by Dan Glenn

BAKERSFIELD, CA – If you’re looking for evidence that girls’ involvement in wrestling has exploded, look no further than the Mechanics Bank Arena in California this past weekend. Nearly 450 girls, each of who earned their spot by besting their local competition for a chance at proving themselves against the best girls in the State. This year marked the third year both the high school boys and girls state tournaments were held together under the same roof, a pairing that seems welcomed by both wrestlers and fans alike.
This time last year, the Mechanics Bank Arena sat empty, and California’s best wrestlers stayed home, a tough consequence of the pandemic for these dedicated athletes and a painful reality for those who had hoped to repeat as State Champions. Thankfully, this year’s scene was as busy and electric as any year prior and maybe even more so with many wrestlers sharing a new appreciation for the opportunity in front of them.

Leading up to Finals on Saturday night were three days of non-stop action in very competitive 32-man brackets. Upsets in several weights occurred and like a plot-twist in a good movie, they made the tournament exciting and the Finals matchups unpredictable.

By the end of Saturday night both Jennifer Soto and Johanna Forman repeated as State Champions, Savannah Gomez made a statement in her finals victory and newcomer, Anaya Falcon put everyone on notice in quite possibly the most intriguing match of the tournament.

List of 2022 California State Champions
101: Brianna Gonzalez (12)
106: Paige Morales (11)
111: Anaya Falcon (10)
116: Arieana Arias (11)
121: Elena Ivaldi (11)
126: Jennifer Soto (12)
131: Alexia Bensoussan (12)
137: Savannah Gomez (11)
143: Jo Forman (11)
150: Leah Brown (12)
160: Kalila Shrive (11)
170: Mariyah Casados (12)
189: Samantha Calkins (12)
235: Neila Fritts (12)

NOTEWORTHY STORIES & PERFORMANCES

The Gonzalez Twins
Not since the Doi Sisters have we seen a dynamic pair of identical twin girls making big waves in this sport. Like Regina and Marina Doi, the Gonzalez twins, Brianna (101) and Emilie (106), also plan to attend college together. In fact, they just signed with the University of Iowa and will be coached by former Olympic medalist, Clarissa Chun. There they’ll join a growing list of elite teammates who will no doubt become the most dominant NCAA women’s wrestling team yet. With the nationally ranked pair taking home first and second place State Medals this past weekend and a promising college wrestling career ahead, we’ll be seeing a lot more of Brianna and Emilie.

Leah Brown was ecstatic after her 38 second victory in Finals, earning the State Title at 150 lbs. Photo by Dan Glenn.

Jo Foreman became a 2x State Champion after a wild match against Alexandra Lopez at 143 lbs. Photo by Dan Glenn.

Paige Morales – She’s Really Good
The most technically talented female in the tournament, Paige Morales made it look easy, even against the toughest opponents. Morales who’s currently ranked #1 in the country at 106 lbs started her Finals match against Emilie Gonzalez appearing very confident. She engaged immediately and struck with a quick ankle-pick to put Gonzalez down where she held her for the remainder of the round. Knowing she needed to work her offense, Gonzalez chose to begin round two in the neutral position. Before Gonzales could find a way to score, Morales snapped Gonzales down from her knees and spun around for two as Gonzales stood up. Morales, holding on, lifted Gonzales far off the mat and brought her down with some authority, securing a 4-0 lead and some approval from the crowd. In round three Morales decided to take top position which had already proved effective. If Gonzalez wasn’t already frustrated by her inability to escape, she certainly was when the referee penalized her for stalling on bottom, increasing the lead to 5-0. Morales used an elevated “Iowa ride” leg technique which kept Gonzalez’s hip to the mat and made it difficult to base up. Morales certainly choose to play it safe in this Finals match, but understandable given the proven skill-set of her opponent. It was a low-risk strategy that paid off with her first ever CIF California State Title.

Paige Morales did what no one else could do this past weekend, she defeated, Emilie Gonzalez and won her first State Title at 106 lbs. *Photo by Dan Glenn.*

Falcon Soars High
Having not coached on the national level since 2018, I had no idea who Anaya Falcon was prior to this weekend, and I wasn’t alone. Falcon, a long-time jujitsu competitor transitioned to wrestling just a few years ago and was now making her CIF State debut as a Sophomore. Seeded third, I anticipated an interesting match between her and the always scrappy Lexy Beadles in semifinals. Either way, I doubted either had a real chance against Nyla Valencia in Finals who stood out as the most impressive female wrestler I had seen at the previous State Championship Tournament in 2020. After proving herself in a tight and bloody match-up against Beatles, Falcon landed in the Finals to take on the returning State Champion. After circling around a bit, it was Falcon who shot in and scored the first take down. From there Falcon immediately sunk her legs in under Valencia and attempted to work very hard half-nelsons looking for near fall points but found none. In round two, Falcon chose bottom position and didn’t stay there long, quickly getting an escape point and edged ahead 3-0. After a lot of smooth footwork and several shot attempts by both undefeated girls, Nyla Valencia caught a single leg which she transitioned to a double to score her first take down. Nyla did a great job keeping her larger opponent down but wasn’t able to add to her score before the round ended. Down by a point, Nyla’s strategy was to look for an escape on bottom to even the score. Like in the first round Falcon looked to use her legs to setup tilts and other scoring opportunities. Despite Nyla’s attempt to defend against the skilled leg attacks, Falcon was able to get a leg inside during a stand-up attempt and transitioned the move into a cradle for two quick near-fall points. The 5-2 score would remain the rest of the third round as Nyla fought to escape the tricky top game of the jujitsu-practitioner-turned-wrestler.

Anaya Falcon made her debut CIF State Tournament out wrestling reigning Champion, Nyla Valencia in Finals and wining a State Title of her own at 111 lbs. *Photo by Dan Glenn.*

Savannah Gomez -A Lesson Learned
In her CIF Championship Finals match two years ago, things were looking very good for Savannah Gomez as she outscored her opponent in the only all freshman Finals match of the 2020 tournament. Gomez had no reason not to feel confident after her dominance in the prior round. But as she locked up with Johanna Forman in round two that Saturday Night, she was pulled into a powerful head and arm that she was unable to defend. Thrown to her back, her dream of becoming a State Champion would be postponed. While unaware that it would be two full years before she had another opportunity, Savannah Gomez once again found herself in the 137lb State Finals Match this past weekend. This time though, Savannah wasn’t willing to take any chances. She wasted no time engaging her opponent and looked to score an early victory. After her first take down attempt led to a stalemate, it was her opponent Stephanie Chavez who trapped a tight single leg on Gomez. As Gomez defended the takedown and regained her leg, she saw an opportunity and took it. With 38 seconds remaining in the first round, Savannah Gomez underhooked Chavez’s left shoulder and planted her to her back for a commanding victory. The wide smile on Savannah’s face left no question about how vindicated and relieved she felt. And there’s no doubt the Junior will be looking to repeat the experience next year.

Savannah Gomez won her first State Championship this past weekend at 137 lbs. *Photo by Dan Glenn.*

Lexy Beadles is Fierce
You won’t find her name in the list of this year’s State Champions, but I couldn’t leave her out of this reflection after the multiple performances she put on this past weekend. Simply put, she just stands out, and not just because of her brightly dyed hair. This young lady “brings it” every match. Ranked 10th in the Nation in 2021, she’s no stranger to high-stake matches. As a sophomore she made it to Finals, nearly getting an upset victory over the returning State Champion Cristelle Rodriguez. This year Lexy would end up placing third, but that doesn’t begin to explain now close she was to meeting Nyla Valencia for a shot at the State Title this past weekend. What was so impressive was the unrelenting focus she kept throughout the tournament. Even after her razor thin loss to Falcon in semifinals, she didn’t appear discouraged. She simply knelt off mat and removed the gable wrap from her face that allowed her to continue wrestling in her last match. Not a tear, nor a complaint, but seemingly focused on what was ahead. Of the six matches she wrestled last weekend, she won five by fall including the two victories required to secure a third-place finish. Expect big things in the future from Lexy Beadles.

One More Look at California’s CIF Girls State Championships

American Women’s Wrestling
There are stories to tell.

One More Look at California’s CIF Girls State Championships

American Women’s WrestlingThere are stories to tell.

American Women’s Wrestling
There are stories to tell.