AZTEC, N.M. – An eight grader at Aztec Koogler Middle School is now a state champion wrestler after she took down a senior to win the title. 

If that was not impressive enough, Harper McClain is a five time state titleholder. 

“It was really head to head. It was actually kind of nerve-wracking, because I got a glance at the points, and I was way behind, and she was ahead of me, and I got nervous. But I couldn’t get in my head. I just had to, ‘Let’s go. Let’s do this, BTA,’” said McClain. 

McClain says she started wrestling at a young age, following in her dad’s footsteps.

“It helps you with your mental toughness and your physical traits. Like, helps you get stronger. It helps you be more mobile, and, you just get to experience new things,” McClain said. 

You take that mental toughness and use it against your opponents.

“I don’t care how old they are, I don’t care what they’ve done, I don’t care what they have accomplished. I’m here to do what I know what to do and just keep it simple,” said McClain. “I just tell myself to keep going, and that wrestling is a sport that you like, and not everything is going to be easy in life, so you have to push yourself and keep going.”

McClain isn’t getting off the mat anytime soon. She plans to continue wrestling in high school.