Improvement paves way for state tournament berth for Creekview’s Rubalcado

Creekview didn’t miss a beat during Goodloe’s first season back at the helm despite the team’s inexperience. The Mustangs qualified six wrestlers for the Class 5A state tournament with one alternate.

One Mustang that exceeded expectations was Rubalcado. After the conclusion of the 2020 fall volleyball season, she was approached by a friend and asked if she wanted to join the wrestling team.

It’s a decision that Rubalcado hasn’t regretted. She picked up wrestling rather quickly, but this year, it was improvement with her technique that allowed her to enjoy a breakout season. Also, moving down one weight class from 114 pounds to 107 benefitted her greatly.

An alternate at the regional tournament during her freshman season, she wrestled in that same tournament as a sophomore. Rubalcado was back at the Region III-5A tournament again this year, and this time, she finished as the champion of the 107-pound weight division to earn an automatic berth into the state tournament.

Although Rubalcado fell short of earning a spot on the medal stand at the state tournament to finish with a 22-12 record, she will be one of five returning state qualifiers for the Mustangs next season.

In this week’s Star Local Media student-athlete profile, Rubalcado chats about her volleyball background, what ways she improved on the mat and how she was first approached about the sport of wrestling.

SLM: Congrats on winning the Region III-5A Tournament championship at 107 pounds. What did you feel that you did well that weekend?

AR: I did well with really going out there and trying to be confident and do what I do during practice into the match.

SLM: What is your volleyball background?

AR: I've played volleyball most of my life, and I really enjoyed the sport. It's a lot of work to do both sports. You have to try to be good at both because you can only put in so much time for each one.

I really enjoyed the family atmosphere that wrestling has and the team bonding with the coaches and the girls on my team. That's why I stuck with wrestling. I also enjoy sport more. Mentally-wise, it made me a stronger person that can push myself.

SLM: Who approached you about joining the school’s wrestling team?

AR: It was actually at lunch my freshman year. One of my friends talked to me. I, honestly, didn't know what wrestling was. He asked me how much I weighed. I came in and my old coach told me about the sport and how good the girls were and how much it would make me a better athlete. I tried it out and I loved it.

SLM: What did you know about wrestling when you first started?

AR: I didn't know much, so that's why I was depending on my throwing. I thought that I grew being more of a leg-attack person and taking shots helped to make me a better wrestler and a better athlete and to make me more confident. I thank my coach for that because it made me a better wrestler.

SLM: How much have your practice partners, Raquel Iturrino and Owen Eikenhorst, pushed you to become successful?

AR: I thank them both because they both give me a challenge and give me a look at what a match is going to be like when we go live in practice. They let me do the moves and practice them. It's nice to get the feel of what an actual match is going to be like when they fight back.

SLM: How much has the move down from 114 pounds to 107 benefitted you?

AR: I feel like it's more of my playground when I move down a weight class because it actually lets me wrestle more. When I was with the heavier girls, I was too tiny. I couldn't do the moves. Now that I'm down, I'm having more fun.