Eight girls wrestlers advance to quarterfinals at CIF State Championships

Feb. 23—Eight Kern County girls wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals to highlight Day 1 of the CIF State Wrestling Championships on Thursday at Mechanics Bank Arena.

Golden Valley's Ce'Ariah Sands (131), Audrey Chavez (160) and Naomi Roby (189) each moved into the Elite Eight, helping the Bulldogs hold down a tie for fifth place in the team standings.

Highland is close behind in seventh and advanced two, junior Monee Cordero (101) and Briana Alvarado (189).

"I feel a lot better than I did last year," said Cordero, who went 2-2 as a sophomore for Bakersfield High last season. "I feel like I've improved a lot and I'm ready for the quarters."

Alvarado is one of three sisters competing in the event, but the only one to move into the quarterfinals with a pair of victories. Vanessa Alvarado (126) and Alessandra Alvarado (143) will both have to battle back in the consolation round, which starts Friday morning. Ten area wrestlers are still alive in the consolation round.

Briana Alvarado is also one of three area freshmen to go 2-0 on Day 1, joining Shafter's Julissa Gonzalez (137) and Mira Monte's Julissa Perez (170) in the quarterfinals.

"I feel really great to make it this far," said Briana Alvarado, who will face top-seeded Alex Perez from Encinitas-La Costa Canyon in her next match. "Anything can happen. I feel like I'm going to be nervous (Friday), but I feel I can give her a good match."

It is Perez's first time as a wrestler at the state tournament, but she is no stranger to the event. Her older sister Yazmine finished fifth at 137 pounds last year as a senior at Mira Monte.

"She gives me pointers and helps me with things I don't know, which is nice," Perez said. "I have mixed emotions right now, but going to the quarterfinals is a big thing. (Friday's match) is going to be a challenge, but I expect it to be a good match."

Garces' Kaydence Boyd won both her matches to advance at 126.

CIF State Championships

At Mechanics Bank Arena

Thursday's Day 1 results (Kern County wrestlers)

Girls

101

6. Monee Cordero, Highland, junior: Defeated Nathalie Erazo, Huntington Beach-Marina, by decision, 6-4. Defeated Charis Tolentino, Oceanside-Coastal Academy, by fall at 0:53. Nixt: Friday vs. No. 3 Kaiya Maggini, Loomis-Del Oro, in quarterfinals.

Kaila Delfin, Garces, freshman (0-1): Lost to Jazmine Turner, Modesto-Grace Davis, by fall at 5:14. Next: vs. Isabel Espinoza, Anaheim-Esperanza, in Consolation 16, Round I.

106, 111 and 116

No area qualifiers

121

Elisa Velasco Garcia, Highland, senior (1-1): Defeated Montserrat Cecena, Lake Forest-El Toro, by fall at 4:24. Lost to No. 5 Kaitlin Castro, Walnut, by decision, 8-2. Next: Friday vs. winner of Cali Boehrer, Loomis-Del Oro, and No. 6 Makayla Correa, Menifee-Paloma Valley, in Consolation 16, Round II.

Vanessa Fakrogha, Liberty, sophomore (0-1): Lost to Isabelle Camarillo, El Grove-Laguna Creek, by fall at 2:43. Next: vs. Brianna Ross, San Marcos, in Consolation 16, Round I.

126

7. Kaydence Boyd, Garces, senior (2-0): Defeated Hailey Aguayo, Roseville-Woodcreek, by fall at 0:36. Defeated Zitlali Sarmiento, Norwalk, by decision, 6-0. Next: Friday vs. No. 2 Baya Austin, Turlock-Pitman, in quarterfinals.

Vanessa Alvarado, Highland, sophomore (1-1): Defeated Sophia Carrillo, Dana Point-Dana Hills, by decision, 5-2. Lost to No. 5 Kayla Edwards, Vista-Rancho Buena Vista, by fall at 1:35. Next: Friday vs. winner of Noelle Alexander, Santa Rosa-Maria Carrillo, and Kayla Lim, Santee-West Hills, in Consolation 16, Round II.

131

3. Ce Ariah Sands, Golden Valley, senior (2-0): Defeated Renice Gonzalez, Ontario-Colony, by fall at 0:35. Defeated Alyssa Jones, San Diego-Rancho Bernardo, by fall at 1:09. Next: Friday vs. No. 6 Gabryella Austin, Turlock-Pitman, in quarterfinals.

137

Julissa Gonzalez, Shafter, freshman (2-0): Defeated Elyse Flores, Merced-Golden Valley, by fall at 3:30. Defeated No. 6 Kayla Zeidler, Rocklin-Casa Grande, by major decision, 10-2. Next: Friday vs. No. 3 Gianna Dibenedetto, Fair Oaks-Bella Vista, in quarterfinals.

Isabella Maldonado, Foothill, sophomore (0-1): Lost to Cara Cheng, Lake Elsinore-Temescal Canyon, by fall at 5:30. Next: Friday vs. No. 8 Alex Maday, Cerritos-Whitney, in Consolation 16, Round I.

143

Alessandra Alvarado, Highland, senior (0-1): Lost to Cora Cost, San Francisco-Lowell, by decision, 9-2. Next: Friday vs. No. 8 Andrea Mateo, Covina-Northview, in Consolation 16, Round I.

150

Julieta Echeverria, Wasco, senior (0-1): Lost to No. 2 Mikayla Lancaster, Modesto-Gregori, by fall at 2:19. Next: Friday vs. Arianna Navarro, Palm Desert, in Consolation 16, Round I.

160

6. Audrey Chavez, Golden Valley, senior (2-0): Defeated Layla Lorenzo, Santa Ana-Segerstrom, by fall at 1:15. Defeated Marylu Franklin, Pleasanton-Foothill, by fall at 0:57. Next: Friday vs. No. 3 Juliana Marquez, San Dimas, in quarterfinals.

Joanna Liberal, Centennial, sophomore (1-1): Defeated Karissa Aguilar, Granada Hills, by major decision, 11-1. Lost to Vida Beckel, Cypress, by fall at 3:23. Next: Friday vs. Denisse Villasenor, Sylmar, in Consolation 16, Round II.

170

8. Julissa Perez, Mira Monte, freshman (2-0): Defeated Laura Totty, American Canyon, by fall at 4:59. Defeated Aurora Hardy, San Diego-Torrey Pines, by fall at 5:21. Next: Friday vs. No. 1 Kaley Rice, San Dimas, in quarterfinals.

Jianna Chavez, Ridgeview, senior (01): Lost to No. 5 Kathryn Hingano, Rio Linda, by fall at 1:19. Next: Friday vs. Andrea Ramirez, Placentia-Valencia, in Consolation 16, Round I.

189

3. Naomi Roby, Golden Valley, senior (2-0): Defeated Grace Mercado, Fairfield-Armijo, by fall at 1:56. Defeated Gabby O'Connell, Wildomar-Elsinore, by decision, 2-0. Next: Friday vs. No. 6 Emma Ford, Fair Oaks-Bella Vista, in quarterfinals.

Briana Alvarado, Highland, freshman (2-0): Defeated Isabell Sosa, Montebello-Schurr, by fall at 4:31. Defeated Emma Smith, San Jose-Del Mar, by fall at 1:16. Next: Friday vs. No. 1 Alex Perez, Encinitas-La Costa Canyon, in quarterfinals.

235

Fernanda Canedo, Ridgeview, junior (1-1): Defeated Honey Orduno Rivas, El Cajon Valley, by fall at 2:25. Lost to No. 5 Destiny Marquez, Huntington Beach-Marina, by fall at 3:25. Next: Friday vs. winner of Coreylei Vaifale, Los Banos-Pacheco, and Savannah Etheridge, Hesperia-Sultana, in Consolation of 16, Round II.