Bowie’s Moreno completes a long, painful climb to UIL wrestling title

The whistle blew and Christian Moreno didn’t know what to think. He let out a yell. He slammed down his headgear. He cried.

Then he jumped into the arms of Bowie wrestling coach Glenn Lewis and they embraced. Lewis has coached Moreno, a senior, since his freshman year, and Moreno had advanced to the UIL championships every year. The first three trips ended with Lewis consoling Moreno after Moreno didn’t win a gold medal.

That changed Saturday. When Lewis hugged Moreno this time on the edge of a mat inside the Berry Center, he was embracing the state champion in the Class 6A boys 120-pound division.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Lewis said after Moreno defeated Lake Travis junior Jordan Strmiska 3-1 in the final. READ MORE