Means, Shoemate-Means Capture Gold at Lady Pinto Invitational

MORIARTY, NM – The Moriarty Lady Pintos wrestling team showcased their strength on home mats Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, as two Pintos secured individual titles at the Lady Pinto Wrestling Invitational. Kristina Means and Lilly Shoemate-Means both stood atop the podium, leading a competitive effort for the host squad.

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Dominance at 120 and 135 Pounds

Kristina Means (13-2) was nearly untouchable in the 120-pound bracket. Means blazed through the early rounds, pinning her first three opponents in a combined time of just 1 minute and 25 seconds.

• Champ Round 1: Defeated Dylila Hernandez (Albuquerque) – Fall 0:35
• Quarterfinal: Defeated Sophie Gonzales (Rio Rancho) – Fall 0:27
• Semifinal: Defeated Nicole Harden (Rio Rancho) – Fall 0:23

In the championship bout, Means faced her toughest test of the day against Albuquerque High’s Jiselle Bustillos (17-3). In a battle of ranked opponents, Means secured a 5-3 decision to take first place and earn 26 team points for Moriarty.

At 135 pounds, Lilly Shoemate-Means (10-1) matched the golden performance. After receiving a first-round bye, she pinned Sandia’s Kianna Jaramillo in just over a minute. Following an injury default in the semifinals, Shoemate-Means faced Jessia Armendariz (12-1) of Albuquerque in the finals. In a wrestling masterpiece, Shoemate-Means ground out a 4-2 decision to claim the title.

Miller Takes Silver

McKayla Miller (9-6) put together a strong run in the 125-pound division to reach the finals. Miller earned her spot in the championship match with a hard-fought pin over Rio Rancho’s Aurelia Rivera in 5:19. Though she eventually fell to Raeyna Valdez (24-4) of Grants in the final, Miller’s second-place finish contributed 16 valuable points to the team total.

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Tournament Results at a Glance

Weight	Wrestler	Finish	Key Highlight
120	Kristina Means	1st Place	Three pins under 40 seconds; 5-3 Dec in final.
135	Lilly Shoemate-Means	1st Place	4-2 Decision victory over 12-1 opponent.
125	McKayla Miller	2nd Place	Victory by fall in the semifinals (5:19).
155	Sydney Kelley	Semifinalist	Won Quarterfinal by fall (2:27) before medical forfeit.

Tough Outings and Injury Notes

The Pintos also saw action from several other wrestlers who faced stiff competition:

• Sydney Kelley (155 lbs): Started strong with a pin over Espanola Valley’s Anelicia Maestas but was forced to withdraw via medical forfeit in the consolation semifinals.
• Megan Trujillo (135 lbs): Reached the semifinals via byes but was sidelined by an injury default and a subsequent fall in the consolation rounds.
• Linda Gonzalez (105 lbs), Amber Lavery (110 lbs), and Emma Rodriguez (115 lbs): Each fought through the championship and consolation brackets, facing experienced opponents from powerhouse programs like Grants and Clovis.