Denver East Girl Determined To Get Back To State Wrestling Quarterfinals

DENVER (AP/CBS4) — A girl hoping to be the first to place in the Colorado high school wrestling tournament has been eliminated from the contest.

Maya Nelson, a 120-pound junior from Denver's East High School, lost in the 5A quarterfinals Friday to Juan Rodriguez of Pine Creek.

The Denver Post reports that a handful of girls have advanced to the final rounds of the wrestling tournament before but none have ever placed.

"She gave it her all. She tried and tried and tried," Nelson's wrestling coach Randy Gallegos said. "She went down swinging, she doesn't have to be sad about anything."

"I'm not done yet, I've got another match tonight," Nelson said. "I've got to take it one-by-one. My goal is still to be the first girl on the podium."

Nelson says she's been in love with wrestling since she was 4 and has trained at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

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