Reaching the state finals once is an accomplishment.

Doing it eight years in a row is something else entirely.

Tamaqua junior high standout Aubrey Kokinda continued her remarkable run on Sunday, March 1, capturing her fifth straight championship at the 2026 PJW Junior High State Tournament.

Competing in the girls 89-pound weight class, Kokinda once again rose to the top of the podium in Johnstown, extending a streak that has seen her reach the state finals every year since first qualifying for the tournament.

“To sustain that kind of success and keep building on it is hard to do,” said her father, Zach Kokinda. “It’s one thing when kids have some success when they’re really young, but to keep progressing year after year like she has — that’s huge. I’m definitely proud of her.”

Kokinda’s consistency at the state level has been remarkable. She is now an eight-time PJW finalist, and has claimed the championship in each of the past five seasons.

Just as impressive is how she has navigated the tournament bracket year after year.

“She’s never wrestled in a consolation match at states,” Zach said. “Every match she wrestles there is basically a championship-round match with a lot on the line. Every girl out there wants to make the finals, and she’s been able to do it eight straight years.”

Kokinda’s path to this year’s title was another dominant one.

After receiving a first-round bye, she opened the tournament with a 31-second pin of Chestnut Ridge’s Clover Draves. She followed with a 16-1 (4:25) technical fall over Danville’s Eleanor Harte, before pinning New Kensington Arnold’s Serenity Scott in 2:27 in the semifinals.

In the championship bout, Kokinda secured the title with a 3-0 decision over Canon-McMillan’s Aleeya Dreshman, getting a takedown in the first period and controlling the action to secure the title.

“It means a lot,” Aubrey said. “It’s a great achievement.”

Three of her four victories came with bonus points, including two pins and a technical fall — another example of the dominance she has displayed throughout her youth career.

Kokinda’s brother, Cole, also competed at the PJW Junior High State Tournament.

The latest state championship adds to an already memorable season for Kokinda. Earlier this winter, she captured the championship in her weight class at the District 11 Coaches Association Championships, becoming the first junior high female wrestler in Tamaqua school history to win a title at the event.

While Kokinda has dominated at the state level, her success has also extended onto the national stage.

Over the past year, Kokinda has competed in national-level tournaments and defeated several nationally ranked opponents. Among those wins was a victory over a Wisconsin 2025 Pan American champion in her weight class. She has also competed against athletes from the United States World Team, giving her regular experience against some of the top young wrestlers in the country.

“She’s one of the top-ranked girls in her age and weight in the country right now,” Zach said.

Kokinda is scheduled to compete in several national events in the coming months. She will travel to Spokane, Washington to compete in a tournament with hopes of qualifying for the Pan American and World Team trials, and she has also been invited to wrestle with a national girls team at a National Duals event in Iowa later this spring.

“It’s been a ride,” Zach said. “We’ve been traveling all over — Indiana, Virginia and now Washington. She’s wrestling some of the best girls in the country.”

Kokinda said one of the things she enjoys most about wrestling is the opportunity to compete and connect with others.

“I like meeting new people and winning,” she said.

Kokinda’s development has been fueled by year-round training. Her father runs the Rush Wrestling Club in Tamaqua, a program centered around advanced youth wrestlers that emphasizes fast-paced drilling and high-level competition for both boys and girls.

The club has helped develop several area wrestlers, including multiple youth state champions and placers in recent years.

As girls wrestling continues to grow across Pennsylvania, Kokinda’s success reflects a rising wave of talent from the region.

Athletes like Panther Valley’s Brenda Banks — a three-time state champion and one of the most dominant wrestlers in the state — have helped bring increased attention to the sport locally.

With Kokinda already building an impressive résumé at the junior high level, another standout from the area may soon be ready to follow that path.