Olympian High School’s girls wrestling team won its third consecutive Metro Conference tournament title by amassing 248.5 points last Friday at Montgomery High School. The Lady Eagles captured seven individual weight class titles and tacked on five silver medalists for good measure.
Olympian entered 24 wrestlers in the 75-draw field — 19 earned medals.
“The girls did an outstanding job,” OHS coach Jay Fabunan said. “It showed the girls who are in the room have the potential to be champions.”
Hilltop finished runner-up to the Lady Eagles for the third consecutive year with 151.5 points. The Lady Lancers had three individual champions and eight medalists.
“Every year we’ve finished behind them,” Hilltop coach Mike Metzig said. “We continue to work hard. We brought 10 kids and nine placed. It’s been really difficult with the COVID protocols but the girls have battled and worked through them to get here when it counted.”
Outstanding wrestlers were determined by most pins in least time.
Hilltop’s Samantha Velazquez received the outstanding lower weight award after recording three pins in 5:16 in her 128-pound weight class.
Olympian’s Sophia Gonzalez earned the outstanding upper weight award with three pins in 5:47 in her 191-pound weight class.
All eyes were on Olympian senior Angelina Leal, who entered the tournament ranked second in the state.
Leal wrestled twice last Friday, winning by pins of 1:31 and 4:29 (against Montgomery’s Evelynn Coronado).
It was the third consecutive conference gold medal for Leal, who improved her season record to 11-1.
“It’s my senior year,” she gushed. “I want to place at CIF. I want to go back to state. I went my sophomore year but not my junior year because it was canceled. I’m looking forward to placing at CIF and to place at state.”
Castle Park’s Jasmin Rodriguez (17-2) became a two-time Metro champion also on the strength of two pins (2:35 and 3:59).
“It feels really rewarding,” the 108-pounder said. “I put in a lot of hard work to deserve this accomplishment. It’s really unbelievable for me to be in this position. I’m happy my coaches have been by my side through thick and thin.”
Bonita Vista’s Kanoe Lopez (11-4) was excited to be a first-time conference champion after scoring pins of 1:23 and 1:19 in her two matches at 118 pounds. “It’s especially cool because it’s my senior year and to be the first girl wrestler from Bonita Vista to win Metros.”
TOURNAMENT RESULTS (CLICK ON LINKS)
girls metro tourn 2022 placers
girls metro tourn 2022 brackets
WEIGHT CLASS MEDALISTS
Photos by Phillip Brents
