Princeton senior Paris Kelleher applies top pressure on Klein Oak’s Malaina Jones during the first place match in the 145-pound weight class division at the Region III-6A Tournament at Allen High School last Saturday. Kelleher won via a 6-0 decision and is bound for the state tournament. Photo by David Wolman / C&S Media
By David Wolman
ALLEN – Princeton senior Paris Kelleher has had a high school career for the record books. She is the program’s all-time leader in wins, a four-district champion, a state placer and last Friday, she became the school’s first-ever four-time state qualifier.
But for all the accolades earned, there was just one that Kelleher came up short of earning her junior season. That’s when her quest for a third straight regional title fizzled on the last day of the regional tournament. However, she more than made up for that last Saturday, and what impressed her the most of her performance in a 6-0 decision over Klein Oak’s Malaina Jones in the first-place match was how she beat a wrestler that was ranked higher than her.
“There is this expectation of when you win that you’re going to keep doing it,” Kelleher said. “Sometimes moments like these can get big. Emotions are running high. There’s a lot of stakes here. It’s the first time being here in 6A, my senior year of high school. There was a lot of people that I was trying to impress today, including my college coaches. Just to have success that I feel that I worked for is just awesome. My heart is pounding right now thinking about it.”
Kelleher was one of four wrestlers from Princeton that emerged from a tough field that included six of the top 10 squads in Class 6A, according to WrestlingTexas.com – No. 2 College Park, No. 3 Allen, No. 4 Klein Oak, No. 6 The Woodlands, No. 7 Princeton and No. 10 Prosper Rock Hill. The Lady Panthers also got a regional runner-up finish at 185 pounds by senior Rebekah Sorrell and fourth place finishes from junior Erin Marquez (120) and senior Brianna Tenpenny (165). Alyssa-Ann Irons (114) and Addy Smith (235) placed fifth and will be alternates.
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