McChesney third in Classic
Indian falls only to eventual champion; Crushers’ Rabaino fourth, Gardner sixth
By ERIN LAWLEY
Register Sports Writer
Three local wrestlers medaled on Day 2 of the 10th Annual ASICS Napa Valley Girls Classic.
Napa’s Alyx McChesney (122 pounds) lost to eventual winner Katarina Perez in her semifinal match on Saturday but fought back to win her next two for a third-place finish.
“She did really well,” Indians coach Travis Newton said. “She was confident; she started shooting really well. She pulled through and got a win when it could have gone either way. She definitely stepped up her game today.”
Hogan was the tourney’s top team for the second year in a row, closely followed by cross-town rival Vallejo.
Mary Jane Fernandez (98, Vallejo), Courtney Madison (103, Novato), Jennifer Fernandez (108, Vallejo), Angie Mayes (114, Arbor View), Ariel Green (118, Sutter Union), Perez (122, Buttach Colony), Serrina Smith (126, Elk Grove), Kayla Garza (132, Los Banos), Moriah Fernandez (138, Live Oak), Alexandria Sanchez (146, Santa Teresa), Monica Gonzalez (154, Hogan), Alexandria Flores (165, Edison), Angela Vyborny (189, Del Campo) and Jamilia McBride (235, Inderkum) won each of their weight classes. Green won the tourney’s Outstanding Lightweight Award while Gonzalez won the Outstanding Heaveyweight title.
Jean Rabaino (154) was Vintage’s best performer, with a fourth-place finish.
“She wrestled very hard all weekend,” Crusher coach Rob Lanterman said. “She was really patient; she let the matches develop. It may have cost her in the third-place match but she’s been so successful, you can’t knock her for it.”
Samantha Gardner (138) was Napa High’s other medalist at sixth place, despite breaking a blood vessel in her eye on Friday.
“She wrestled extremely well today,” Newton said. “She’s in a very tough weight class. Sixth place doesn’t show how well she did today. She had some blurriness in her eye from the blood vessel. She was very tough. I’m proud of her.”
Despite a couple dozen fewer girls than last year, Vintage’s tourney had “as good or better competition than last year” according to Rob Lanterman.
Rob and his father, and tournament director, Jim Lanterman expected roughly 230-250 wrestlers this weekend but a little fewer than 200 showed up due to two other girls tournaments being featured this weekend.
“It cut into our numbers a little bit,” Rob Lanterman said. “The top wrestlers still come here regardless. The competition was outstanding; only three pins in the final matches.”
Newton added, “It was a tough tournament, tougher than I though it would be.”
Though it affected his tournament, Jim Lanterman wasn’t too disappointed that other all-girls events were taking place as he’s thrilled to see more doors opening for female wrestlers. In fact, that was the primary reason he started the ASICS tourney 10 years ago.
“The idea of it is now they have good competition with another girl,” Jim Lanterman said. “This tournament sets a standard for the state rankings. You see progress in the growth of the women’s sport and it’s good to see.”
Jim Lanterman was especially thankful for all of the support and assistance he received, adding that it was vital to run a two-day tournament well. Many of Vintage’s boys wrestlers helped out as well as several former grapplers such as Maika Watanabe and John Arrambide.
“We’ve had a lot of excellent feedback on how the tournament was run and all the help,” Jim Lanterman said. “Everyone helps everyone. It’s like a sorority or fraternity.
“We had very few injuries other than twists and turns. I deem that a success, too, with this type of sport.”
Vintage hosts Wood on Wednesday while Napa travels to Fairfield. Both matches begin at 6 p.m.
10th Annual ASICS Napa Valley Girls Classic
Friday and Saturday At Vintage High School
Top 10 Team Finishes
1. Hogan
2. Vallejo
3. Terra Nova
4. Edison
5. Pittsburg
6. West Campus
7. Arroyo
8. Elk Grove
9. Santa Teresa
10. Los Banos
Top 3 individual finishers by weight class
98 pounds
1. Mary Jane Fernandez — Vallejo
2. Christine Alcantara — Hogan
3. Myketlynn Malone — Deer Valley
103 pounds
1. Courtney Madison — Novato
2. Amanda Ortiz — Merced
3. Ariana Reyes — Hogan
108 pounds
1. Jennifer Fernandez — Vallejo
2. Briona Hendren — Rancho Cotate
3. Savina Nieves — Elk Grove
114 pounds
1. Angie Mayes — Arbor View
2. Alice Hoover — Hogan
3. Frankie Silva — Pittsburg
118 pounds
1. Ariel Green — Sutter Union
2. Haylee Childs — Scotts Valley
3. Rhianna Costiloe — Wilcox
122 pounds
1. Katarina Perez — Buttach Colony
2. Katelyn Marks — Pershing County
3. Alyx McChesney — Napa
126 pounds
1. Serrina Smith — Elk Grove
2. Ariel Harris — Valley Center
3. Jasmin Dalangin — Vallejo
132 pounds
1. Kayla Garza — Los Banos
2. Audrey Morehouse — Canyon Springs
3. Kelly Kusumoto — Prospect
138 pounds
1. Moriah Fernandez — Live Oak
2. Sara Gendler — Santa Teresa
3. Holly Thein — Paradise
146 pounds
1. Alexandria Sanchez — Santa Teresa
2. Brittany David — Liberty
3. Arielle Suraci — Arroyo
154 pounds
1. Monica Gonzles — Hogan
2. Gabriella Cornona — Hanford West
3. Nayeli Gomez — West Campus
165 pounds
1. Alexandria Flores — Edison
2. Sherrale Rhines — Sacramento
3. Monica Kirkpatrick — Terra Nova
189 pounds
1. Angela Vyborny — Del Campo
2. Molly Crossfeild — Terra Nova
3. Dominique Carter — Hogan
235 pounds
1. Jamilia McBride — Inderkum
2. Cardellen Parker — Hogan
3. Chante White — Hogan
Outstanding Lightweight
Ariel Green (118) — Sutter Union
Outstanding Heavyweight
Monica Gonzalez (154) — Hogan
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