Othello holds off Warden to win Girls Regional wrestling championship

SPOKANE VALLEY — Othello girls coach JJ Martinez has said it for years, “The Central Washington Girls Wrestling League has some of the meanest, nastiest wrestlers in the state.”

The CWGWL stood its ground at the Girls Region 4 tournament on Saturday. Othello (114), the four-time CWGWL champions, won the tournament in a real shootout with Warden (96). Sunnyside was in the discussion, placing third with 93 points.

The Huskies return to Mat Classic XXX on Feb. 16-17 at the Tacoma Dome with six wrestlers, including region champions Elizabeth Giles (140) and Victoria Mendez (190). Emily Mendez was a runner-up at 105.

“We’ve worked hard this year and it showed today. We wrestled a lot better than I anticipated,” Martinez said. “Going to the state tournament is all about numbers and qualifying six is important. The whole focus was getting them in the state tournament. This whole team knows what Othello wrestling is about.

“Vicky (Mendez) peaked at the very right time to become a regional champ. That was huge.

“I’m really proud of my freshman Mercedes Gonzalez (fifth at 110), I know it’s an alternate but she worked her butt off to get there.”

Giles has picked up some of the senior leadership responsibilities this season with the Huskies losing five key wrestlers from a year ago. On Saturday, the Huskies 140-pounder finished up her tournament with an impressive pin over Estrella Pulgarin of Wapato at 4:53.

“I didn’t have anything to lose in the finals, so I went out there and gave it everything I had,” said Giles, who’s been wrestling since the eighth grade. “I try to wrestle smart and make good choices in my attack, but tonight I just went out there went for it. Winning a regional championship feels good, but I have a lot of work to do if I want to make it a state champion.”

Warden qualified six for the Mat Classic. The Cougars have won a Girls State championship before and have pretty good numbers to take a run at another one. Heavyweight’s Karely Garcia and Amanda Contreras, finished second and third, respectively, led the way.

“We brought seven girls and qualified six,” said Cougar coach Valerie Hernandez. “It’s always our goal to wrestle well when it matters and today we did exceptionally well. I thought our heavyweights set the pace for the other girls.

“We’re wrestling with confidence right now. Today was about punching the ticket to state. Once you get there, they you can take care business.”

Mya Spencer, the CWGWL’s wrestler of the year, was the runner-up at 125. Ephrata also qualified Sienna Stocking (115).

Quincy’s Jaselyn Jones wrestled for a championship and will go in as the Region 4 second seed at 135. The Jacks also qualified Cynthia Diaz (110).

Team scores: 1. Othello 114. 2. Warden 96. 3. Sunnyside 93. 4. Grandview 62. 5. Granger 59. 6. River View 59. 7. Hanford 56. 8. Kamiakin 43. 9. Toppenish 42. 10. Kiona-Benton 39. 11. Davis 38.5. 12. Quincy 36. 13. Ephrata 35. 14. Newport 35. 15. Liberty 32. 16. West Valley-Spokane 31. 17. Wapato 29. 18. Zillah 26, Mabton 24. 19. Wenatchee 24. 20. Naches Valley 20. 21. Eastmont 18. 22. Richland 18. 23. Connell 17. 24. Shadle Park 16. 25. Moses Lake 15. 26. Deer Park 14. 27. Chiawana 13. 28. Wahluke 13. 29. Kennewick 12. 30. Pasco 10. 31. Cle Elum-Roslyn 9. 32. Okanogan 9. 33. Mary Walker 8. 34. Cashmere 7. 35. Royal 7. 36. Liberty Bell 6. 37. Walla Walla 6.

2A state qualifiers

100: 1, Taylor Wilson, Hanford. 2. Nizhoni Tallman, Granger. 3. Melanie Flores, Moses Lake. 4. Aaliyah Escamilla, Warden

105: 1, Maria Reyes, Grandview. 2, Emily Mendez, Othello. 3. Liliana Luna, Granger. 4. Marissa Riojas Toppenish

110: 1. Olyvia Smith Zillah. 2, Devin Gamez, Kiona-Benton. 3. Sophia Dixon deer Park. 4. Cynthia Diaz, Quincy

115: 1. Viktorya Torres, Granger. 2. Maizy Feltwell, Liberty. 3. Sienna Stocking, Ephrata. 4, Jackie Peguero, Othello.

120: 1, Taylor Robbins, Hanford. 2. Alicia Stewart Shadle Park. 3. Leilani Chichenoff, Davis.4, Alma Manzo (Connell).

125: 1. Cameron Guerin, Davis. 2. Mya Spencer Ephrata. 3. Monica Canales Warden. 4, Mollee Weddle, Grandview.

130: 1, Jasel Perez, Grandview. 2. Kaylee Moore Naches Valley. 3, Lindsey Rojas, River View. 4, Morgan Shines, Chiawana.

135: 1, Dempsi Talkington, River View. 2. Jaselyn Jones, Quincy. 3. Emily Carroll Wenatchee. 4, Leslie Rodriguez, Othello

140: 1, Elizabeth Giles, Othello. 2. Estrella Pulgarin, Wapato. 3, Kasye Magana, River View. 4, Brenda Rios, Kamiakin.

145: 1, Sarah Sidibe, Kamiakin. 2. Flora Morrow, Eastmont. 3. Andrea Hernandez, Warden. 4. Laly Gonzalez-Nunez, Wahluke

155: 1. Lourdes Torres, Sunnyside. 2, Maloree Calzadillas, Kiona-Benton). 3. Charlie Johnson, Liberty. 4, Allexia Asselin, Kennewick.

170: 1. Sierra Mason, Newport. 2. Reyna Huecias, Mabton. 3. Elizabeth Espinoza, Sunnyside. 4, Kaitlyn Goodman, Othello.

190: 1, Victoria Mendez, Othello. 2. Jacqueline Luna Toppenish. 3. DaNeil Jolley, Warden. 4. Megan Mason, Newport

235: 1. Jasmine Fryer, West Valley. 2. Karely Garcia, Warden. 3. Amanda Contreras, Warden. 4. Reggan Grade, Richland.