Molina gains revenge in section meet
By Matt O'Donnell
Posted: 02/09/2010 07:04:02 AM PST
Annabelle Molina
Bethel High School sophomore Annabelle Molina had lost to East Union of Manteca freshman Sarah Phillips twice this season.
But she wasn't about to be on the receiving end of a wrestling hat trick.
Molina beat Phillips 6-3 on Saturday in the Sac-Joaquin Section Girls Wrestling Invitational at McNair High in Stockton a week after falling to her same opponent 7-3 in the placing round during the state tournament in Hanford. The Jaguars claimed first place overall at the Masters meet.
"I think the difference was I just fought harder than I did at state," Molina said about her 98-pound match.
Bethel coach Mike Sariano was pleased Molina could end the season on a high note after a letdown at state.
"She started slowly but she really picked it up toward the end of the year," he said. "She was really tough at the end of the year, and I'm really happy with her progress."
Molina will continue to practice with the team since the boys are still alive for postseason berths, but her individual season is done until next year. Sariano said Molina still needs to get her feet in a more neutral position when she's attacking but he has high hopes for her future.
"We have a very young team and we have a solid sophomore group," he said. "With her being a junior next year, she should be able to place at state. That will definitely be one of the goals."
Sariano said Molina and his other younger girl wrestlers benefited from the team's senior, Alice Hoover, who
won a section and state title this season.
"I think Ally helped them develop a little self confidence and believe that they can win because she has gotten to the finals," Sariano said.
Molina even beat two boy wrestlers this season in her 103-pound matches against Vanden and Vallejo.
"Those were fun," she said.
Molina plays girls tennis in the fall, wrestles in the winter and swims for the Jaguars in the spring.
"Wrestling is my favorite because I've done it for a longer time," she said. "I probably have a little bit more fun wrestling."
Honorable mention
* Hogan High School wrestlers Jamilla Woodfork and Chantel White each grabbed individual section honors at the Masters meet. Woodfork (138 pounds), a senior, beat Bethel's Krajina Bayongan 8-1 in the finals to earn her first Masters crown. White, a junior who dropped from 165 to 154 for the tournament, won all of her matches by pinfall. The Spartans were second overall at the meet.
* Hoover (114), a week after grabbing a state title at Hanford, won her weight division at the section wrestling meet.
* North Hills senior guard Nate Navarette continued his strong senior season with a 23-point outburst on Friday as the Eagles defeated Freedom Christian.
* Vallejo senior Rechel Carter put up 17 points and 10 boards as the Apaches knocked off Bethel on Thursday to stay a game back of Vanden in the Solano County Athletic Conference girls basketball race.
Reach Matt O'Donnell at [email protected] or (707) 553-6822.
Posted: 02/09/2010 07:04:02 AM PST
Annabelle Molina
Bethel High School sophomore Annabelle Molina had lost to East Union of Manteca freshman Sarah Phillips twice this season.
But she wasn't about to be on the receiving end of a wrestling hat trick.
Molina beat Phillips 6-3 on Saturday in the Sac-Joaquin Section Girls Wrestling Invitational at McNair High in Stockton a week after falling to her same opponent 7-3 in the placing round during the state tournament in Hanford. The Jaguars claimed first place overall at the Masters meet.
"I think the difference was I just fought harder than I did at state," Molina said about her 98-pound match.
Bethel coach Mike Sariano was pleased Molina could end the season on a high note after a letdown at state.
"She started slowly but she really picked it up toward the end of the year," he said. "She was really tough at the end of the year, and I'm really happy with her progress."
Molina will continue to practice with the team since the boys are still alive for postseason berths, but her individual season is done until next year. Sariano said Molina still needs to get her feet in a more neutral position when she's attacking but he has high hopes for her future.
"We have a very young team and we have a solid sophomore group," he said. "With her being a junior next year, she should be able to place at state. That will definitely be one of the goals."
Sariano said Molina and his other younger girl wrestlers benefited from the team's senior, Alice Hoover, who
won a section and state title this season.
"I think Ally helped them develop a little self confidence and believe that they can win because she has gotten to the finals," Sariano said.
Molina even beat two boy wrestlers this season in her 103-pound matches against Vanden and Vallejo.
"Those were fun," she said.
Molina plays girls tennis in the fall, wrestles in the winter and swims for the Jaguars in the spring.
"Wrestling is my favorite because I've done it for a longer time," she said. "I probably have a little bit more fun wrestling."
Honorable mention
* Hogan High School wrestlers Jamilla Woodfork and Chantel White each grabbed individual section honors at the Masters meet. Woodfork (138 pounds), a senior, beat Bethel's Krajina Bayongan 8-1 in the finals to earn her first Masters crown. White, a junior who dropped from 165 to 154 for the tournament, won all of her matches by pinfall. The Spartans were second overall at the meet.
* Hoover (114), a week after grabbing a state title at Hanford, won her weight division at the section wrestling meet.
* North Hills senior guard Nate Navarette continued his strong senior season with a 23-point outburst on Friday as the Eagles defeated Freedom Christian.
* Vallejo senior Rechel Carter put up 17 points and 10 boards as the Apaches knocked off Bethel on Thursday to stay a game back of Vanden in the Solano County Athletic Conference girls basketball race.
Reach Matt O'Donnell at [email protected] or (707) 553-6822.