Katie Bowen is a freshman at Mexico High School. That alone may not seem remarkable — there are, after all, quite a few ninth graders at MHS. It’s when you add what she’s …
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Katie Bowen is a freshman at Mexico High School. That alone may not seem remarkable — there are, after all, quite a few ninth graders at MHS. It’s when you add what she’s accomplished over the course of her first year in high school that Bowen stands out.
Among other things, she is Mexico’s first girls varsity wrestler to win a tournament and to go to state.
Bowen learned the sport from her father, who wrestled in high school and for Missouri Baptist University. She has been at it since first grade and participated in middle school wrestling under head coach Tony Senor.
The state girls wrestling tournament takes place on March 9 in Independence.
1. How excited is it to go to state?
It’s really nerve wracking. But it’s also kind of exciting because I’m making school history.
2. Is making school history something you thought about before?
No, not really.
3. What is it about wrestling that attracted you?
I don’t really know. But I have a connection with it. If I were to lose it, my world would come to an end.
4. That’s a deep attraction.
My fifth grade year I was pushed and I was not mentally strong enough for it. I wound up quitting. Coach Senor encouraged me to come back and I did. I love it.
5. What’s it like to finally have a girls team?
It’s fun. You’re not just sitting around waiting with no one to wrestle or getting pushed around by boys. You can bond.
6. Besides wrestling, what do you do?
I like to spend time with family and do different art projects.
7. You’re an artist?
I like to make shirts and signs with my step mom on our cricket. The shirts we made for sectionals we made on our cricket. It’s like its own stencil maker.
8. Are you taking art class?
Yeah. I like to paint, but right now we’re doing one point perspective. I don’t really like it [laughs].
9. Do you have a favorite moment from the season?
The moment when I won district, the process of making it to state. My goal is to make it to state all four years. I’m a quarter of the way there.
10. Who sets goals – the coaches?
No, that’s just me.
