Impossible to pin down
Junior’s campaign includes 46-0 overall record and gold medal at state meet
It took three tries for College Park’s Brittyn Corbishley to reach the top spot on the medal stand at the UIL State Wrestling Championships, and she’s still only just beginning.
She trudged her way to sixth and fourth-place as a freshman and sophomore, respectively, at the Berry Center. As a junior, Corbishley dominated the 185pound bracket at the state tournament this year, impressively collecting four pinfalls on the way to a gold medal while capping a 46-0 campaign. Corbishley, the All-Greater Houston Girls Wrestler of the Year, enters her senior year as one of the state’s top overall wrestlers.
“She (was) close the last two years,” College Park coach Erik Spjut said. “She finally got over that hump. I know it’s huge for her and I’m really, really happy for her.”
The UIL state gold medal adds to what Corbishley has accomplished on the mat outside the high school realm. She is a fourtime freestyle All-American and a two-time Texas freestyle and Greco-Roman state champion.
College Park had one girls wrestler five years ago. Today, with Corbishley’s accomplishments in tow, it’s one of the sports’ fastest rising programs in the area. The team finished third in the state meet, had its highest finish.
Q: It seems like you earned a piece of redemption this year at the state tournament. What was the difference this time?
A: “This year, I was super nervous. I was really unhappy with the way I wrestled because I was so tight and nervous. I ended up winning my semi and it was all gone after that. Semis is what always tripped me up.”
Q: The overall team had its best season, too. How would you describe the triumphs?
A: “It was a pretty good year because our team, which has never been done before. We got third at state, which is pretty good for girls, going back to when we only had one girl five years ago. We actually started winning a couple of tournaments this year, too. The duals weren’t as strong, but in the tournaments, we’d come up with a bunch of champions and start winning them.”
Q: Did you think a top three finish was attainable during your career at College Park?
A: “We thought we could win it with two state champions, but I got fourth last year, so we didn’t. This year, I didn’t even know we could place. I didn’t know we had that many points and then when I figured out that if I beat the Katy Tompkins girl … If another girl had lost, we’d be in second. But I pinned the Katy Tompkins girl, so it’s OK. We were pretty close.”
Q: What is your own reaction to finishing with 40plus wins and undefeated this year?
A: “I wish we went and wrestled more, honestly. Like this year, we were supposed to go to more girls tournaments and more tournaments where I could get matches. I know we go to a lot of duals and we do a lot of duals, but usually I’ll have forfeits, which isn’t as fun. I love the tournaments. I just love the tournaments. It’s basically where all my pins and where the wins came from.”
Q: What do you enjoy most about tournaments?
A: “I love traveling with the team and being there and getting more than five matches and being there for more than one day is my favorite part about it. Practice is tough but the tournaments make it worth it and the friends you meet along the way.”
Q: Where would you be competing without the COVID-19 pandemic?
A: “A couple of weeks ago, I would’ve went to folkstyle nationals. I think right about now or around this time, there would’ve been a trip to New York for Beat The Streets. I also would’ve been in heavy training for Fargo.”
Q: After a successful junior year, what are your goals for next season?
A: “I’d like to be a state champion again and be one of the first in our school to be a double state champion. I would also like to go undefeated and try to have a record of 50 wins this time, hopefully with going to more tournaments. I’d also like to be a national champion in juniors which is I guess is a harder division than cadet.”