Mexico girls wrestling opened the season with some hardware on Saturday.

The Lady Bulldogs had two girls medal at the Wright City Girls Tournament, including Alexus Johns winning first at 235 pounds and Alizabeth Welch being second in the 105 weight class. 

Johns defeated Wright City’s Ella Greenwell twice by pinfall after defeating her in the district tournament last season. Welch won by pinfall three times — the longest taking a minute — before being pinned by reigning state qualifier Candace Calvert, of Hallsville.

“The returning girls all looked good to go,” head coach Tony Senor said. “Alexus beat Wright City, who we wrestled in the semifinals at districts last season. Alizabeth Welch had a fiery tournament by knocking girls out early with some big-time wins.”

Senor said there were other girls that wrestled well like Abby Bowen falling just short of third place at 135 after winning twice by fall, being victorious by a 7-0 decision and losing once via pinfall. In the final moments for third place, Bowen lost a 9-7 decision to Palmyra’s Janie Triplett. 

Karisa Hayden finished 2-3 at 170, scoring a 12-6 decision over Sullivan’s Chloe Carson and a pinfall over teammate Abby Seibert. Among Hayden’s losses was a pinfall loss to an undefeated state champion last season in Moberly’s Breanne Gibbs. 

Senor said Seibert, Lilly Debo, Jashayla Johnson and Alyssa Knight all learned a lot in their first tournament, with Seibert earning her first career win against Pacific’s Sofia Krehmeyer via pinfall. 

Mexico has the Thanksgiving break before wrestling Monday in the Hallsville Girls Invitational.