Brianna Espinoza made program history by becoming the first female wrestler from Central Valley High School to win four league titles.
Espinoza placed first while competing in the 237-pound weight bracket at the Western Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday in Livingston.
She claimed Central California Conference crowns junior, sophomore and freshman years.
“Winning league for the fourth year was definitely a goal I wanted to accomplish since freshman year,” Espinoza said. “I came a long way from not knowing how to wrestle to eventually winning my fourth patch. I’m proud of myself for completing one of the many goals that I set for myself.”
“It can never be beaten,” Hawks’ head coach Brandy Cordova stated while talking about Espinoza’s four-peat. “It can only be matched.”
Central Valley teammates Alicia Espinoza, Arely Camarena, Jayden Corona, Giana Breshears, Tarnjot Kaur, Addisyn Prudhel, Angela Alvarado, Marianna Carranza, Vanesa Mendoza-Balbuena, Evalyn Zambrano, Corena McDaniel and Bella Contreras, and Ceres High’s Elizabeth Boyd, Abigail Schultz, Jazlyn Cisneros, Abrianna Bautista and Gabriella Cole also medaled in their respective divisions at the WAC tournament last week.
The top four placers in each weight bracket were rewarded.
The Hawks (13) and Bulldogs (5) won a combined 18 individual medals
Central Valley and Ceres High finished second and eighth, respectively, in the team standings.
The first-place Livingston Wolves edged the Hawks by just nine points.
“Livingston is a great team,” Cordova said. “They had just as many girls in the championship rounds. They were able to pull out more first-place finishes than we did. It’s a little upsetting because our girls were doing so well.”
Brianna Espinoza compiled a 1-0 record at the WAC Championships. She topped Beyer’s Cheyenne Alexander (pin, 0:12) in the finals. She also became the first wrestler from Central Valley to reach the 100-career win mark earlier this season.
“She’s surpassing expectations that we had for her freshman year,” noted Cordova. “We knew she’d be a good wrestler. We just didn’t know how good she would be. She’s become more aggressive. She’s attacking more.”
Alicia Espinoza won her third straight league championship. She placed first in the 192-pound division this year. She compiled a 3-0 record.
Alicia Espinoza topped Livingston’s Aaliyah Renfrow (pin, 0:27), Central Valley’s Bella Contreras (pin, 1:12) and Johansen’s Ferinahou Nuku (pin, 1:03).
“She did beautifully,” Cordova said. “She’s always been aggressive. This year, she’s been working on different types of shots. She’s increasing her arsenal.”
Arely Camarena placed first at 157 pounds. She compiled a 3-0 record.
Camarena topped Ceres High’s Illiana Enriques (pin, 1:13), Pacheco’s Dakota Butler (pin, 4:43) and Beyer’s Angelique Murillo (pin, 3:41).
“She’s gotten more aggressive,” Cordova said. “She more technical. She’s a hard worker in the room.”
Jayden Corona (112 pounds, 2-1), Breshears (132 pounds, 1-1 record) and Kaur (122s, 1-1) all placed second.
Prudhel (137s, 3-1) and Alvarado (172s, 1-1) both placed third.
Carranza (157s, 2-2), Mendoza-Balbuena (147s, 1-2), Zambrano (142s, 1-2), McDaniel (137s, 1-2) and Contreras (192s, 0-2) all placed fourth.
Boyd placed second at 172 pounds. She compiled a 1-1 record. She topped Lathrop’s Aniya Gonzales (pin, 1:49).
Schultz placed third at 132 pounds. She compiled a 1-1 record. She topped Grace Davis’ Ava Suarez (pin, 4:48).
Cisneros placed third at 127 pounds. She compiled a 2-1 record.
She topped Ceres High’s Kassandra Hernandez (pin, 0:53) and Pacheco’s Athena Castillo (decision, 9-4).
Bautista (117s, 2-2) and Cole (107s, 0-2) both placed fourth.
The Hawks and Bulldogs will compete at the South Regionals this Friday and Saturday at Central Valley High School.
