BAKERSFIELD – There is a talented group of local male and female wrestlers excelling at the CIF State championship meet at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield. Doing exceptionally well, representing the area, area the females. While the event took place two weekends ago, we have broken each day up as to not group all their success up in one article. Last week we covered the quarterfinal round, and now, it’s time to highlight those that advanced to the semifinals, and net week, the focus will be on State champions, and podium placers.
Lakeside’s Jillian Wells, the No. 8 seed in the bracket, continued to be a force to be reckoned with in the 101-pound weight class. Wells pulled off one of the biggest upsets when she scored a 9-3 victory over top-seeded Avy Perez of Birmingham (Van Nuys). Her advancement ensured she would face unseeded Katherine Hernandez of Bell Gardens in the semifinal round.
In the 235-pound weight class Liberty’s unseeded Anna Bozanic is making a big name for herself, competing as one of the lone freshman representing the area. Bozanic took down the bracket’s top seed in the opening round and went on to pin her next three opponents. The new face from the area’s newest high school, Bozanic, advanced to face No. 5-seeded Destiny Marquez of Marina in the semis. Marquez pinned Bozanic at the Master Meet a week before.
Paloma Valley’s Karissa Turnwall, the brackets No. 2 seed, advanced to the semifinals in the girls 111-pound bracket with a 3-2 decision over Eden Hernandez of San Clemente. Turnwall’s next time up would be when she had to face No. 3 seed Kylee Golz of Trabuco Hills in the semifinals. She lost to Golz earlier this season at the Dick Morris Memorial Girls Tournament.
Temescal Canyon’s Cara Cheng, who was not seeded going into the tournament, had a 2-1 decision over Arianna McPike of Millbrae Mills to advance to the semifinals of the girls 137-pound bracket. Cheng advanced to face No. 5 seed Valerie Glenn of Gilroy in the semifinals.
A handful of other area wrestlers found some life when they were bracketed on the consolation side of things. These wrestlers needed a win in their first consolation match on the final day to find a spot on the podium.
Along with the consolation quarterfinal matches, the following list shows which local wrestlers competed for Saturday’s championship semifinal round.
Boys Consolation Quarterfinals
120: No. 13 Aidan Munoz (Temecula Valley) vs. No. 7 Billy Townson (Poway)
126: No. 8 Ryan Lobato (Lakeside) vs. No. 11 Isaac Herrera (Del Oro)
138: No. 7 Justin Wells (Lakeside) vs. Jayson Victoria (Granada)
Girls Consolation Quarterfinals
101: No. 7 Olivia Lopez (Hamilton) vs. Nathalie Erazo (Marina)
121: No. 5 Makayla Correa (Paloma Valley) vs. Skylar Whitley (Harvard-Westlake)
131: No. 8 Addison Ellis (Orange Vista) vs. Britny Morales (Foothill)
 Girls Championship Semifinals
101: No. 8 Jillian Wells (Lakeside) vs. Katherine Hernandez (Bell Gardens)
111: No. 2 Karissa Turnwall (Paloma Valley) vs. No. 3 Kylee Golz (Trabuco Hills)
137: Cara Cheng (Temescal Canyon) vs. No. 5 Valerie Glenn (Gilroy)
235: Anna Bozanic (Liberty) vs. No. 5 Destiny Marquez (Marina)
All postseason brackets and updates can be found by going to the top of the CIF Southern Section website at www.cifstate.org. Please email sports@reedermedia.com if there are any changes in times, dates and/or sites.
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