Sophomore Amara Ehsa won the Panthers’ first girls wrestling title, pinning her opponent at 101 pounds on Thursday at Hartman Arena.

How would you say your match went?

“It was unexpected, to be honest. I was way, way nervous because she was ranked first and I was ranked second. I’ve never wrestled her and I never wrestled her this whole season and I never wrestled her last year at state. So I was super nervous. I thought she was going to come out here super strong, super good. She was not that good.”

Was the match easy or hard in the beginning?

“In the beginning I was nervous at first because she took a good shot and she got two and then I pulled a move, a freestyle move. I pulled a little trick out my bag and pinned her.”

What helped you on this journey?

“God really gave me a team, like my girls team, he really gave me a team that brought me closer to him. And I think that’s the only reason why I won this state championship. All yesterday, all today I was praying. I had a really hard quarterfinals match, I remember I wasn’t getting mad I wasn’t getting heated because the whole time I was just praying and I knew God was not about to let me lose this. And he always calms my nerves, ask and you shall receive you know”

How do you think you were a better wrestler this year?

Last year was still only my second year so I was just figuring out what I like to do and now this year I already know what I liked to do so I just perfected my skills.

What were your emotions after you won?

“I was just overwhelmed with happiness because like not just last year but when I first started wrestling nobody accepted me, nobody wanted girls on the team, coaches were rude, teammates were rude — not at Derby, the coaches have always been good. But we have always struggled with the boys kind of accepting us. Now I feel like, I don’t know I just kind of proved myself, which I never needed to, but now you know I’m a state champ.”