HELENA — Helena Capital junior Taylor Lay is already Helena’s first-ever girls wrestling state champion, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still have more to achieve.
Lay’s freshman season ended in triumph, as she claimed the state title in the 120-pound weight class. But with a chance to go back-to-back, Lay’s sophomore season ended with a loss in the state final.
“Oh yeah, that hurt so bad,” Lay said of her championship defeat. “I’ve been working so hard this year to like redeem myself because that was a terrible way to end my season.”
Redemption is the word Lay twice used to describe her journey back to this point as the top-seeded wrestler in her weight class heading into this year’s state tournament.
“I’m most looking forward to proving myself and getting redemption from last year,” said Lay. “I’ve changed my mindset around it, and I think I’ve taken a positive outlook on the sport, and just like more confidence and just working harder, because, at the end of the day, I’m the only person that can win it for me.”
Capital head wrestling coach Shawn Graham credited Lay’s work ethic for Lay’s results on the mat.
“Taylor is a competitor. She’s a multi-sport athlete,” said Graham. “She works hard. She wrestles, practices with the boys as much as she does the girls. She’s always pushing herself, trying to get better. And I know she does quite a bit in the offseason to try to improve her craft. So, she just keeps working at it.”
And Lay winning a second state championship this weekend wouldn’t just be a fitting end to her year-long redemption story, but Graham also said it could help inspire future Bruin wrestlers be like Taylor.
“Four years ago we had one girl on the team. This year we had eight girls on the team,” said Graham. “So, I mean, any success that our program can have will help build it down the road. I think there’s a lot of girls in town that are wrestling. (When) they see that you can be a state champion in high school, they’re going to want to come out for the sport.”
The girls state wrestling tournament is Thursday through Saturday at First Interstate Arena in Billings.
