The girls are having a good time sharing the Day 1 spotlight at the California State Wrestling Championships at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield.
Especially the girls from the San Diego section.
Fifteen girls from the section went a perfect 2-0 and advanced to tomorrow’s quarterfinals.
“It’s really been a good day for our girls,” said Steele Canyon coach Trevor Kiefer. “We’ve got 15 making it through and we probably should have had a few more through except for some bad losses.”
In six weight classes, two of the three local entrees were still alive in the championship bracket. San Diego girls were especially strong in the middle weight in Day 1, pushing a pair into the quarters in every bracket from 131-160 except one.
While no local girls team are in the running for the team title, both Brawley and Rancho Buena Vista have pushed a pair of wrestlers each into the quarterfinals.
Brawley advanced Lauren Zaragoza (121) and Delarie Juarez (131) through with a pair of wins; RBV girls still alive for a title are Kayla Edwards (126) and Kiley McClain (160).
Two impressive stories for the girls comes at 137. Monte Vista freshman Olivia Davis proved her No. 2 seed in the weight was legit with a pair of victories, while Olympian’s Alina Solis has been a big surprise with a good chance ahead because of upsets in the bracket.
“Solis really does have a good chance,” explained Kiefer. “Both the Number 1 and 4 seeds are out so she’s got a good chance of getting to the finals.”
“(Davis) is remarkable and she’s only a freshman,” he continued. She’s not “new”, she’s been around all spring and summer. Plus she’s the sister of a very good wrestler.”
Buchanan, the State’s No. 1 team, is again showing everybody why. The Bears pushed 12 wrestlers into the quarterfinals and holds a comfortable 114.5-85.5 lead over second-place Poway.
The Titans advanced eight into the quarters, with their other six still alive in the consolations.
Clovis is breathing right down Poway’s neck, also with eight in the quarters and six in the consolations.
“It actually was a pretty good day for us,” said Poway coach John Meyers. “We had a few go our way and dropped a few close one we maybe should have won.”
Seven San Diego Section wrestlers were a perfect 3-0 on the day, having won in a “fishtail” and the first two championship rounds.
Three of them are from Granite Hills. Leading the Eagles into 11th place with 30 points are three-time winners Abram Cline (106), Carlo Arreola (113) and Colin Guffey (152).
“All our kids wrestled well, even the ones who lost,” said Granite Hills coach Jesse Sheard. “Carlo as the 11th seed, upset the No. 6 seed. We’re 11th, but of course we’d like to break into that top 10, we’ve got some work to do.”
Poway had a pair of wrestlers go 3-0 and into the quarterfinals in Angelo Posada (160) and Billy Townson (120).
Other Titans advancing to the quarterfinals are Edwin Sierra (113), Paul Kelly (138), Laird Root (145), Lucas Condon (170) and Adam Farha (285).
Coming up with big team points for the Titans were Aliaksandr Kikiniou, Gabe Taylor, and Farha.
“Farha won one of his matches with a takedown with only two seconds left,” said Meyers. “And, Kikiniou also got a takedown right at the end to get in the quarters.”
Rancho Bernardo will have a pair in the quarterfinals. Brandon Eusebio (132) three times on the day for the Broncos and Jacob Jones (120) was a perfect 2-0.
