After her performance at the CIF Southern Section Ford Masters Meet on Feb. 21, senior Izabella Luna secured a 4th-place finish in the 130-pound division, becoming the first female wrestler in school history to qualify for the CIF State Championships. 

Luna joined the program as a freshman focused on learning the fundamentals and adjusting to the pace of her new high school competition. Competing primarily in the 126-130 pound divisions early in her career, Luna finished her first season gaining varsity experience and developing mat awareness against upperclassmen competitors.

By her sophomore year, Luna improved her overall record and began placing at local tournaments. Her confidence and conditioning continued to increase, and she became a consistent contributor in dual meets.

As a junior, Luna posted one of the strongest records on the team, finishing her season with over 25 wins and multiple podium finishes at invitationals. She qualified for CIF postseason competition and advanced further than previous seasons, setting her sights on Master’s qualification.

In the girl’s division, the top eight finishers per weight class at the end of conference secure their spot for Master’s, a competition that determines if wrestlers qualify for CIF State Championships. 

Wrestling at 130 pounds entering her senior year, Luna compiled over 30 wins, including several victories by pin and technical fall. 

Winning by pin is when one wrestler forces both of their opponents’ shoulder blades to flatten on the mat for more than a few seconds which results in an immediate win regardless of the score. To win by technical fall, one wrestler must be able to gain a 15 point lead over their opponent before the referee stops the match with an automatic win.

She placed in multiple tournaments throughout the regular season and entered CIF competition ranked among the top wrestlers in her weight class. Luna says much of her development and technique is thanks to Head Coach Jaysen Baxter. 

“He’s always been there for me and I don’t know what I would’ve done without him throughout my wrestling years,” Luna said.

She also says that Baxter’s encouragement during demanding practices helps her push past exhaustion. 

“He made me believe in myself so much,” Luna said. “At every point in practice, when I didn’t think I could push myself any further, he was able to motivate me past my limits.” 

Luna says that the mental pressure she placed on herself limited her ability to perform on the mat. 

“I reassure myself that I put in so much work for State and there’s no need to stress myself into breaking during the season,” Luna said.

Beyond her record, Luna served as a team captain during her senior season. Her experience competing deep into the CIF postseason gave the team a clear example of what was possible. While Luna’s qualification made school history, she was not the only wrestler to stand out at Masters. Freshman Jazmine Abanobi became the first freshman in school history to qualify for Masters. Competing in the 135 pound weight class, Abanobi compiled an impressive record in her first varsity season, earning over 20 wins and qualifying through CIF competition to reach Masters. Abanobi says that competing at that level gave her a new perspective on the sport and the amount of preparation required.

“I think knowing the amount of work that I put in and knowing my opponent also put in just as much work really humbles me,” Abanobi said.

Coach Baxter praised her effort and mindset. 

“She’s a great fighter and a competitor, and that carried her a long way,” Baxter said.

Qualifying for Masters as a freshman provided Abanobi greater motivation to improve for the future.

“I think it really boosted my confidence for next year knowing that as a freshman I made it to Masters and the next year I can make it even farther,” Abanobi said.

Abanobi’s qualification represents long term potential for the program, as she has three remaining seasons to continue building on her experience. 

Junior Natalie Godinez also represented FUHS at Masters. Competing against some of the top wrestlers in Southern California, Godinez showed technical improvement and resilience in each match.

All three girls had something in common: they give most of the credit to their coach.

Baxter is known for adapting his coaching style to each athlete individually. Rather than teaching one uniform system, he works with wrestlers to develop strategies that match their strengths and weaknesses. 

“If I try to force them into a box, it takes away a lot of their personal fun from the sport and I don’t want to do that,” Baxter said. 

This philosophy has allowed wrestlers to develop their own approaches while maintaining strong fundamentals. Baxter’s approach has helped create an environment where athletes feel supported while continuing to improve technically and mentally.

Baxter reflected on Luna’s achievement and what it means for the program. 

“To be the first girl here at Fullerton to qualify for state was just an incredible thing and I am very happy to be a part of that history built by her,” Baxter said.