Cassandra Gonzales can make a claim few high school wrestlers can make. The Apple Valley senior will graduate as a state champion without ever losing a high school match.

Make that four-time state championships without a loss.

When she stepped off the mat after beating CeCe Rock of Luverne 7-4 in overtime (in wrestling it’s called sudden victory) of the 155-pound state championship, Gonzales capped a season in which she finished 24-0. For her entire high school career? 96-0.

It really couldn’t have gone any other way for the 2026 Strib Varsity All-Minnesota Girls Wrestler of the Year.

Gonzales’ introduction to wrestling was similar to that of so many others. She was rough and rowdy as a child, always grappling with the other kids in her family.

“I started wrestling at my uncle’s. I didn’t have any experience. We would just beat each other up,” she said.

She took to wrestling immediately. “It was something I found satisfying. I always had a pretty good work ethic,” she said.

The number of girls in wrestling were much lower than today’s participation rates, so Gonzales often had to wrestle boys. But she showed an aptitude for wrestling. Once she started having success, she learned a valuable lesson.

“I was wrestling in a tournament for first place. I was beating the guy and got him down, then I counted to three and let him up. I thought I won,” she recalled. “Then he caught me and pinned me. That was 100 percent on me. I was bawling my eyes out. I never forfeited a match again.”

Gonzales grew up in Shakopee. Her parents looked for a wrestling program that fit her needs. They settled on Apple Valley.

“I thought it was crazy that I would have to wrestle only girls if I’d stayed. I’ve wrestled guys all my life,” Gonzales said. “At Apple Valley, [head coach Josh] Barlage let me pick the guys I wanted to wrestle. It’s made me a tougher wrestler, more mentally strong.”

With her high school wrestling days now behind her, Gonzales remains active, having success in regional and national competitions. She’s still weighing her post-high school options.

“I’m still in the process of figuring that out,” she said.