Tigers, Jacks come out on top of D6 girls tournament
IAN BIVONA | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 9 months AGO
Wrestlers of the 115-pound weight class smile after Saturday’s 2A/1A/2B District 6 Girls Sub-Regional in Quincy. Jackrabbit sophomore Alondra Cordova, left, and Ephrata’s Natalin Abundiz, center left, finished first and second in the 115-pound class, respectively.
IAN BIVONA/COLUMBIA BASIN HERALD
Ian Bivona serves as the Columbia Basin Herald’s sports reporter and is a graduate of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. He enjoys the behind-the-scenes stories that lead up to the wins and losses of the various sports teams in the Basin. Football is his favorite sport, though he likes them all, and his favorite team is the Jets. He lives in Soap Lake with his cat, Honey. | February 6, 2023 5:47 PM
QUINCY — Ephrata and Quincy finished first and second, respectively, in Saturday’s 2A/1A/2B District 6 Girls Sub-Regional, and the Tigers and Jackrabbits combined to send 26 wrestlers to Saturday’s regional competition.
The Tiger’s 244 points were enough to bring home the District 6 Sub-Regional title, and Quincy’s 200 points gave them second place.
“It’s a big win, especially being the first year of us separating from the boys and being an official team and coming out and winning, it felt good,” Ephrata Head Coach Raul Tejeda said. “The girls wrestled tough, and it showed.”
Ephrata had 13 wrestlers qualify for regionals: freshman Alejandra Barajas Guzman (100), sophomore Griselda Bautista Lopez (110), freshman Natalin Abundiz (115), freshman Dawnie Hobrecht (125), freshman Kashlynn Cobb (130), junior Leslie Sanchez Guerrero (135), junior Kadie Mcmullen (140), senior Zoe Ellis (140), senior Monica Tejeda (145), freshman Alexandra Estrada Rangel (145), freshman Adylene Sanchez (155), freshman Rylee Holt (155), and freshman Molly Mcmullen (170). Kadie Mcmullen, Monica Tejeda and Molly Mcmullen were all champions.
Sophomores Gabriela Villafana (105) and Diana Alejandre Rodriguez (130) qualified as alternates for the regional competition at Rogers High School in Spokane.
“(The wrestlers are) pumped, especially a lot of the girls that are first-year wrestlers,” Tejeda said. “Freshman and sophomores that are going, it’s exciting.”
Quincy had 11 wrestlers qualify for regionals: junior Allison Guerrero (100), sophomore Maritza Gil (105), sophomore Alondra Cordova (115), freshman Hayden Morris (120), sophomore Crystal Vargas (120), junior Michelle Acevedo (130), freshman Jourdan Ferguson (130), senior Ashley Rosas (135) and senior Estefhanie Rodriguez (235). Guerrero, Cordova and Acevedo all earned district championships.
Sophomore Usely Parada (125) and senior Marissa Tafolla (140) will be alternates after placing fifth in their respective weight classes.
“Everybody did pretty much as well as we thought, and a few did a little bit better,” Quincy Head Coach Devan Silva said. “It’s going to be rewarding showing up with an entire team to the regional tournament next weekend.”
Both Tejeda and Silva said the week leading up to regionals is typically when practices get more intensive.
“This part of the season is really our second peak,” Silva said. “You continue to peak everything all the way up until state. We’re going to dial it up a notch (this) week, just like we did last week. There’s your mid-season peak, and then there’s your postseason peak – we’re just ramping it up until the big show.”
“We’ll be ramping it up the first two, three days and then slowly taper it down,” Tejeda said. “The last day of practice will be short. Get a quick practice and just rest until Saturday.”
Saturday’s 1B/2B/1A/2A Region 4 tournament will feature Ephrata, Lind-Ritzville, Quincy, Royal and Wahluke.
“They all wrestled well, it feels like they’re all peaking at the right time,” Tejeda said. “It was great.”
Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.