When it comes to wrestling they must be doing something right at Hatzic Secondary.

The fledgling program, just three years in the making, has three young stars who seem like nice girls until they get near a wrestling mat. Then their steely resolve leaves just one thing on their minds . . . domination.

"They're very talented and very strong," said coach Allison Thiessen of Kyra Evans, Alex Sawyer (both Grade 9) and Taylor Ballantyne, Grade 8.

"All three will qualify [for provincials]," she added matter of factly about this weekend's qualifying tournament in Abbotsford.

"I'm really proud of them, and if they put their mind to it, they can achieve just about anything."

Wrestling at 69 kg, Alex Sawyer hasn't lost a match this year.

When not on the mat, she skates with the Triple-A Bantam boy's hockey team and will be competing at the B.C. Winter Games in two weeks in Vernon.

"Her upper body strength and her ability to control her opponents are outstanding," said Thiessen, who knows a thing or two about wrestling after competing for years with Yale Secondary.

"In my 10 years of coaching, I have yet to coach someone with so much potential on and off the mat."

Sawyer, who placed fifth at last year's provincials in Grade 8, admits to getting really nervous before she hits the mat.

"Unlike hockey you have one shot at it. If you make one mistake you're pinned and it's done."

Kyra Evans (60 kg) is also in her second year and placed in the top three in every tournament this year. She loves the sport because of its physicality.

"It gets your anger out," she said laughing.

Her coach sees it as more than that.

"She has an amazing awareness on the mat and is able to get out of tricky situations with no problems. She is ferocious and always determined to win," said Thiessen.

Still in Grade 8, Taylor Ballantyne (51 kg) is the newbie on the team, but you'd never know it. The young grappler has placed in the top two in all of her tournaments this year.

"She is very strong, extremely flexible and has a winning nature about her," said Thiessen. "She is very aggressive. A switch turns on in her and she just goes after it. She's a very quick learner."

All three girls will be competing for Hatzic on Saturday at the Upper Fraser Valley Zone Championships at W.J. Mouat, in hopes of qualifying for the provincials to be held in Penticton on Feb. 23-25. Action begins at 9 a.m. and runs all day.

JKonda-Witte@abbotsfordtimes.com