was a dream to get a whole bunch of girls together and hang out and do overnight tournaments and stuff that bigger schools get to do.”

— Journal writer Chris Correa contributed to this report.