The San Diego Section’s girls wrestling championships took place last Saturday with a decidedly glamorous South County walk down the medals runway.
The top four place-winners in each 16-person weight class were awarded medals for their toil on the mat.
Fourteen Metro Conference mat women walked off the awards stand with shiny prizes at the Division I tournament at San Pasqual High School while five more did so at the Division II finals in Brawley.
Three-time conference champion Olympian capped the awards show with the Division I team championship.
“I am so happy for our girls, they had to battle throughout the season and it’s a great feeling to see them win the Division I CIF trophy,” Olympian coach Jay Fabunan said. “Every single girl on the team contributed in helping us win the tournament, and I am so proud to be their coach.”
The Lady Eagles finished with 211 points to nudge out Mira Mesa (190 points) for the team title.
Olympian finished with three individual weight class champions, four finalists, eight medalists and 12 place-winners overall.
Celina Esquer (128 pounds), Alina Solis (139 pounds) and Angelina Leal (237 pounds) all captured first-place finishes in their respective weight classes while Daia Kawashiro (162 pounds) captured second place in her weight division.
The Lady Eagles had one bronze medalist on the awards stand: Ayleen Gomez (145 pounds).
Also earning medals (top four place-finishers) were Cheyenne Sandoval (fourth, 118 pounds), Isabella King (fourth, 123 pounds) and Sophia Gonzalez (fourth, 191 pounds).
Alisa Amelina placed fifth at 152 pounds while Grace Neiman (113 pounds) and Iyanna Holmes (172 pounds) both placed sixth in their respective weight classes.
The Lady Eagles qualified eight wrestlers to Friday’s San Diego Section Masters state-qualifying tournament at Alliant University with four alternates. The top four place-winners at the Masters receive medals while the top three place-finishers advance to the state championship tournament Feb. 24-26 in Bakersfield.
Golden Girls
- Esquer pinned Valhalla’s Alexa Davis in 2:56 to complete a 4-0 showing on the day with three pins, including one 24-second fall.
- Solis recorded a 4-1 decision over Steele Canyon’s Elizabeth LeNoir to secure her gold medal to wrap up a 3-0 performance with two pins.
- Leal pinned Steele Canyon’s Kennedi Jones in 1:17 to win her third CIF individual championship. Leal finished the Division I tournament with two first-period pins in as many trips to the mat.
“Alina at 139 is our silent assassin, she doesn’t show much emotion, but she is a tough and patient wrestler,” Fabunan said. “Celina had several setbacks making it to the finals in 2020 and 2021 and came up short, but she said nothing is going to stop her from winning this time. And Angelia Leal, what superlative hasn’t been said about her already? A three-time CIF champion, a great leader for the team and one of the hardest working in the room.
“I love that the girls so supportive of each other and helped pick each other up. I was really impressed with Mira Mesa picking up five championships and they kept it really close, but we won a few in the end to pull away in team scores.
“We are ready for Masters and the Eagles will show up to represent Olympian High School.”
San Diego Section Girls Wrestling Championships
Metro Conference Place-Winners
Division I Finals
Feb. 5 at San Pasqual High School
103 Pounds
- Tiana Alanis (Bonita Vista)
108 Pounds
- Emily Serapio (Sweetwater)
- Breanna Reynoso (Olympian)
113 Pounds
- Isabella Lamadrid (Eastlake)
- Grace Neiman (Olympian)
118 Pounds
- Kanoe Lopez-Griggs (Bonita Vista)
- Cheyenne Sandoval (Olympian)
- Isabella Kennedy (Eastlake)
123 Pounds
- Isabella King (Olympian)
- Natalie Halter (Chula Vista)
128 Pounds
- Celina Esquer (Olympian)
139 Pounds
- Alina Solis (Olympian)
- Marissa Vasquez (Chula Vista)
145 Pounds
- Ayleen Gomez (Olympian)
- Amy Pina Rodriguez (San Ysidro)
152 Pounds
- Andrea Campos (San Ysidro)
- Olivia Gaskill (Eastlake)
- Alisa Amelina (Olympian)
162 Pounds
- Daia Kawashiro (Olympian)
- Leslie Brenton (San Ysidro)
- Hailey Lawler (Eastlake)
172 Pounds
- Iyanna Holmes (Olympian)
191 Pounds
- Sophia Gonzalez (Olympian)
- Emma Matto (Chula Vista)
237 Pounds
- Angelina Leal (Olympian)
Team standings
Points: 1. Olympian 211, 5. Eastlake 61, 6. San Ysidro 56, 16. (tie) Bonita Vista, Chula Vista 33, 28. Sweetwater 11
Division II Finals
Feb. 5 at Brawley High School
103 Pounds
- Angelina Aguilera (Hilltop)
108 Pounds
- Jasmine Rodriguez (Castle Park)
113 Pounds
- Raven Velazquez (Hilltop)
123 Pounds
- Isabella Gurule-Metzig (Hilltop)
128 Pounds
- Tavia Osthimer (Mar Vista)
- Samantha Velaquez (Hilltop)
133 Pounds
- Alexis Cervantes (Montgomery)
139 Pounds
- Isabelle Meza (Hilltop)
- Eve Barbosa (Montgomery)
145 Pounds
- Debora Velazquez (Hilltop)
162 Pounds
- Martina Rodriguez (Hilltop)
172 Pounds
- Victoria Trujillo (Castle Park)
237 Pounds
- Evelynn Coronado (Montgomery)
Team standings
Points: 5. Hilltop 87, 9. Montgomery 57, 17. Castle Park 28, 19. Mar Vista 26
