Tigers defeat Jacks in Battle of the Basin

QUINCY — The Ephrata Tigers overcame the Quincy Jacks in a 38-36 nailbiter dual on the road Thursday. Head Coach Raul Tejeda was proud of his team for pulling out the win despite missing some key wrestlers.   

“It was tough. We didn't have a full varsity lineup. We threw in some (junior varsity wrestlers) in there, and we honestly didn't think we were going to win. This one is going to be a real tough one to get some points out there, but they came through,” Tejeda said.   

The Jacks took the lead first with five match wins. Four were pinfalls by Kimiko Kondo, Emiko Kondo, Crystal Perez and Klare Gans, and one forfeit to Brielle Baughman. Down 30-0, the Tigers began their comeback attempt with three-straight pinfall victories by Iris Downs, Alexandra Estrada Rangel and Addison Vasquez.   

The Jacks’ Jourdan Ferguson and Kimberly Solano won the next two matches via decision which added three points for each of them instead of six from a pinfall. It was also Ferguson’s 100th win as a wrestler for Quincy.   

“Absolutely amazing, I didn't think that I was going to do it, but I did it,” Ferguson said. “Coach (Mark) Kondo has had the biggest impact on my life. He's been pushing me ever since he got in there, he's just done so much for me and (is) one of the best coaches I've ever had.”  

Quincy Head Coach Mark Kondo said he was excited to see Ferguson earn this accolade as her wrestling journey with the Jacks comes to a close in the next few weeks.   

“For her, it’s something she'll look back on and feel proud about. I'm just happy for her, because I know that she wanted to meet that goal, and she did, and now it's hopefully going to state and standing on the podium,” he said.   

As the dual proceeded, the Tigers’ Adylene Sanchez and Gabbie Grace Bafus earned pinfall victories to shift the momentum in their favor. A 2-0 decision victory by Tessa Hausken set up the final match of the night to decide the overall winner, with Ephrata trailing 33-36.   

The Tigers’ Carolina Monico and the Jacks’ Abigail Garcia would determine the winner of the dual in the 235-lb class. It was a competitive bout where both wrestlers tried to trap each other in near pinfall scenarios. The match was stopped twice for Garcia, who had been struggling with a shoulder issue.   

Ultimately, the match was called a technical fall 26-7 in favor of Monico, which put the Tigers over the Jacks 38-36 for the comeback win. She had also been dealing with an injury she suffered against Othello leading up to this dual, Tejeda said.   

“We sat her out this whole week, and she got the clear, and she was kind of iffy about coming back, but she was like, ‘You know what, I want to wrestle. It’s the last dual,’ and she came through,” he said.   

With the conclusion of the regular season, both teams await seeding for the district tournament. As the Tigers anticipate a postseason run, they are focused on getting healthy.  

“We still have some girls that are somewhat injured. We're going to try to just get them healed and just keep working. I know there's a couple mistakes that we made out there, but we could fix it,” Tejeda said.   

RESULTS:  

100: Kimiko Kondo (QNCY) over Peighton Black (EPHT), pinfall  
105: Emiko Kondo (QNCY) over Chenille Garcia (EPHT), pinfall
110: Brielle Baughman (QNCY) over Ephrata, forfeit
115: Crystal Perez (QNCY) over Mariyah Sabedra (EPHT), pinfall
120: Klare Gans (QNCY) over Emma Lopez (EPHT), pinfall
125: Iris Downs (EPHT) over Jade Guererro (QNCY), pinfall
130: Alexandra Estrada Rangel (EPHT) over Thalia Castro (QNCY), pinfall
135: Addison Vasquez (EPHT) over Hailey Courtade (QNCY), pinfall
140: Jourdan Ferguson (QNCY) over Meraly Carrillo Cazarez (EPHT), decision 8-3
145: Kimberly Solano (QNCY) over Emily Estrada Rangel (EPHT), decision 12-9
155: Adylene Sanchez (EPHT) over Gabriela Lopez (QNCY), pinfall
170: Gabbie Grace Bafus (EPHT) over Mya Ruiz (QNCY), pinfall
190: Tessa Hausken (EPHT) over Evelyn Silvas (QNCY), decision 2-0
235: Carolina Monico (EPHT) over Abigail Garcia (QNCY), technical fall 26-7 

    The Jacks’ Jourdan Ferguson, in pink, tries to turn Meraly Carrillo Cazarez for a pinfall attempt. Ferguson won via decision 8-3 to earn her 100th win in her time as a wrestler for the Jacks.
  

    Mariyah Sabedra, in orange, tries to control Crystal Perez, in pink, on the mat during their match Tuesday.
  

    The Jacks’ Emiko Kondo, in pink, attempts to pin Chenille Garcia, bottom, during their match Tuesday.