Gianna Moreno waited for her moment at the top of the podium throughout her high school career. This year, she finally got it when she took the gold for the 138-pound weight class at the UIL 6A state tournament. After dealing with COVID-19 constraints and a shoulder injury, Moreno finally accomplished her long-time goal. She didn’t qualify for the state tournament as a freshman, but she was a spectator and from there she decided she wanted to take the crown one day. During her sophomore and junior seasons, she placed third and fourth, respectively. So when she won the title this year, it was like a sigh of relief.
Not only did Moreno earn her first state tournament gold medal, but she was also the first-ever champion in San Marcos program history. There had been others that placed at the tournament, but no one came out on top until Moreno.
She finished her senior season undefeated at 18-0. Her older brother, Mason, set the program’s career wins record with 131, but Gianna broke it during her senior year, finishing with a career record of 138-11. Moreno’s dominance in 2021 makes her the Daily Record’s Female Athlete of the Year.
