South county roundup: Mendez keeps unbeaten record intact at Lady Knights Invitational
EVERETT — Head coach JJ Martinez had one question at the front of his mind entering the final tournament of the regular season: how would undefeated 105-pounder Emily Mendez match up against top-ranked Kayla McKinley-Johnson of Federal Way?
The Lady Knights Invitational provided the answer.
Mendez and McKinley-Johnson — ranked second and first, respectively, in the Washington Wrestling Report — collided in the 105-pound finals with Mendez maintaining her unblemished record by way of fall in the first round.
The question mark suddenly turned into an exclamation point as Mendez will surely take over the top spot. Mendez won all four of her matches by fall, in the first round, and Othello won the team championship handily with 207 points. Federal Way was a distant second at 128 points.
The Huskies pushed five wrestlers into the finals and had two champions. Jacky Peguero (120) joined Mendez at the top of the podium. Peguero outlasted another Federal Way Eagle, Anjilia Sumandig, 3-2.
Bernice Mendoza (100), Iyazely Barraza (115) and Leslie Rodriguez (140) were tournament runners-up.
Othello opens its postseason run at a sub-regional tournament in East Wenatchee this weekend.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Friday
Ellensburg 71, Othello 35
Box score
O 8 9 14 4 — 35
E 17 18 19 17 — 71
Othello: Patrick Azevedo 15, Jonathan Garza 10, Frank Lopez 5, Jaden Flores 2, Carlos Martinez 2, Hilario Murillo 1
Ellensburg: Steele Venters 34, Davis Spencer 13, Davis Grant 8, Hunter Gibson 6, Ryan Ferguson 4, Aiden Lewis 3, Ray Mayo 2, JT Fenz 1
Royal 57, River View 41
College Place 49, Wahluke 36
Saturday
Othello 55, Quincy 42
Royal 75, College Place 43
GIRLS BASKETBALL Friday
Ellensburg 59, Othello 44
Box score
O 11 15 5 13 — 44
E 21 10 11 17 — 59
Othello: Macy Hampton 17, Maciah Tovar 11, Ashley Perez 6, Alexis Coronado 6, Lane Simpson 4
Ellensburg: Dylan Phillip 12, Brinley Hagemeier 11, Kaelynn Smith 9, Aucklyn Ness 6, Kiadyn Whitney 6, Katie Blume 5, Payton Lyyski 5, Kami Hartrick 3, Maddie Kennedy 2
Royal 64, River View 54
College Place 64, Wahluke 24
Saturday
Othello 64, Quincy 51
Scoring
Othello: Ashley Perez 19, Maciah Tovar 15, Macy Hampton 14, Lane Simpson 4, Janissa Garza 4, Alexis Coronado 4, Cassandra Gonzalez 3, Hailee Guzman 2
Royal 69, College Place 64
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