Benicia wrestler Ricki Liang is Times-Herald Female Athlete of the Year
Benicia High School’s Ricki Liang is the Times-Herald’s 2015 Female Athlete of the Year. She won the 121-pound championship at the state championships in wrestling. Chris Riley — Vallejo Times-Herald
By Thomas Gase, Vallejo Times-Herald
POSTED: 07/02/15, 10:03 PM PDT | UPDATED: 2 HRS AGO
# COMMENTS
Ricki Liang projected success on the wrestling mat as she claimed the state championship for the first time in her prep career. Chris Riley — Vallejo Times-Herald
“I think if I was an Olympic athlete, I would rather come in last than win the silver, if you think about it. You know, you win the gold, you feel good. You win the bronze, you think, well, at least I got something. But you win that silver, that’s like congratulations, you almost won. Of all the losers, you came in first of that group.
“You’re the number one loser.” — Jerry Seinfeld
In February of 2014 then-Bethel High wrestler Ricki Liang left the girls state wrestling tournament in a weird mood. After finishing in third place her freshman year and in fifth place her sophomore year, Liang had just lost to Dominique Parrish of Scotts Valley that day in the championship to finish in second place. The average wrestler would be going crazy. The average wrestler would be thrilled.
Liang, however, isn’t your average wrestler.
“Anytime you make the finals at state it’s a big deal and I was happy to get there,” Liang said. “But I wasn’t going, ‘Yes, I got second place!’ I was saying to myself, ‘Oh my God, I just lost the state championship.’”
Things changed for Liang during her senior year. After losing to Parrish, she made the necessary adjustments, which included transferring to nearby Benicia High. She also changed weight classes going from the 114-pound weight class to 121 pounds.
In the end, however, the result was all worth it as she finally took home the elusive state title when she defeated Daishea Jaime of San Dimas in the 121-pound championship. She is also the Times-Herald’s Female Athlete of the Year winner.
There is no denying that all the Times-Herald Female Athlete of the Year Finalists had unbelievable seasons. It was quite the sight to watch Shelby Thompson of Benicia constantly hit home runs, Benicia’s Cassidy Jannson send volleyballs to the floor, Vallejo’s Devanique Brown to leap over hurdles on the track or Michelle Li to rocket tennis balls back to her opponent.
But this last year it was all about finishing in first place for Liang.
ONE YEAR AGO
About a month ago Liang quoted Charles Dickens on her Twitter page as saying high school was “the best of times, the worst of times.” The end of her junior year may have been one of those “worst of times” experiences for her. Liang knew moving forward she would have to make some changes.
“I had some success my first three years but I felt that I should have been a four-time state champion by the time I was done with high school,” Liang said. “I know that sounds arrogant. But I also know me and I know what I’m capable of.”
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Due to Bethel not offering a few Advanced Placement classes that Liang wanted to take her senior year she transferred to Benicia. Although she was saying goodbye to one school and its coaches, she says she doesn’t regret the decision. However, due to her choice, she now wouldn’t be able wrestle until Jan. 1. So like Edmond Dantes in “The Count of Monte Cristo” she waited and thought about February of 2015 when she could possibly get her revenge.
PREPARING FOR THE SEASON
When Liang lost in her junior year she was influenced by something said by her older sister, Frankie, an ex-standout wrestler for Bethel High.
“She told me, it’s not a loss if you learn something from it,” Ricki said. “In the championship match I didn’t wrestle the way I wanted to. I couldn’t let my opponent do that again.”
Liang also knew that she had to train differently. Although she wasn’t in competition for Benicia before January, she was still practicing with the team and working out to stay in shape. She also decided to move up a weight class.
“My first year at Bethel I wrestled in the 114-pound weight class because I just fit the lineup best that way,” Liang said. “My junior year I had cut a lot of pounds to make weight and for my senior year I just wanted to really focus on the wrestling aspect of things. I started at 126 pounds for the first tournament before going to 121.”
Benicia wrestling coach Craig Holden said that in a way, Liang not being able to compete in tournaments for the Panthers was beneficial to her in the long run.
“She didn’t need mat time she needed conditioning time,” Holden said. “Wrestling is a grind. You can wrestle up to 40 matches in a regular season and then up to 10-15 more in the postseason. Her sitting out early made her able to get her conditioning level right and she was able to iron out any wrinkles she may have had.”
STATE TOURNAMENT AND REACHING HER GOAL
On Feb. 27, almost a year to the day after Liang finished in second place, she returned to the state tournament. Prior to her championship match Liang said she was confident, but also a little nervous since she knew this would be her last chance at a high school title.
“In my pregame routine I don’t get too crazy,” Liang said. “I try to close my eyes and visualize the match how I want it to go. That way when I’m in the match it almost feels like I’ve done it before.”
In the first period there was no scoring between Liang and Jaime, but in the second Liang finally got a 2-0 lead when she used a scramble and finished a takedown to get points. From that point, Liang said she tried not to pay attention to the crowd and instead focused on listening to Holden, who was giving her advice in the corner.
“I’m winning and I realize that it’s almost over, but it’s NOT over,” Liang said. “I’m on top and I kept trying to turn her over and increase my lead but I don’t want to let her escape from the bottom and have her score more points.”
When the final buzzer rang to signify that Liang had won the state title, she was beyond thrilled.
“A lot of people will get real emotional when they win something like that. They will throw their head gear in the air or something like that,” Liang said. “I just kept clapping my hands over and over again and finally I put my hands in the air. Then I ran over to Holden and told him how happy I was that I won.”
Holden was also thrilled.
“I was just happy I didn’t screw anything up,” Holden said, with a laugh. “I just enjoyed the ride and it was a very exciting thing for her to accomplish.”
Liang will head to King University in Tennessee to continue wrestling in the fall, but she said she will look back on her senior year at Benicia as “the best of times.”
“It’s a journey trying to win state,” the 18-year-old Liang said. “Me and my teammates got real close during this and it’s been great. I got a lot of help from a lot of people and it paid off.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Been working at the Times-Herald full time since early 2011, was a stringer from 2001-2004 while in college at San Francisco State where I studied Journalism. Have worked as a copy editor and sportswriter since 2011. Fan of Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Kings and Raiders. Reach the author at[email protected] or follow Thomas on Twitter: @tgasevth.
By Thomas Gase, Vallejo Times-Herald
POSTED: 07/02/15, 10:03 PM PDT | UPDATED: 2 HRS AGO
# COMMENTS
Ricki Liang projected success on the wrestling mat as she claimed the state championship for the first time in her prep career. Chris Riley — Vallejo Times-Herald
“I think if I was an Olympic athlete, I would rather come in last than win the silver, if you think about it. You know, you win the gold, you feel good. You win the bronze, you think, well, at least I got something. But you win that silver, that’s like congratulations, you almost won. Of all the losers, you came in first of that group.
“You’re the number one loser.” — Jerry Seinfeld
In February of 2014 then-Bethel High wrestler Ricki Liang left the girls state wrestling tournament in a weird mood. After finishing in third place her freshman year and in fifth place her sophomore year, Liang had just lost to Dominique Parrish of Scotts Valley that day in the championship to finish in second place. The average wrestler would be going crazy. The average wrestler would be thrilled.
Liang, however, isn’t your average wrestler.
“Anytime you make the finals at state it’s a big deal and I was happy to get there,” Liang said. “But I wasn’t going, ‘Yes, I got second place!’ I was saying to myself, ‘Oh my God, I just lost the state championship.’”
Things changed for Liang during her senior year. After losing to Parrish, she made the necessary adjustments, which included transferring to nearby Benicia High. She also changed weight classes going from the 114-pound weight class to 121 pounds.
In the end, however, the result was all worth it as she finally took home the elusive state title when she defeated Daishea Jaime of San Dimas in the 121-pound championship. She is also the Times-Herald’s Female Athlete of the Year winner.
There is no denying that all the Times-Herald Female Athlete of the Year Finalists had unbelievable seasons. It was quite the sight to watch Shelby Thompson of Benicia constantly hit home runs, Benicia’s Cassidy Jannson send volleyballs to the floor, Vallejo’s Devanique Brown to leap over hurdles on the track or Michelle Li to rocket tennis balls back to her opponent.
But this last year it was all about finishing in first place for Liang.
ONE YEAR AGO
About a month ago Liang quoted Charles Dickens on her Twitter page as saying high school was “the best of times, the worst of times.” The end of her junior year may have been one of those “worst of times” experiences for her. Liang knew moving forward she would have to make some changes.
“I had some success my first three years but I felt that I should have been a four-time state champion by the time I was done with high school,” Liang said. “I know that sounds arrogant. But I also know me and I know what I’m capable of.”
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Due to Bethel not offering a few Advanced Placement classes that Liang wanted to take her senior year she transferred to Benicia. Although she was saying goodbye to one school and its coaches, she says she doesn’t regret the decision. However, due to her choice, she now wouldn’t be able wrestle until Jan. 1. So like Edmond Dantes in “The Count of Monte Cristo” she waited and thought about February of 2015 when she could possibly get her revenge.
PREPARING FOR THE SEASON
When Liang lost in her junior year she was influenced by something said by her older sister, Frankie, an ex-standout wrestler for Bethel High.
“She told me, it’s not a loss if you learn something from it,” Ricki said. “In the championship match I didn’t wrestle the way I wanted to. I couldn’t let my opponent do that again.”
Liang also knew that she had to train differently. Although she wasn’t in competition for Benicia before January, she was still practicing with the team and working out to stay in shape. She also decided to move up a weight class.
“My first year at Bethel I wrestled in the 114-pound weight class because I just fit the lineup best that way,” Liang said. “My junior year I had cut a lot of pounds to make weight and for my senior year I just wanted to really focus on the wrestling aspect of things. I started at 126 pounds for the first tournament before going to 121.”
Benicia wrestling coach Craig Holden said that in a way, Liang not being able to compete in tournaments for the Panthers was beneficial to her in the long run.
“She didn’t need mat time she needed conditioning time,” Holden said. “Wrestling is a grind. You can wrestle up to 40 matches in a regular season and then up to 10-15 more in the postseason. Her sitting out early made her able to get her conditioning level right and she was able to iron out any wrinkles she may have had.”
STATE TOURNAMENT AND REACHING HER GOAL
On Feb. 27, almost a year to the day after Liang finished in second place, she returned to the state tournament. Prior to her championship match Liang said she was confident, but also a little nervous since she knew this would be her last chance at a high school title.
“In my pregame routine I don’t get too crazy,” Liang said. “I try to close my eyes and visualize the match how I want it to go. That way when I’m in the match it almost feels like I’ve done it before.”
In the first period there was no scoring between Liang and Jaime, but in the second Liang finally got a 2-0 lead when she used a scramble and finished a takedown to get points. From that point, Liang said she tried not to pay attention to the crowd and instead focused on listening to Holden, who was giving her advice in the corner.
“I’m winning and I realize that it’s almost over, but it’s NOT over,” Liang said. “I’m on top and I kept trying to turn her over and increase my lead but I don’t want to let her escape from the bottom and have her score more points.”
When the final buzzer rang to signify that Liang had won the state title, she was beyond thrilled.
“A lot of people will get real emotional when they win something like that. They will throw their head gear in the air or something like that,” Liang said. “I just kept clapping my hands over and over again and finally I put my hands in the air. Then I ran over to Holden and told him how happy I was that I won.”
Holden was also thrilled.
“I was just happy I didn’t screw anything up,” Holden said, with a laugh. “I just enjoyed the ride and it was a very exciting thing for her to accomplish.”
Liang will head to King University in Tennessee to continue wrestling in the fall, but she said she will look back on her senior year at Benicia as “the best of times.”
“It’s a journey trying to win state,” the 18-year-old Liang said. “Me and my teammates got real close during this and it’s been great. I got a lot of help from a lot of people and it paid off.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Been working at the Times-Herald full time since early 2011, was a stringer from 2001-2004 while in college at San Francisco State where I studied Journalism. Have worked as a copy editor and sportswriter since 2011. Fan of Dodgers, Angels, Lakers, Kings and Raiders. Reach the author at[email protected] or follow Thomas on Twitter: @tgasevth.
