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Vintage High hosts nation’s oldest girls wrestling tourney Friday and Saturday
Vintage High wrestlers Chelsi Aguayo and Alexis Soto square off during an “Ironman” drill at practice earlier this season. The Crushers will have seven entrants in the 10th annual ASICS Napa Valley Girls Classic on Friday and Saturday at their gym. Lianne Milton/Register | Buy photos
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CommentA year ago, Tiffany Hui was a spectator at the ASICS Napa Valley Girls Classic in the Vintage High School gym.
She was there to see some of the top teams and many of the best that girls wrestling has to offer on the west coast for the two-day tournament.
She was there to see some of the top teams and many of the best that girls wrestling has to offer on the west coast for the two-day tournament.
“It really inspired me because I saw all the other girls wrestling and it looked really fun,” said Hui. “It made me want to be like them because they were really good and it looked like they were dominating on the mat. Some of the schools were really good. That’s when I wanted to join wrestling.”
A few weeks later, Hui joined the girls wrestling team at Vintage. On Friday and Saturday Hui, a sophomore who wrestles at 126 pounds, will be a participant at the 10th annual ASICS-sponsored tournament, which is expected to have 230 to 250 wrestlers from 40 high schools from throughout the state. It’s a double-elimination format, but offers at least a three-match guarantee.
A few weeks later, Hui joined the girls wrestling team at Vintage. On Friday and Saturday Hui, a sophomore who wrestles at 126 pounds, will be a participant at the 10th annual ASICS-sponsored tournament, which is expected to have 230 to 250 wrestlers from 40 high schools from throughout the state. It’s a double-elimination format, but offers at least a three-match guarantee.
Hui is one of seven Vintage wrestlers who will take to the mat in what is the oldest girls tournament and considered one of the top tournaments in the country. Napa High has four wrestlers entered and Justin-Siena will have two. It runs from noon to 6 p.m. Friday and from 9:30 a.m. to about 7 p.m. Saturday. Friday’s weigh-ins begin at 10 a.m. Day-of registration is also accepted starting at 9 a.m.
The top seven places in each of the 14 weight classes — 98, 103, 108, 112, 118, 122, 126, 132, 138, 146, 154, 165, 189 and 235 pounds — earn medals. Outstanding lower- and upper-weight class awards will be presented. There is also a team trophy, as it’s a scoring tournament. Three mats will be used in the Vintage gym and an auxiliary mat will be set up in the school cafeteria.
The top seven places in each of the 14 weight classes — 98, 103, 108, 112, 118, 122, 126, 132, 138, 146, 154, 165, 189 and 235 pounds — earn medals. Outstanding lower- and upper-weight class awards will be presented. There is also a team trophy, as it’s a scoring tournament. Three mats will be used in the Vintage gym and an auxiliary mat will be set up in the school cafeteria.
“It’s exciting because you get to represent your school,” said Hui. “It makes your school look good if you win. I’ll try not to get pinned — that’s one of my goals. And to not play it safe. I’m going to try be aggressive and get some takedowns and be in control.”
Hui will be joined by Taedae Martinez (103), Alexis Soto (112), Stephanie Garza (138), Myka Murphy (146), Jean Rabaino (154) and Geovanni Robledo (165). The Crushers’ Chelsi Aguayo and Rebecca Medeiros are injured and not able to compete.
Rabaino (No. 4), Aguayo (No. 5), Garza (No. 7) and Medeiros (No. 7) were all listed by the California Women’s Wrestling Association in the 2007-08 preseason state rankings.
“I’m ready for Friday. I want to get first or second, but it’s going to be hard,” said Rabaino.
For Hui, the last year has been all about learning the sport.
“It’s really fun to get out there and just wrestle and learn moves,” she said at Tuesday’s practice. “It’s a sport where you get to see yourself progress. It’s exciting.”
“Tiffany does have a lot of potential,” said assistant coach Maika Watanabe. “She’s in the practice room all time, trying to get better. She’s gaining more experience, wrestling in these different tournaments. We’re throwing her in the mix with a lot of the JV matches in the duals.”
The fact that this is year No. 10 of the Vintage tournament — which is sanctioned by the CIF, the governing body of high school athletics in California — is a milestone. Hogan, Pittsburg and Vallejo are the top teams that are entered.
“We’re real excited about the tournament, obviously, to have it go 10 years and have it develop the way it has is just a tremendous effort by a number of people,” said Rob Lanterman, the girls coach for Vintage who assists his father, Jim Lanterman, the tournament director and boys coach for the Crushers. Last year, Jim Lanterman was named National Coach of the Year as California won the team title at the USGWA nationals.
“The national recognition for this tournament now is such that, other than the national championships, this is considered the best tournament in the country,” Rob Lanterman said. “The level of competition, the organization, the structure, from top to bottom, next to the national championships, this is the one. Winning here or placing high here really has an impact on where you fall at the national championships when it comes to seeding time and when they make the brackets up at nationals.”
The Vintage wrestlers are working with Watanabe, who was an All-American at Missouri Valley College. Watanabe was also a state champion and a three-time placer at the U.S. Girls Wrestling Association nationals for the Crushers.
“I’m trying to teach all the younger kids,” said Watanabe. “They’re looking strong. A lot of them are young, so they need a little more experience. The team really works hard for this tournament.”
The tournament, founded by Jim Lanterman and former VHS coach Carl Murphree, now the head coach at Missouri Valley, will have up to 32 wrestlers in each bracket, leading up to the finals starting about 5 p.m. There are also matches for third-fourth, fifth-sixth and seventh-eighth place.
“We’ve found that some of our third and fourth-place matches are as good or better to watch and enjoy as the championship matches,” said Rob Lanterman.
The Vintage team is young, said Rob Lanterman, who is looking to see some of his wrestlers place.
“We’re looking to get them experience in a pressure tournament situation so we can continue on with the rest of the season,” he said.
The major tournaments coming up are the CIF Northern Regional at Inderkum High-West Sacramento (Jan. 18-19), California Girls Wrestling Invitational at Hanford West High School (Feb. 1-2), the USGWA Northern California State Tournament at Springstowne Middle School-Vallejo (March 2), and the USGWA Nationals at Livonia Churchill High School in Livonia, Mich. (March 29-30).
Two of the top wrestlers entered are Marina High’s Victoria Anthony (108), last year’s outstanding tournament lightweight, and Scotts Valley’s Haylee Childs (118), who won a state title last year.
As opposed to boys wrestling, which involves a lot of power and strength, girls wrestling is more about techniques being applied, said Rob Lanterman.
“Both the move and the counter move are being applied constantly, so in a trouble situation the girls can’t rely just on strength,” he said. “They have to really know their technique. You’ll be amazed at some of the girls that are out there, at how well versed they are in the actual sport of wrestling. They’re deep into the stylebook of wrestling and really using everything they have.”
Napa High will be represented by Alyx McChesney (122), Samantha Gardner (138), Christian Resbick (122) and Olivia Hansell (122). McChesney has placed second and fourth in tournaments so far.
“I’m really excited for these girls — they’re going to do well,” said Napa assistant coach Jaret Newton. “They’ve been wrestling tough all season.”
Wrestling in their hometown is a big deal, said Newton.
“They obviously want to do well,” he said.
Deborah Jojola (108) and Luisa Jojola (114) will wrestle for Justin-Siena.
“They’re looking forward to it,” said Braves’ coach Roger Bubel.
Hui will be joined by Taedae Martinez (103), Alexis Soto (112), Stephanie Garza (138), Myka Murphy (146), Jean Rabaino (154) and Geovanni Robledo (165). The Crushers’ Chelsi Aguayo and Rebecca Medeiros are injured and not able to compete.
Rabaino (No. 4), Aguayo (No. 5), Garza (No. 7) and Medeiros (No. 7) were all listed by the California Women’s Wrestling Association in the 2007-08 preseason state rankings.
“I’m ready for Friday. I want to get first or second, but it’s going to be hard,” said Rabaino.
For Hui, the last year has been all about learning the sport.
“It’s really fun to get out there and just wrestle and learn moves,” she said at Tuesday’s practice. “It’s a sport where you get to see yourself progress. It’s exciting.”
“Tiffany does have a lot of potential,” said assistant coach Maika Watanabe. “She’s in the practice room all time, trying to get better. She’s gaining more experience, wrestling in these different tournaments. We’re throwing her in the mix with a lot of the JV matches in the duals.”
The fact that this is year No. 10 of the Vintage tournament — which is sanctioned by the CIF, the governing body of high school athletics in California — is a milestone. Hogan, Pittsburg and Vallejo are the top teams that are entered.
“We’re real excited about the tournament, obviously, to have it go 10 years and have it develop the way it has is just a tremendous effort by a number of people,” said Rob Lanterman, the girls coach for Vintage who assists his father, Jim Lanterman, the tournament director and boys coach for the Crushers. Last year, Jim Lanterman was named National Coach of the Year as California won the team title at the USGWA nationals.
“The national recognition for this tournament now is such that, other than the national championships, this is considered the best tournament in the country,” Rob Lanterman said. “The level of competition, the organization, the structure, from top to bottom, next to the national championships, this is the one. Winning here or placing high here really has an impact on where you fall at the national championships when it comes to seeding time and when they make the brackets up at nationals.”
The Vintage wrestlers are working with Watanabe, who was an All-American at Missouri Valley College. Watanabe was also a state champion and a three-time placer at the U.S. Girls Wrestling Association nationals for the Crushers.
“I’m trying to teach all the younger kids,” said Watanabe. “They’re looking strong. A lot of them are young, so they need a little more experience. The team really works hard for this tournament.”
The tournament, founded by Jim Lanterman and former VHS coach Carl Murphree, now the head coach at Missouri Valley, will have up to 32 wrestlers in each bracket, leading up to the finals starting about 5 p.m. There are also matches for third-fourth, fifth-sixth and seventh-eighth place.
“We’ve found that some of our third and fourth-place matches are as good or better to watch and enjoy as the championship matches,” said Rob Lanterman.
The Vintage team is young, said Rob Lanterman, who is looking to see some of his wrestlers place.
“We’re looking to get them experience in a pressure tournament situation so we can continue on with the rest of the season,” he said.
The major tournaments coming up are the CIF Northern Regional at Inderkum High-West Sacramento (Jan. 18-19), California Girls Wrestling Invitational at Hanford West High School (Feb. 1-2), the USGWA Northern California State Tournament at Springstowne Middle School-Vallejo (March 2), and the USGWA Nationals at Livonia Churchill High School in Livonia, Mich. (March 29-30).
Two of the top wrestlers entered are Marina High’s Victoria Anthony (108), last year’s outstanding tournament lightweight, and Scotts Valley’s Haylee Childs (118), who won a state title last year.
As opposed to boys wrestling, which involves a lot of power and strength, girls wrestling is more about techniques being applied, said Rob Lanterman.
“Both the move and the counter move are being applied constantly, so in a trouble situation the girls can’t rely just on strength,” he said. “They have to really know their technique. You’ll be amazed at some of the girls that are out there, at how well versed they are in the actual sport of wrestling. They’re deep into the stylebook of wrestling and really using everything they have.”
Napa High will be represented by Alyx McChesney (122), Samantha Gardner (138), Christian Resbick (122) and Olivia Hansell (122). McChesney has placed second and fourth in tournaments so far.
“I’m really excited for these girls — they’re going to do well,” said Napa assistant coach Jaret Newton. “They’ve been wrestling tough all season.”
Wrestling in their hometown is a big deal, said Newton.
“They obviously want to do well,” he said.
Deborah Jojola (108) and Luisa Jojola (114) will wrestle for Justin-Siena.
“They’re looking forward to it,” said Braves’ coach Roger Bubel.
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H12345 wrote on Jun 20, 2008 4:50 AM: