Lexington’s Ashley Najera named Hub Territory girls wrestler of the year
Lexington senior Ashley Najera celebrates as her hand is raised after winning Lexington girls first-ever state champion title Feb. 18 in the Class A State Championships at the CHI Health Center in Omaha.
A month after becoming the first-ever state champion for the Lexington girls wrestling program, Ashley Najera is still in awe.
The Minutemaid senior accomplished that after winning the Class A, 235-pound title at the girls state tournament with a 36-0 record.
“I still can’t believe it,” Najera said. “It still hasn’t sunk in it.”
For her accomplishments this season, Najera has been named the Hub Territory Girls Wrestler of the Year.
Lexington coach Art Banderas said Najera was deserving of being a state champion.
“She did it by being a good person,” Banderas said. “She was a great teammate who wanted to see other people succeed and a great ambassador to the sport and for the city of Lexington, especially this year with everything going on. She was just glad to represent Lexington the best way that she could.”
What Banderas is referring to is Tyson’s Food closing its factory in Lexington in late January. Najera said that was on her mind a lot and thinking about some of her classmates who had families that worked at the plant.
“I was thinking about it a lot,” Najera said. “I had some teachers asking a lot of the parents who work at Tyson’s and it’s just sad to think about.”
And she was determined in making Lexington proud at the state tournament. She went 4-0 to capture the state title, including a 7-1 win over Beatrice’s Shaylee Calloway in the final.
All of her points were scored during the third period as she scored a takedown and put Calloway on her back for four nearfall points at the end of the match to secure the win.
Banderas said Najera set a goal of being a state champion after finishing fifth in the 2025 state wrestling tournament.
“She earned that. She was determined to come back and accomplish that goal. After her season was over last year, she was competing in the offseason,” Banderas said. “It was a mental game for Ashley. She had what it took to do it last year but there’s a lot of bright lights at state so if you let it get in your head, it’s hard to compete. This year she was able to get through that and compete well at state.”
There was a loud roar from the Lexington crowd during the entire match and just erupted when the clock hit zero.
Najera said it sounded like Lexington had the whole town there cheering her on.
“It really felt like that,” she said. “The parents and the fans that were there, it was really nice to have them there.”
Banderas said he thanked the Lexington crowd for cheering on Najera and the Minutemaids at the state tournament.
“I think during the first year, we didn’t have many people in the stands. Five years later, it was great seeing all the people supporting the girls, especially Ashley in the finals,” Banderas said. “We had a lot of different people there and it wasn’t just the parents. The support was great.”
But Najera was even more excited about how the Minutemaids competed in the state tournament. Lexington, which had 10 state qualifiers, finished fourth with 96 points and brought home four other medalists.
“It was amazing because all of the girls have put in the work and effort,” Najera said. “I know how hard we have worked to accomplish those things.”
And she was glad to send coach Banderas out a winner. Banderas announced after the season that he was stepping away from coaching at Lexington to be with his wife Libby, who will be the new assistant principal at Westridge Middle School in Grand Island.
Najera said Banderas told her the news right before the finals match.
“I felt sad at first but then I felt I needed to go out and wrestle for him too,” she said. “He has always been at my corner ever since I started wrestling.”
Banderas said he was happy to coach Najera and see her have great success for the Minutemaids.
“She’s just a great human being to be around,” Banderas said.
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