Boca Ciega girls wrestling sends trio to state meet

BOCA CIEGA, Fla. - Tobey Alvarez has been coaching wrestling at Boca Ciega High School going on 25 years, but even he hasn't seen many like Kinea Moore walk onto his mats.

"Kinea, I can say, is like the eighth wonder of the world," Alvarez said.

Moore, a junior, joined the Pirates wrestling program her freshman year, knowing little about the sport.

"I didn't really have a reason (for joining)," Moore said. "Everyone just told me I was strong, so I should do it. So, I did it."

Moore quickly discovered, however, that she had a knack for the sport.

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"On the third day of practice they taught me how to throw. Ever since then, I've been throwing," she explained.

Kinea Moore joined the wrestling program her junior year. 

Throwing her way to qualifying for the FHSAA state meet during her freshman season, Moore never got the chance to compete for a state title after tearing her rotator cuff.

After surgery, Moore returned as a sophomore to claim the state crown had escaped her the year prior.

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"I jumped on my coach and knocked him over. I was really happy," said Moore.

Now, Moore has a chance to defend that title this weekend.

"Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. Because at the end of the day, it is you versus you," she shared.

A rotator cuff injury prevented Moore from participating in the state competition in the past. 

But Moore won't be going to the state meet alone.

She will be joined by teammates Ja'nhiya Jackson and Jamiyah Wade.

"It's going to be really special. Last year was fun but this year is going to be really fun," said Jackson.

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While Jackson and Moore have been to the state meet before, Wade joined the team just this year but has already proven herself on the mat.

"I didn't even believe that I qualified for states. I thought there was no way that I just made it to states," said Wade.

This is the first time the program will have three wrestling at the state meet. 

While the Pirates' girls wrestling team has seen three wrestlers qualify for the state meet before, because of injuries, this will be the first time the program will have all three wrestling at the state meet.

"It is pretty special especially when you think about our school and where our community is," Alvarez said.

"We're not known for a lot of wrestlers to come out of here."

Moore, Jackson and Wade will all begin their march to a state title Thursday when the state meet kicks off at Osceola High School in Kissimmee. 

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