SGV/WHITTIER PREP SPORTS ZONE ALL-AREA BOYS AND GIRLS WRESTLING TEAM
Ramirez, Arrington, Gonzalez, Falcon, Lewis and Garcia headline the team.
BOYS WRESTLING
BOYS LOWER WEIGHT DIVISION WRESTER OF THE YEAR: Ronnie Ramirez, Walnut
Photo: RT Tolentino
Area wrestling fans better get used to this name. The son of co-coach Camilo Gonzalez, Ramirez had a magical run at the CIF State Wrestling tournament that culminated with an appearance in the state finals where he lost to El Dorado’s Isaiah Quintero, 10-0. The match of the weekend for Ramirez took place on Saturday morning’s semifinals where he defeated second-seeded Isaiah Kainoa Medina of Vacaville High School, 3-2. His run in the state tournament showed that he learned his lessons well from the previous week where he was pinned by Arte Carranza of Arlington HS at the CIF-SS Masters Meet. Among the top performances of the year was a second-place finish at the Five-Counties Tournament, a key prep for the state tournament.
Photo: San Marino HS Athletics
BOYS UPPER WEIGHT DIVISION WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Ryan Arrington, San Marino
While many wrestling fans rightfully noted that the finish of the 138-pound state final between Palm Desert’s Beau Mantanona and Buchanan’s Michael Gioffre was the most controversial finish of the tournament, a very close second occurred in the 220-pound semifinal involving this San Marino senior. It appeared as if Arrington has pulled off a huge upset with a second-period pin of top-seeded Caden Rodgers of Buchanan in the second period. However, officials ruled that Arrington had committed an equipment violation, reversed the pin call, and awarded Rodgers the necessary points to win the match. Video replays failed to substantiate the call from officials. The result did not meet the approval of fans inside the Mechanics Bank Arena where boos castigated from the stands very loudly. Arrington would earn a state medal with a fourth-place finish. The result capped off a great season for the senior who would a sectional title and finished second at the CIF-SS Masters Meet.
BOYS COACHES OF THE YEAR: Cecil Sebastian/Camilo Gonzalez, Walnut HS
1st Team
106: Marcus Tolentino, Northview, 10
113: Christian, Garcia, Walnut, 9
120: Adrian Limon, Northview, 12
126: Mario Sandoval, Northview, 11
132: Fernando Barreto, Walnut, 12
138: Jacob Leon, Northview, 12
145: Kyle Sakuda, Sonora, 12
152: Derrick Meza, Walnut, 12
160: Nathan Cruz, Northview, 11
170: Lewis Madrigal, Northview, 12
182: Marco Rodriguez, Schurr, 11
195: Devon Jones, Bishop Amat, 12
220: Leroy Garibay, Bishop Amat, 12
285: Raymond Macias, Bishop Amat, 11
GIRLS WRESTLING
Arroyo Wrestler Briana Gonzalez. (Photo RT Tolentino)
Walnut Wrestler Anaya Falcon. (Photo: RT Tolentino)
GIRLS LOWER WEIGHT DIVISION CO-WRESTLERS OF THE YEAR: Briana Gonzalez, Arroyo, Senior; Anaya Falcon, Walnut, Sophomore
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Gonzalez and Falcon hit the top of the medal stand at the CIF State championship tournament. It’s because these two wrestlers were the most consistent wrestlers all season long that competed at an elite level. Gonzalez tipped her hand over the summer winning a USA Wrestling Cadet National Championship, sharing the title with her sister Emilie. The senior, who has committed to wrestle with the University of Iowa, ripped through her competition all season long, which culminated with a 5-1 win over Marina’s Kaelani Shufeldt in the state final. Falcon, who shined all season long, tipped her hand for a state championship run the week before at the CIF-SS Masters Meet where she dominated the competition to win the title. At the state meet, Falcon posted one of the biggest upsets of the finals when she defeated 2020 state champion Nyla Valencia of Sobrato, 5-2.
Northview wrestler Savannah Lewis. (Photo RT Tolentino)
Schurr wrestler Galilea Garcia with coach Julian Zuniga after the CIF State Wrestling Tournament. (Photo: Schurr HS Wrestling)
GIRLS UPPER WEIGHT DIVISION CO-WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Savannah Lewis, Northview, 12; Galilea Garcia, Schurr, 12
A change in mentality, along with a weight class change was all that Lewis needed to put together a successful postseason run that included a gold medal at the CIF-SS Masters Meet, with a second-period pin over Valencia’s Aalijah Pineda and a dominating 12-2 win over Kylie Leaty of Yuba City in a 150-pound state semifinal. Although Lewis suffered a first-period loss to nationally ranked Leah Brown of Whitney High in the final, the result shouldn’t tarnish a huge season for Lewis. Garcia was one of the more fun stories at the state meet, where she caught lightning in a bottle and won three matches by pin en route to the final where she lost to another nationally ranked wrestler Samantha Calkins of Liberty HS. Not bad for the senior that had to win three matches in the consolation round at the CIF-SS Masters meet just to qualify for the state tournament.
1st Team
101: Sarah Ann Calinaya, Covina, 11
106: Emile Gonzalez, Arroyo, 12
111: Samantha Rivera, Northview, 9
116: Leilani Lazaro, Northview, 11
121: Mia Sanchez, Northview, 10
126: Esperanza Dorantes, San Dimas, 12
131: Cameron Ortiz, San Dimas, 12
137: Desiree Vasquez, Covina, 10
143: Andrea Mateo, Northview, 10
150: Amanda Salcedo, Walnut, 12
160: Juliana Marquez, San Dimas, 10
170: Mia Delgado, South El Monte, 12
189: Kimberly Sosa, El Monte, 12
235: Allie Phillips, Keppel, 11