Benicia’s Shelly Avelino living up to expectations
Shelly Avelino
By Thomas Gase, Vallejo Times-Herald
POSTED: 02/09/15, 7:57 PM PST | UPDATED: ON 02/09/2015
As far as anyone knows, Shelly Avelino has never helped an escaped convict or had an anonymous benefactor, but it’s safe to say that she arrived at Benicia High last year with “great expectations.”
Before stepping a foot on campus, she was already a highly touted wrestler, as she is was one of Springstowne Middle School’s more accomplished grapplers in its history by winning three consecutive state championships from 2011 to 2013. Last year, Benicia coach Bobby Gonzalez was quoted as saying that “she could be a four-time section champion” and that “if she doesn’t, it’d be a disappointment for herself and the coaches.”
That’s a strong statement and a lot of pressure to be put on a freshman.
Or, judging by recent events, Gonzalez could be an oracle.
Avelino went 4-0 at Stockton and won the 131-pound championship by pinning Katrina Guevara of Enochs High in the third round. The title was her second in two seasons.
She is also the Times-Herald’s Athlete of the Week.
“During that day I was kind of nervous,” Avelino said. “It was different than a year ago because this time there was some pressure on me because I had to win this year because I had won last year.”
Avelino said she tried to go through her same routine before her matches on Saturday. Her breakfast consisted of a brand muffin from Mimi’s Cafe and then when she got to the event, a lot of walking back and forth and jumping rope without talking to anyone.
“I was trying to not let anything get to my head and I was trying not to add any additional pressure,” Avelino said. “I think this time I was more conditioned as well. Last year my mental conditioning was kind of messy.”
Avelino won her first three matches of the tournament but quickly fell behind Guevara in the first period of their finals match.
She was still losing in the second round when Avelino received points after she got a reversal. After Guevera got a reversal move, Avelino countered with a double arm barrel move late in the third period to take a lead. That’s when she decided to go for the pin.
“I took a late lead and I knew all I had to do was not lose any more points,” the 15-year-old Avelino said. “I was pretty aware of the clock because I saw the person who taps the ref with a sock out of the corner of my eye come out on the mat. So I knew it was down to a few seconds left. When I got the pin with just three seconds left I was thrilled.”
Winning is something that Avelino is used to at this point in her career as she has been wrestling since she joined Springstowne’s highly successful program in 2008.
While there she received not only a lot of good advice from coaches such as Jason Guiducci, but also from teammate Ricki Liang.
Liang, who also won a section title this past weekend, became Avelino’s teammate once again when Liang transferred from Bethel to Benicia this year.
“One night when we were in Hawaii for a wrestling tournament, we just stayed up all night talking about wrestling,” Avelino said. “I’ve never really talked about wrestling on that deep of a level, but it was good. She’s a good person to constantly wrestle against in practice as she is always telling me to work harder. At times it becomes annoying, but then I think, ‘She’s probably right. This will probably pay off.’”
Liang said that Avelino also improves her own wrestling on a daily basis.
“We’re basically sisters at this point because we’ve been wrestling together for so long,” Liang said. “We have different strategies and different styles. I like that we both know each other’s moves so much that it basically forces us to work on new things.”
Avelino will head to the state tournament Feb. 27-28 in Visalia for the second year in a row.
“I know I have to work harder this time,” Avelino said. “I didn’t place last year when I went 2-2 and this year I want to place. Hopefully I can go further.”
HONORABLE MENTION
• Jordan Brisdeno, Vallejo boys basketball. Brisdeno scored 21 points and added nine boards in a win over American Canyon and 14 points in a loss to Fairfield.
• Steven Butts, Benicia wrestling. Butts won 10-4 in the final match of the day to clinch a Division II title for the Panthers.
• Ariana Elder, Vallejo girls basketball. Elder had 25 points in a win over American Canyon.
• Donita Guanzon, Vallejo girls wrestling. Guanzon finished in second place in the 103-pound division at the Master’s Tournament.
• Ricki Liang, Benicia girls wrestling. Liang won a section title in the 121-pound division and went 4-0 at the tournament.
• Christian Ramos, Benicia boys wrestling. Ramos won by technical fall to help the Panthers win a league title on Wednesday and then won by pin on Saturday to help Benicia win a Division II title.
• Serena Santos, Bethel girls basketball. Santos had 19 points in a win over American Canyon.
Shelly Avelino
By Thomas Gase, Vallejo Times-Herald
POSTED: 02/09/15, 7:57 PM PST | UPDATED: ON 02/09/2015
As far as anyone knows, Shelly Avelino has never helped an escaped convict or had an anonymous benefactor, but it’s safe to say that she arrived at Benicia High last year with “great expectations.”
Before stepping a foot on campus, she was already a highly touted wrestler, as she is was one of Springstowne Middle School’s more accomplished grapplers in its history by winning three consecutive state championships from 2011 to 2013. Last year, Benicia coach Bobby Gonzalez was quoted as saying that “she could be a four-time section champion” and that “if she doesn’t, it’d be a disappointment for herself and the coaches.”
That’s a strong statement and a lot of pressure to be put on a freshman.
Or, judging by recent events, Gonzalez could be an oracle.
Avelino went 4-0 at Stockton and won the 131-pound championship by pinning Katrina Guevara of Enochs High in the third round. The title was her second in two seasons.
She is also the Times-Herald’s Athlete of the Week.
“During that day I was kind of nervous,” Avelino said. “It was different than a year ago because this time there was some pressure on me because I had to win this year because I had won last year.”
Avelino said she tried to go through her same routine before her matches on Saturday. Her breakfast consisted of a brand muffin from Mimi’s Cafe and then when she got to the event, a lot of walking back and forth and jumping rope without talking to anyone.
“I was trying to not let anything get to my head and I was trying not to add any additional pressure,” Avelino said. “I think this time I was more conditioned as well. Last year my mental conditioning was kind of messy.”
Avelino won her first three matches of the tournament but quickly fell behind Guevara in the first period of their finals match.
She was still losing in the second round when Avelino received points after she got a reversal. After Guevera got a reversal move, Avelino countered with a double arm barrel move late in the third period to take a lead. That’s when she decided to go for the pin.
“I took a late lead and I knew all I had to do was not lose any more points,” the 15-year-old Avelino said. “I was pretty aware of the clock because I saw the person who taps the ref with a sock out of the corner of my eye come out on the mat. So I knew it was down to a few seconds left. When I got the pin with just three seconds left I was thrilled.”
Winning is something that Avelino is used to at this point in her career as she has been wrestling since she joined Springstowne’s highly successful program in 2008.
While there she received not only a lot of good advice from coaches such as Jason Guiducci, but also from teammate Ricki Liang.
Liang, who also won a section title this past weekend, became Avelino’s teammate once again when Liang transferred from Bethel to Benicia this year.
“One night when we were in Hawaii for a wrestling tournament, we just stayed up all night talking about wrestling,” Avelino said. “I’ve never really talked about wrestling on that deep of a level, but it was good. She’s a good person to constantly wrestle against in practice as she is always telling me to work harder. At times it becomes annoying, but then I think, ‘She’s probably right. This will probably pay off.’”
Liang said that Avelino also improves her own wrestling on a daily basis.
“We’re basically sisters at this point because we’ve been wrestling together for so long,” Liang said. “We have different strategies and different styles. I like that we both know each other’s moves so much that it basically forces us to work on new things.”
Avelino will head to the state tournament Feb. 27-28 in Visalia for the second year in a row.
“I know I have to work harder this time,” Avelino said. “I didn’t place last year when I went 2-2 and this year I want to place. Hopefully I can go further.”
HONORABLE MENTION
• Jordan Brisdeno, Vallejo boys basketball. Brisdeno scored 21 points and added nine boards in a win over American Canyon and 14 points in a loss to Fairfield.
• Steven Butts, Benicia wrestling. Butts won 10-4 in the final match of the day to clinch a Division II title for the Panthers.
• Ariana Elder, Vallejo girls basketball. Elder had 25 points in a win over American Canyon.
• Donita Guanzon, Vallejo girls wrestling. Guanzon finished in second place in the 103-pound division at the Master’s Tournament.
• Ricki Liang, Benicia girls wrestling. Liang won a section title in the 121-pound division and went 4-0 at the tournament.
• Christian Ramos, Benicia boys wrestling. Ramos won by technical fall to help the Panthers win a league title on Wednesday and then won by pin on Saturday to help Benicia win a Division II title.
• Serena Santos, Bethel girls basketball. Santos had 19 points in a win over American Canyon.
