SGV/Whittier Prep Sports Zone: Girls Wrestling Individual Rankings, Jan. 10th, 2025
Glendora's Sacks. Los Altos' Elison and Northview's Juarez headlines an elite group of wrestlers.
1. Samantha Sachs, Glendora, 130, Senior: What else can be said about this wrestler that hasn’t been written already? In the updated national rankings by USA Wrestling, she is ranked 11th in the pound-for-pound rankings. She looked sensational at the Queen of the Hill Tournament (at Corona HS), a tournament that many wrestlers have used as a springboard to a state tournament success. Four of her six wins were by pin. She also won USA Wrestling’s Preseason National Tournament and a USA Wrestling Junior National Championship in Fargo. She has come a long way since her freshman year and will be favored to win the last major tuneup for the state tournament, the Ayala Tournament next week. She is a commit to the University of Iowa.
2. Epenesa Elison, Los Altos, 115, Freshman: The most talked about freshman since Cheyenne Bowman first hit the scene at Rowland. She is the top-ranked 115-pound wrestler in the US and for all the right reasons. She has whipped everyone who has toed the line against her, and the rumor was that she wanted to be in the same weight class (120 pounds) as the uber-talented Isabella Gonzales from Clovis East. She won her second Super 32 Tournament last fall participated in Flowrestling’s popular Who’s Number 1 event, and is a U15 World Champion. Many think she’ll replicate the Aaron Pico route to win a state title and then focus on freestyle for the rest of her high school career. She’s destined to be part of the Iowa Women’s Wrestling program in four years.
Photo: RT Tolentino
3. Delaire Juarez, Northview, 145, Senior: Northview received a high-level transfer in Faith Bartoszek from Wisconsin and earned a state title with the program last year. Here we are again with a state champion transferring into the program from Brawley HS in San Diego. She had to do the 30-day Sit Out Period and made her first two appearances of the season at the Tournament of Champions and the Lady Blackwatch Tournament, where she pinned all over her opponents on her way to a tournament title. She is ranked 22nd in the US at the 145-pound weight class by USA Wrestling and will be heavily favored to win a state title at Bakersfield for the second year in a row. Her combination of strength and speed is elite in her weight class.
4. Juilana Marquez, Gabrielino, 235, Senior: Of all the state champion wrestlers, we feel this one doesn’t get the respect that she deserves. You won’t find her on national lists, but she is pound-for-pound, one of the slickest, savvy wrestlers you will see on the mat. She was very impressive when we saw her in action at the Walnut Tournament, and she should be heavily favored to win another state title this year. We are big fans of this wrestler and can’t wait to see her in action again this year.
Photo: RT Tolentino
5. Ysabella Hinojosa, Northview, 115, Senior: If Elison is to move to 120, this might be the one wrestler who might benefit from the move. She was on her way to make noise at the state tournament when she injured her hand at the CIFSS Masters Meet. She has rebounded nicely with a third-place effort at the Tournament of Champions Meet in Roseville. It was the perfect setup for the Ayala Tournament next week. You will not find a more technically sound wrestler in the area than this grappler. One thing to consider is that she dominated state champion Deandra Meza at CIFSS Duals last year.
6. Julianne Cimarusti, West Covina, Sophomore, 140: This fast-rising sophomore displayed her dominance at the Lady Blackwatch Tournament two weeks ago when she crushed the opposition on her way to winning the 140-pound title. The most impressive win came in the semifinals with a late second-period win over top-seeded Annabelle Reed of Chaparral. She headlines a competitive group of wrestlers competing against Northview next Wednesday night. This is another wrestler to follow at next week’s Ayala Tournament.
7. Charlene Smith, San Dimas, Senior, 235: From this point on, this list gets very competitive with talented area wrestlers who can be slotted into these four spots. As for Smith, she makes this list off a very impressive performance in Arizona, where she won the tournament. The 235-weight class last week at the San Dimas Tournament was no joke; taking third is quite an accomplishment for her. She’ll be in action at the Bonita Tournament this weekend, where she is favored to capture another tournament title easily. Coach Jesse Jaime is one of the best in the area, and his work with Smith is another example of how good he is.
8. Mia Hooper, Northview, Senior, 125: One of the more entertaining wrestlers on a very talented Northview squad, Hooper makes this list off an impressive effort at the Lady Blackwatch tournament, where she beat one of fastest fastest-rising wrestlers in the Inland Empire in Chaparral’s Skyler Ellingworth (4-1) in the finals. She also finished third at the competitive Tournament of Champions in Northern California. She brings a strong resume from 2024 to the table and is another strong contender to take a spot on the medal stand at the state tournament.
9. Destiny Huitron, Arroyo, Senior, 110: This wrestler won her 100th high school wrestling match earlier this week and is having a huge season for respected coach Can Tran. Her tournament wins include the Walnut Tournament, where she pinned Walnut’s Sienna Montanez in the second period of their finals match, the Louie Madrigal Lady West Coast Classic, and the Bishop Amat Lady Lancer Invitational. She’ll be one to follow closely at CIF.
10. Anyssa Lopez, South Hills, Freshman, 140: Another freshman must be watched closely for the next four years. The daughter of Chris Lopez (SGV Wrestling Legend), she was another area wrestler who shined at the Dames of the Dungeon Tournament at Foothill High School with a tournament title. A product of the Legacy Wrestling program, she has a bright future.
Photo: RT Tolentino
