Fort Lupton’s Rylee Balcazar made a return trip to Fargo, North Dakota for her second appearance in the U.S. Marine Corps Nationals, also known as the Fargo Nationals. Some say it’s one of the largest – and hardest – tournaments in the nation.

She placed eighth in her weight class.

“What worked for me in this tournament was not getting in my head so much and taking it match by match,” Balcazar said. “My goal, headed into this tournament, was just to place. Last year I went 0-2, so I was really focused.”

Qualifiers have to place in the top six in a state tournament (she finished fourth this winter), or become an all-American in any national tournament (she was fourth at a national tournament in Nebraska).

“I wasn’t too pleased with how I performed,” she said. “Although I reached my goal and placed eighth, I felt like there were things I could’ve done better. I know I could have placed higher than I did.”

She said she was a bit more anxious about this tournament compared to others.

Going into this tournament, I had some nerves because I am not familiar with freestyle wrestling,” Balcazar said. “I have only been training in this style for one year.”

She trained the same way she trains for other tournaments. There was one hitch, though.

“The biggest struggle I had was finding places to practice,” Balcazar said. “I would have to take long drives to Colorado Springs on weekends just to train.”

Balcazar did a form of networking, too.

“I would watch matches before me and ask questions to help my performance,” she said. “I still managed my style of wrestling and incorporated the freestyle moves I learned from my coaches.”

The goal, as always, is to keep improving.