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 / Updated By Tim Stelloh and Morgan Radford 
 
 A transgender teenager won a Texas state title for girls wrestling on Saturday — even though the wrestler, 17-year-old Mack Beggs, identifies as a boy. 
 
 The junior from Euless Trinity, northwest of Dallas, emerged victorious in the 110-pound weight class to cheers and jeers after forfeitures from previous opponents and a bid to block him from competing failed. 
 
 "I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for my teammates," Mack said in a statement after the match, according to The Dallas Morning News. "We trained hard every single day. Every single day and that's where the spotlight should have been on." 
 
 Instead, much of the focus was on Mack, who is transitioning from female to male and is taking testosterone. Mack would have preferred to be wrestling boys, but state policy forced him to compete according to the gender listed on his birth certificate. 
 
 Related: White House Reverses Obama-Era Transgender Bathroom Protections 
 
 Some parents worried that this created an unfair advantage. 
 
 "Whatever reason doesn't matter," said Patti Overstreet. "They are using something. They are stacked. They are huge, and it's not fair." 
 
 Mack Beggs celebrates after defeating winning the girls Class 6A 110-pound championship final Saturday at the Texas state wrestling championships in Cypress, Texas. Mack was born female and is transitioning to male but wrestles in the girls division. Jason Fochtman / AP 
 
 Another parent, Jim Baudhuin, filed an injunction that sought to have the state's University Interscholastic Scholastic League bar Mack from wrestling. Baudhin told the AP that he sympathized with Mack, whom he referred to as a female. 
 
 "The more I learn about this, the more I realize that she's just trying to live her life and her family is, too," Baudhuin said. "She's being forced into that position." 
 
 The blame, he added, "rests with the UIL and the superintendents." 
 
 Baudhuin's effort failed, however: The state allows steroids if they're used for valid medical purposes. 
 
 Some classmates rallied behind Mack — "I think he should do whatever he wants to do and be whatever he wants to be," as one put it — while LGBTQ advocates worried about the broader problems Mack's experience point to. 
 
 "Everybody deserves to have equal access, opportunity and experience in sports, and I think Mack's story shows us that we're falling short of that goal," said Hudson Taylor, director of Athlete Ally, an organization that promotes acceptance of LGBTQ athletes. "Not enough sporting communities have inclusive transgender policies, and so when we don't allow equal access and opportunity, everybody loses." 
 
 The debate comes as Texas lawmakers have proposed a new so-called bathroom bill and as transgender students across the country worry about losing gains made under President Barack Obama. Last week, officials at the Education and Justice departments rescinded Obama-era directives that allowed those students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that aligned with their gender identities. 

 This story is about Published Feb. 2017 
 
 Transgender wrestler Mack Beggs ended contentious weekend with state title, but the controversy isn't going anywhere Share This Story On... Twitter 
 
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 /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs is announced as the winner of the state championship title in the girls Class 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs, a 17-year-old transgender wrestler from Euless Trinity making a transition from female to male, defeated Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs during the opening ceremonies for the championship round of the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez to win the state championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs and fellow wrestlers during the opening ceremonies for the championship round of the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez to win the state championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs during the opening ceremonies for the championship round of the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez to win the state championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez (left) and Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs greet before wrestling in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the state championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity fans greet Trinity's Mack Beggs during a parade of wrestlers before the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's wrestling coach Travis Clark talks with Mack Beggs before competing against Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs wrestles Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's wrestling coach Travis Clark communicates to Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs during a match against Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs wrestles Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs bleeds on Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs lifts up Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs pauses after winning the state championship by beating Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Nancy Beggs celebrates with Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs after Beggs defeated Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs escapes the grasp of Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs family and friends celebrate after Beggs defeated Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs with the other 6A 110 weight class winners before receiving medals at the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs after defeating Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs with the other 6A 110 weight class winners before receiving medals at the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs receives her first place medal from Trinity head coach Travis Clark after defeating Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs receives her first place medal from Trinity head coach Travis Clark after defeating Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs and coach Travis Clark make their way to the mat before wrestling Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay in the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Clay to advance to the championship match. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs wrestles Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay in the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Clay to advance to the championship match. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs wrestles Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay in the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Clay to advance to the championship match. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Allen's Alex Liles throws Katy Cinco Ranch's Kayla De Leon down during the championship match of the 6A girls 138 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Liles defeated De Leon to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs wrestles Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay in the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Clay to advance to the championship match. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs attempts to takedown Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay in the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Clay to advance to the championship match. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs attempts to takedown Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay in the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Clay to advance to the championship match. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity coach Travis Clark tends Trinity's Mack Beggs bloody nose during a match against Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay in the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Clay to advance to the championship match. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs attempts to pin Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay in the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Clay to advance to the championship match. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs pauses on the mat after defeating Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay to advance to the championship match in the 6A girls 110 weight class at the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs pauses on the mat after defeating Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay to advance to the championship match in the 6A girls 110 weight class at the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs hugs Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay after defeating her to advance to the championship match in the 6A girls 110 weight class at the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs defeats Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay to advance to the championship match in the 6A girls 110 weight class at the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Family and friends of Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs celebrate after a victory over Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay in the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Clay to advance to the championship match. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs reacts to winning the state championship title in the girls Class 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs, a 17-year-old transgender wrestler from Euless Trinity making a transition from female to male, defeated Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs' grandmother Nancy Beggs (center) and coach Travis Clark (right) encourage him in his state championship title match in the girls Class 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs, a 17-year-old transgender wrestler from Euless Trinity making a transition from female to male, defeated Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez to win the state title. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs pauses on the mat after pinning Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay to advance to the championship match in the 6A girls 110 weight class at the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs pins Grand Prairie's Kailyn Clay in the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Clay to advance to the championship match. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) 
 
 By Michael Florek , Staff Writer Contact Michael Florek on Twitter: @michaelflorek 
 
 Editor's note: This story has been updated since it was originally published. 
 
 CYPRESS -- A few hours after winning a state championship, Mack Beggs came walking out of a conference room, flanked by his coach, with the entire Euless Trinity girls team in tow. Beggs, a 17-year-old transgender wrestler from Euless Trinity, had been the topic of this weekend's state championships. Debates rose up among coaches, parents, and fans about whether Beggs, who is transitioning from female to male, should be able to compete in the Class 6A 110-pound girls division after undergoing testosterone treatments. UIL rules forbid Beggs from competing against boys. With his teammates behind him, Beggs stood in front of the media and gave his first comments to the media since his story became widely known. "I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for my teammates," Beggs said in a statement. "That's honestly what the spotlight should've been on, my teammates. The hard work that I put in the practice room with them beside me, we trained hard every single day. Every single day. That's what the spotlight should've been on." 
 
 Euless Trinity finished second in the girls team rankings, four points behind Katy Morton Ranch. Beggs beat Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez by major decision, 12-2, to win the state championship. When the final whistle went off, Beggs ran in a half circle around the mat as Sanchez laid on the ground and cried. An extended cheer rose from the crowd, followed by a small amount of boos. Among those cheering was Mack's family, who donned matching red shirts that said "Mack Attack" on the front and "2017 state championships on the back." The family has declined to comment all week. Sanchez, Morton Ranch coach Mark Balser and Euless Trinity coach Travis Clark also declined to comment. 
 
 During the awards ceremony Beggs and Sanchez joked while waiting to take their spots on the podium. Once there, Beggs orchestrated a synchronized 'dab' among the medal winners. But it wasn't all fun for Beggs, who was sequestered for much of the tournament. He came running out of opposite tunnels just before matches and took off immediately after to avoid the gaggle of cameras who started following Beggs from the Day 1 weigh-ins. Saturday was the end of a two-week whirlwind for Beggs that started with a lawsuit filed on Feb. 7 by Coppell lawyer Jim Baudhuin asking the UIL to suspend Beggs because his testosterone treatments provided Beggs an unfair advantage. Beggs is allowed to compete because he has a "valid medical use" and must wrestle girls because a UIL rule stipulates that gender is determined by birth certificate. 
 
 Photos: Relive transgender wrestler Mack Beggs' championship weekend with matches, fan reaction 
 
 Arlington Sam Houston's Destiny Dominguez, the state champion at 102, pounds has wrestled Beggs previously and didn't have a problem with it. "It's nothing strength-wise as a wrestler," Dominguez said. "It's not how strong you are. It's your mentality, how you wrestle." Dominguez said "there was really no difference" in Beggs this year compared to previous years. The UIL celebrated Beggs' just like any other wrestler at the state meet, but UIL executive deputy director Jamey Harrison expressed displeasure at the fact that one out of 768 wrestlers had the media's focus on Saturday. "It's a shame that 767 aren't getting that much attention," Harrison said. The UIL legislative council meets in June, where a rule change could take place. Any action there, or anything that results from a legal battle could affect in what division Beggs' wrestles his senior season. 
 
 Harrison said he didn't anticipate the rule changing due to superintendents voting 95 percent in favor of it last year. If that's the case, Beggs will likely return to the state championships wrestling in the girls division next year. If that happens, there's a chance Beggs will find himself in the same position he did Saturday night, staring into television cameras. After making his statement, Beggs and his team walked out the doors, into the night and away from the spotlight. "Hard work pays off," Beggs said. "I'm just saying." 
 
 More on Mack Beggs 
 
 /Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer Euless Trinity's Mack Beggs receives his first place medal from Trinity head coach Travis Clark after defeating Katy Morton Ranch's Chelsea Sanchez in the championship match of the 6A girls 110 weight class during the UIL Wrestling State Tournament at Berry Center in Cypress on Saturday, February 25, 2017. Beggs defeated Sanchez to win the championship. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News) 
 
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– The outcry started building after Mack Beggs started winning match after match in Texas' high school wrestling tournament—and once the 17-year-old from Trinity High School in Euless clinched the championship Saturday, the controversy reached its peak. NBC News reports that the junior won to "cheers and jeers," the jeers from people who weren't happy that Mack—a transgender student who was born female and is now transitioning to male—was competing in the girls' 110-pound weight class due to state league rules, which require athletes to compete per the gender listed on one's birth certificate. This despite the fact that Mack identifies as male (and prefers wrestling boys), opponents dropped out of matches beforehand, and one parent attempted to stop him from competing against girls. Mack, who finished the season 57-0, per the AP, takes testosterone as part of his transition, and the league permits it as a "valid medical use," the Dallas Morning News reports. Parents of other wrestlers are irked by that, claiming the treatments give Mack an unfair edge. Jim Baudhuin, the parent who tried to keep Mack from the girls' tourney, says he doesn't blame the teen for the situation—"she's being forced into that position," he tells the AP, referring to Mack as a girl—but the league and the school superintendents who voted for the birth certificate rule. Destiny Dominguez, a 102-pound state champ who has wrestled Mack before, shrugs off the hubbub, telling the Morning News matches are more about "mentality," not about brute strength, and that she's never had a problem facing Mack. In a statement, Mack said he wished the focus was on his "hard work" and teammates.