Bethel High wrestler Wong is well-traveled
By Jose San Mateo/Times-Herald/
Posted: 06/19/2011 01:00:25 AM PDT
Editor's note: The Times-Herald is unveiling its candidates for Athletes of the Year. Today's candidate is Bethel wrestler Alyssa Wong.
For Alyssa Wong, the sport of wrestling has taken her to locales she would otherwise never see.
The Bethel High junior has logged plenty of miles since she first set foot on a wrestling mat. She's traveled as far west as Hawaii and to South Dakota. She's even traveled to the Midwest with a pair of stops at Oklahoma City.
"I just really love that wrestling takes me places," Wong said. "I've been to Oklahoma, Nevada, North Dakota and Hawaii. Hawaii is probably my favorite. I just liked the
team and the atmosphere."
Perhaps more important then jet-setting are the accolades that Wong racked up long after her Jaguar teammates have hung up their uniforms for the season. A month after Bethel wrapped up its wrestling season, Wong hit the mat again in March.
At the USAG Girls Folkstyle Wrestling Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla, she placed third in a tournament that featured 150 wrestlers from 40 different states.
The performance earned her the title of All-American along with her teammate and best friend on the team Desire Espena.
Wong, not one to rest on her laurels, continued to wrestle after that winning the California Junior Freestyle Championships at Mount Whitney High in Visalia just a month later. She went undefeated at the tournament and now finds herself headed to North Dakota for the Freestyle National Championships at the Fargodome in July.
The schedule astonishes Espena, who has been wrestling with Wong since they were at Springstowne Middle School together. Espena went as far as Oklahoma City, but said she needed a mental break from wrestling and decided to take some time off this summer.
"We've been wrestling since sixth grade and she's very dedicated," Espena said. "She really goes all out."
Wong will be the only Jaguar heading to North Dakota this summer, but credits her friend for helping her stick with it over the years.
"I was in a Springstowne P.E. class and one coach asked to try out. (Desire and I) tried out together, "Wong said. "We practice together sometimes and watch each other's matches."
Wong was an accomplished wrestler long before heading to the Jaguars. She helped the Wildcats to their third consecutive state title in 2008 and even got her first taste of wrestling away from home when the team went to Hawaii as a part of the inaugural United States Girls Wrestling Association Hawaii Kick-off Classic in Honolulu. Wong earned gold in the dual meet against an all-star team from Hawaii.
Her background at Springstowne formed the foundation of what has already become an accomplished career at Bethel. She came to the Jaguars a focused and determined wrestler.
"Her dedication is number one," Bethel head coach Mike Sariano said. "She's wanted to be better and put a lot of time into it."
Wong wrestled against stiff competition her freshman year, many times facing wrestlers with two or three years worth of experience. Wong placed sixth at the unofficial state championship meet in Hanover.
A year later she would place second at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters meet and qualify for the CIF State Wrestling championships. Heading into this season, Sariano saw a different wrestler this year then the one that first stepped through the doors.
"She is obviously more mature," Sariano said. "Intimidation is not a factor as she gained more confidence."
She'd prove it on the big stage, qualifying for her second straight state tournament with the individual championship at 126 pounds at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters tournament at McNair High School, this year qualifying her for the state tournament for the second straight season.
Wong has much bigger dreams heading into her senior season. In addition to shooting for a the state tournament once again, she something loftier in mind.
"I want to place first in state and be one of the top two in country," Wong said. "I'm looking at wrestling well into colleges and see what offers I get."
Posted: 06/19/2011 01:00:25 AM PDT
Editor's note: The Times-Herald is unveiling its candidates for Athletes of the Year. Today's candidate is Bethel wrestler Alyssa Wong.
For Alyssa Wong, the sport of wrestling has taken her to locales she would otherwise never see.
The Bethel High junior has logged plenty of miles since she first set foot on a wrestling mat. She's traveled as far west as Hawaii and to South Dakota. She's even traveled to the Midwest with a pair of stops at Oklahoma City.
"I just really love that wrestling takes me places," Wong said. "I've been to Oklahoma, Nevada, North Dakota and Hawaii. Hawaii is probably my favorite. I just liked the
team and the atmosphere."
Perhaps more important then jet-setting are the accolades that Wong racked up long after her Jaguar teammates have hung up their uniforms for the season. A month after Bethel wrapped up its wrestling season, Wong hit the mat again in March.
At the USAG Girls Folkstyle Wrestling Championships in Oklahoma City, Okla, she placed third in a tournament that featured 150 wrestlers from 40 different states.
The performance earned her the title of All-American along with her teammate and best friend on the team Desire Espena.
Wong, not one to rest on her laurels, continued to wrestle after that winning the California Junior Freestyle Championships at Mount Whitney High in Visalia just a month later. She went undefeated at the tournament and now finds herself headed to North Dakota for the Freestyle National Championships at the Fargodome in July.
The schedule astonishes Espena, who has been wrestling with Wong since they were at Springstowne Middle School together. Espena went as far as Oklahoma City, but said she needed a mental break from wrestling and decided to take some time off this summer.
"We've been wrestling since sixth grade and she's very dedicated," Espena said. "She really goes all out."
Wong will be the only Jaguar heading to North Dakota this summer, but credits her friend for helping her stick with it over the years.
"I was in a Springstowne P.E. class and one coach asked to try out. (Desire and I) tried out together, "Wong said. "We practice together sometimes and watch each other's matches."
Wong was an accomplished wrestler long before heading to the Jaguars. She helped the Wildcats to their third consecutive state title in 2008 and even got her first taste of wrestling away from home when the team went to Hawaii as a part of the inaugural United States Girls Wrestling Association Hawaii Kick-off Classic in Honolulu. Wong earned gold in the dual meet against an all-star team from Hawaii.
Her background at Springstowne formed the foundation of what has already become an accomplished career at Bethel. She came to the Jaguars a focused and determined wrestler.
"Her dedication is number one," Bethel head coach Mike Sariano said. "She's wanted to be better and put a lot of time into it."
Wong wrestled against stiff competition her freshman year, many times facing wrestlers with two or three years worth of experience. Wong placed sixth at the unofficial state championship meet in Hanover.
A year later she would place second at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters meet and qualify for the CIF State Wrestling championships. Heading into this season, Sariano saw a different wrestler this year then the one that first stepped through the doors.
"She is obviously more mature," Sariano said. "Intimidation is not a factor as she gained more confidence."
She'd prove it on the big stage, qualifying for her second straight state tournament with the individual championship at 126 pounds at the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters tournament at McNair High School, this year qualifying her for the state tournament for the second straight season.
Wong has much bigger dreams heading into her senior season. In addition to shooting for a the state tournament once again, she something loftier in mind.
"I want to place first in state and be one of the top two in country," Wong said. "I'm looking at wrestling well into colleges and see what offers I get."
