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Meet Olivia DeLaCruz: Eastern High’s Quiet Force on the Mat

@USAWrestling #HighSchoolWresting @LansingNewsWire #girlswrestling

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J.A. Garcia Post 172 holds annual Vietnam Veterans Day Ceremony

#VietnamWarVeteransDay

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#AMERICANLEGION

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Castro Captures State Title, Leads Mercedes to Powerlifting Championship #MercedesTigers @Enterprise1908#Powerlifting Click to Read >>

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Texas Kajukenbo Karate team practice for kumite

@closecombatmag #Kajukenbo #CharlesHGaylord #TexasKajukenbo

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Tyler Swanigan has her eyes on the Olympics

#girlswrestling #tylerswanigan @USAWrestling #mhsaa

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PHOTO ESSAY: Holt High’s Olivia Root Takes on the Challenge at Ford Field

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PHOTO ESSAY: Holt High’s Olivia Root Takes on the Challenge at Ford Field

By TANYA GARCIA

Olivia Root has established herself as an elite high school wrestler representing Holt High School. She finished her career ranked No. 5 with All-State honors in the 125 weight-class at the Michigan High School Athletic Association State Championship held at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

Root made back-to-back appearances to the State Tournament. In 2024 she finished 1-2 in the 115 weight-class respectively.

In her senior campaign to win her last match at the State Championship Olivia secured the victory with her signature move the cradle against her opponent.

Leading up to the last match Root defeated her Libbi Jacobs, a freshman at Petoskey High carrying a No. 2 seed from Region 1 entering State. In her second match Root collided with Lola Barkby from Sturgis High, 23-2 entering their match. Root was defeated by Barkby who went on to finish in second place at the tournament. 

After being knocked into the blood rounds by Barkby, Root went on to win her next two matches against Emme Delisle, 34-12,  out of Brighton High entering their match. After securing her win against Delisle Root was pitted against Makayla Perdue-Daniels, 33-6, from Warmont High. Root’s victory over Makayla moved her up to the last round to compete for a chance at the third place match. Root was defeated by Serenity Hayes, 35-6, from Whitepress High the eventual fourth place medal recipient who lost to Dewitt High’s Jamie Cook in the next round for third and fourth place.

Olivia Root ended her senior season campaign with a record of 38-10, over Jenna Bradford (Decatur High School) 21-5, Freshman with a Fall of 3:45.

“My first match, I was so nervous. I got pinned in 20 seconds but it was so fun,” Root said about her very first wrestling match when she entered the sport.

“I have practice six days a week and then sometimes on Monday I have extra practices,” Root said about her training regiment for the State Tournament.

She said her proudest moment in wrestling is when she competed at Michigan High School Athletic Association State Championship at Ford Field.

Her advice for girls entering wrestling is, “Stick it out and keep learning,” Root said.

She said she will be attending Davenport University where she will join the softball team for the school and study film and motion picture media.

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PHOTO ESSAY: Holt High’s Olivia Root Takes on the Challenge at Ford Field

#HoltRamsWrestling

#girlswrestling

Click to Read >>> https://tanyamariegarcia.com/2025/03/photo-essay-holt-highs-olivia-roots-battle-at-ford-field/

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Reporting Girls Wrestling at the Ford Field

 

Covering the Michigan High School Wrestling State Championships 

Covering the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) Wrestling Championships at Ford Field in Detroit was an exhilarating and challenging experience. As a female sports reporter focusing on  investigative and research journalism this month through my Full Sail University course, I had the unique opportunity to capture the intensity of high school girls' wrestling while honing my skills in field reporting.

I covered an entire day of elite girls’ wrestling, capturing the intense and relentless battles of the state's top grapplers as they fought for their shot at becoming a state champion.

Being down on the mats, surrounded by dedicated athletes, was an unforgettable experience. Photographing and speaking with wrestlers, coaches, and supporters gave me firsthand insight into their journey. At first, I felt nervous approaching them for interviews, and I had to reword questions or start over a few times. However, once the day got going, everything started to feel more natural. I reminded myself to talk to them like I would anyone else—normal people with stories to share.

One of the biggest challenges was keeping up with the fast-paced nature of the event. Fielding sources on the mat required me to stay near the action, waiting for the right moments to engage. Wrestlers and coaches were constantly on the move, and getting interviews wasn’t always easy. Experts in the field were even harder to reach. Many were busy coaching, scouting, or analyzing matches, making interviews nearly impossible.

One such case was trying to get an interview with Mario Flores, a well-respected figure in the wrestling community. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to reach him by phone, I finally managed to catch him in person at the tournament. It reinforced a valuable lesson: persistence pays off, and sometimes, meeting a source face-to-face is the best approach. Through a mutual contact, I arranged a video interview with him, which provided deep insights into the championship’s competitive landscape.

For my Week Four discussion and interview class assignment, I was tasked with finding wrestling experts to interview as I continue developing high school girls' wrestling stories, allowing me to collaborate with them as expert sources in the field.

Here is a list of experts I came up with to interview that included Mario Flores:

Camryn Jackson, a distinguished wrestler from Lansing Eastern High School, clinched the 135-pound title at the 2011 Michigan High School State Championships. Following his high school success, he joined the University of Michigan wrestling team. During his freshman year in the 2011-2012 season, Jackson redshirted and participated in two open tournaments, securing a third-place finish at the Eastern Michigan Open with a 5-1 record and achieving his first collegiate victory by pinning Central Michigan's Sam Hanau. 

Mario Flores is the founder and head wrestling coach of the Michigan Revolution Wrestling Club, based in Highland, Michigan. Under his leadership, the club has achieved significant success, including securing five national titles and producing nine All-Americans. Flores is also recognized for his contributions to promoting women's wrestling, having conducted all-girls clinics to encourage female participation in the sport. 

Olivia Delacruz is a standout wrestler from Lansing Eastern High School in Michigan. As a sophomore, she secured a third-place finish in the 105-pound weight class at the regional tournament, earning her a spot at the State Finals at Ford Field for the second consecutive year.  In the 2024 Michigan High School Athletic Association  state wrestling championships, Delacruz placed eighth in the 110-pound weight class, contributing to her recognition as an All-State athlete.  Her consistent performance has established her as a prominent figure in Michigan's high school wrestling scene.

Getting back to the coverage at the State Tournament I attempted to cover more than 20 female wrestles from more than 10 different high school teams. It took a lot of research and tracking which girls and from which schools were competing and in what weight classes. I also compared last year's results to better understand the competition and the difference in weight class, grade level and championship experience.

As the day progressed, I found myself balancing excitement with exhaustion. The pressure of capturing key moments, conducting interviews, and deciding what content to post became overwhelming at times. By the end of the night, I was mentally drained, reflecting on how much energy it takes to deliver quality coverage.

Despite the challenges, the experience was incredibly rewarding. Each interaction helped me grow as a journalist, reinforcing my confidence in navigating the fast-paced world of sports reporting. Covering high school girls’ wrestling at Ford Field was not just about documenting matches—it was about telling the stories of resilience, passion, and determination that define the sport.

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Nobody said climbing the Michigan High School Athletic Association Wrestling Championships  mountain was easy. Making it to the top of the mountain is even harder, but a few girls from the Greater Lansing Area were back at Detroit's Ford Field to grapple for a shot at the State Title. Photos by Tanya Garcia