DENVER, COLO. — Great Bend’s Natalie Garza, wrestling for the Hoisington Junior Cardinals wrestling club, won two matches to capture first place in the Rocky Mountain Cosmic Clash national wrestling championship at the National Western Events Complex.

Garza defeated Kylie Hernandez of El Paso, Texas, 5-3; and Jacqueline Placencia of Salinas, Calif. 7-5 in the 95-pound high school division for wrestlers 18-and-under.

Garza qualifies for a championship title belt entry at Las Vegas, Nev. Garza wrestled for Great Bend’s wrestling team last season.

Other Hoisington Junior Cardinals competing were Blake Stein, 85 pounds; Triston Tomlinson and Kaden Stiles. 

Triston Tomlinson placed fifth, 10 and under, 61 pounds by beating Cody Larch, Cash Martinez, Haegan Hartman and Caleb Kirk. 

Kaden Stiles placed sixth in the 18-and-under 170-pound division. Stiles pinned Josh Silva in 41 seconds and lost to Kyle Knowles in 1:06; Levi Fry in 1:27 and Brant Rieker for fifth place.