Jacks host final regular season tournament

QUINCY — Nearly 30 eastern Washington teams gathered at Saturday’s Bring Home Da Beef girls wrestling tournament in Quincy, closing out the regular season as district tournaments rapidly approach.

“Getting into January with all the tournaments, it’s just a grind,” Quincy head coach Mark Kondo said. “I think everybody was pretty relieved to get it done, and now we’re focusing on the postseason, which was our goal from the beginning of the year; to get better each day and be peaking at postseason time.”

The Jacks placed sixth at their home tournament, scoring 116.5 team points and having seven wrestlers reach the podium; of the fellow local teams, Othello placed third (158 points), Ephrata took fifth (127 points), Royal placed seventh (107 points), Moses Lake finished eighth (98 points), Warden took ninth (85 points) and Wahluke placed 17th (48 points).

Toppenish, the defending 1B/2B/1A/2A girls state champions, and Richland placed first and second, respectively.

“(Saturday’s) tournament, we had Toppenish there, Othello there, Richland there — we had some good teams,” Kondo said. “I think being able to attract some good teams, it’s a chance to get the last tournament in before the postseason. The only thing that makes it difficult to get maybe more teams is that 45-match limit.”

The seven Jackrabbits to place were junior Maritza Gil (105, fifth), freshman Crystal Perez (110, fourth), junior Alondra Cordova (115, fourth), sophomore Hayden Morris (120, fifth), senior Michelle Acevedo (130, first) and sophomore Diana Trujillo (140, sixth).

“Our strength is up to about 135, 140 (pounds), we’re pretty solid,” Kondo said. “I think we’re going to have four or five No. 1 seeds in our sub-region and probably three or four No. 2s. Our lighter weights, from 100 to 135, 140, have been really solid for us.”

Acevedo, a returning state placer for Quincy, won her finals match by a 2-1 decision in overtime.

“She’s wrestled about 30, 35 matches and she’s pinned 27 — she just doesn’t make a lot of mistakes,” Kondo said. “She was sixth last year, but she’s focused on being higher on the podium this year. We think she definitely has a shot to be right up there.”

With postseason wrestling beginning next week, some wrestlers were held out of the tournament as an opportunity to rest up before districts.

“If it was postseason, they would have wrestled — they’ll wrestle next week, but especially at this time we wanted to make sure that you’re as healthy as possible,” Kondo said. “We erred on the side of being conservative, held a couple of girls out just trying to get them ready for postseason.”

This was the third year that Quincy has hosted the Bring Home Da Beef tournament, just their second home event of the season; the Jacks hosted, and won, last week’s Caribou Trail League Dual Championships on Jan. 23.

“It gives family and friends the opportunity to see them wrestle, and that’s why we proposed and ran the CTL Dual Championship last week,” Kondo said. “... It was special for the girls to be able to perform in front of their family and friends, and create that interest in the sport of wrestling and help keep growing the sport.”

Kondo thanked the numerous volunteers and sponsors who assisted in putting together Saturday’s tournament.

“We’re hoping to continue to build our program and make it stronger,” Kondo said. 

Bring Home Da Beef Placings

Othello: Sophomore Janissa Barrera (100, second); senior Naraiah Guzman (100, third); freshman Grayce Mendez (110, third); junior Grace Rocha (115, third); sophomore Briseida Galvez (120, sixth); sophomore Kiara Haertling (145, third); senior Bresais Campos (145, sixth); freshman Lucy Gilbert (190, third); freshman Betsaida Espoindola (235, fifth).

Ephrata: Sophomore Dawnie Hobrecht (125, fourth); sophomore Alexandra Estrada Rangel (135, sixth); senior Leslie Sanchez Guerrero (140, first); freshman Meraly Carrillo Cazarez (140, fifth); senior Kadie McMullen (145, second); sophomore Adylene Sanchez (155, fifth); sophomore Molly McMullen (190, fifth).

Royal: Senior Jara Rodriguez (105, fourth); junior Lauren Jenks (135, second); senior Emma Villa (170); sophomore Analy Castillo (235, third).

Warden: Senior Brianalee Martinez (110, fifth); senior Jada Hernandez (120, first); senior Maria Yanet Zaragoza (125, second).

Moses Lake: Junior Grace Martinez (100, fourth); sophomore Reese Prescott (115, first); freshman Karlee Sanchez (190, sixth); freshman Kenia Corona (235, fourth).

Wahluke: Senior Angela Santiago (145, fourth); senior Mariangela Gonzalez (155, fourth).

    Quincy senior Michelle Acevedo won by a 2-1 decision in overtime of the 130-pound finals of Saturday’s Bring Home Da Beef girls wrestling tournament.
  

    Ephrata senior Leslie Sanchez Guerrero, top, won the 140-pound bracket with a third-round pin in the finals.
  

    Moses Lake junior Grace Martinez, top, placed fourth at Saturday’s Bring Home Da Beef tournament.