Central Valley’s and Ceres High’s girls wrestling programs both expect to experience individual and team success this winter.
“Based on previous years and knowing our talent pool, we feel we have a good shot at doing well during the season,” Hawks’ leader Brandy Cordova stated.
“As a team, our goal is to compete for a league title,” Bulldogs’ head coach Curtis Hulstine said. “Individually, I’m hoping to have three girls qualify for the state tournament. I believe that’s 100 percent doable.”
Central Valley has a roster size of 20 wrestlers.
The Hawks’ top returners are Marianna Carranza (Sr.), Jayden Corona (Sr.), Brianna Espinoza (Sr.), Angie Hernandez (Sr.), Tarnjot Kaur (Sr.), Lucy Maciel (Sr.), Giana Breshears (Jr.), Arely Camarena (Jr.), Alicia Espinoza (Jr.) and Evelyn Zambrano (Jr.).
Central Valley’s top newcomers are Bella Contreras (Sr.), Angie Alvarado (So.), Valeria Garcia Morales (So.), Taylor Golling (So.), Madelyn Morales (Fr.) and Addisyn Prudhel (Fr.).
Breshears and Brianna Espinoza have been named team captains for the 2024-25 Hawks.
“They keep the other girls on task,” Cordova said. “They set the example of what needs to get done in the room to achieve your goals.”
Brianna Espinoza made program history this past winter by becoming just the second female wrestler from Central Valley to medal at the CIF State Championships.
She matched former Hawk grappler Nayeli Pelayo’s 2018 accomplishment.
Winless at state as a sophomore, Brianna Espinoza finished in sixth place junior year. She won three of six matches in the 235-pound weight class at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield.
Brianna Espinoza posted a 35-9 overall record on the season.
She took second at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament, first at South Regionals for the second straight year and claimed her third consecutive Central California Conference championship.
Brianna Espinoza has amassed a 72-20 record the past two seasons.
Breshears qualified for the CIF State Meet for the second year in a row as a sophomore.
She finished fifth at Masters, second at South Regionals and first at the CCC finals.
Breshears amassed a 38-14 overall record.
Alicia Espinoza enjoyed her best season to date with the Hawks as a sophomore.
She earned her first-ever berth to state.
She placed fourth at Masters, third at South Regionals and first at the CCC Championships.
Alicia Espinoza had a 40-15 overall record.
Ceres High has a roster size of 14 wrestlers.
The Bulldogs’ top returners are Elizabeth Boyd (Sr.), Illiana Enriques (Sr.), Alanize Moreno (Sr.), Eva Onsurez Lopez (Sr.), Madeline Schultz (Sr.) and Dayanna Alvarez (Jr.).
Ceres High’s top newcomers are Isabella Nungaray (Sr.), Jazlyn Cisneros (Fr.), Gabriella Cole (Fr.), Kassandra Hernandez (Fr.), Galilea Ramirez (Fr.), Aliah Ricaud (Fr.), Abigail Schultz (Fr.) and Mezmeriah Zuniga (Fr.).
Alvarez and Madeline Schultz have been named team captains.
“Both of them have good leadership qualities,” Hulstine said. “Their work ethic in the room is unparalleled. The other girls look up to them.”
A standout on Ceres High’s girls wrestling team since the ninth grade, Schultz had her junior season cut short after fracturing her right fibula at practice.
Prior to suffering the injury, Schultz had a 10-2 overall record while competing in the 190-pound weight class. She placed first at both the Beyer Invitational and Bristow Brawl, and second at the Havoc in the Hawks Nest Tournament.
Alvarez managed to qualify for Masters as a sophomore despite being slowed by an ankle injury.
She finished fifth while competing in the 140-pound weight bracket at South Regionals.
The Hawks and Bulldogs will compete in the same league this season.
Central Valley relocated from the Central California Conference to the WAC as part of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s realignment plan.
The new-look WAC features a total of eight teams, including Central Valley, Ceres High, Livingston, Beyer, Grace Davis, Johansen, Pacheco and Lathrop.
“We know there’s going to be some really good competition,” Cordova said. “Ceres and Livingston have very good programs.”
“Adding Livingston and Central Valley made our league tougher,” Hulstine stated. ”
Central Valley posted a 5-1 record en route to a second-place finish in the 2023-24 CCC dual standings. The Hawks also took second at the league championships with a team score of 180.
Central Valley had a program-record three grapplers qualify for the CIF State Meet.
Ceres High placed fourth in the 2023-24 WAC dual-meet standings with a 3-4 mark. The Bulldogs took fourth at the conference finals as well with a team score of 93
Ceres High had a program-record three individuals advance to Masters.
The Hawks and Bulldogs will dual this week.
The WAC matchup will be staged at Central Valley today at 4 p.m.
“The crosstown rivalry is great,” Cordova said. “We get along with Ceres. We congratulate their girls when they do well.”
“It’s exciting to have them back in the same league,” Hulstine said. “It’s fun. It’s very competitive. Both teams want to win. I have a great relationship with their coaches.”
