Mendez wins Ian Dykstra Memorial championship

Joe Naiman

Village News Reporter

Madelie Mendez became the first Fallbrook High School girls wrestler to win a tournament championship when she placed first in the Saturday, Dec. 9, Ian Dykstra Memorial tournament at Temescal Canyon High School in Lake Elsinore.

Mendez, who was the only Fallbrook wrestler to compete in the Ian Dykstra Memorial, wrestled in the girls 170-pound weight class. That division had a round-robin format, and Mendez pinned all four of her opponents in the first period.

"She put in a lot of work, really cleaned up her practice habits, and is really committing herself," Fallbrook head coach Tom Brockson said. "Those fundamentals are winning matches."

Four Fallbrook girls competed in the University City Girls Wrestling Tournament which was held Saturday, Dec. 2, at University City High School in San Diego. That tournament has a novice division as well as a varsity division, and the four Warriors were all in the junior varsity competition. Delanie Stroney and Mendez, who are both sophomores, both placed third in their weight classes.

"Just really proud," Brockson said. "They're really dedicated."

The tournament had a double-elimination format, and Stroney and Mendez were both relegated to the consolation bracket after losses in the first round.

"They had to wrestle back all day," Brockson said. "They still ended up placing third."

Stroney was in the 115-pound class. Madison Ramirez of Chaparral High School won that division and began competition with a 10-8 decision victory over Stroney. In her first consolation match, Stroney pinned San Pasqual High School's Savannah Whitby 1:41 into the match. Stroney ended her match against Angie Beltran of Holtville High School with a victory by fall 32 seconds after the bout began. Natalie Lara of Calipatria High School was pinned 1:42 into her match with Stroney.

The match between Stroney and Noahlanie Velasquez of Castle Park High School went into the third period before Stroney won by pin four seconds into that period. Stroney faced Monte Vista High School's Katara Ortiz in the consolation semifinal and pinned Ortiz 1:34 into that match. Jaquelyn Benitez of Calexico High School and Stroney had both wrestled six times, which is the maximum allowable number of bouts in a day, so the third-place match between Benitez and Stroney was not contested.

The 170-pound bracket was won by San Pasqual's Alejandra Orozco, who pinned Mendez 1:31 into their first-round match. Mendez pinned all four of her consolation opponents in the first period. She needed 20 seconds to defeat Katia Rojo of San Pasqual as a school may enter more than one wrestler in the same weight class at the UC Girls Wrestling Tournament, 1:18 to pin Ramona High School's Shelby Jordison, 37 seconds to win the consolation semifinal against Jenna Thompson of Santa Rosa Academy of Menifee and 15 seconds to win the third-place match by pinning Eastlake High School's Jenna Welch.

Kayla Bano reached the consolation quarterfinals of the 120-pound class. The freshman began the tournament by pinning Evelyn Chavez of Bonita Vista High School 1:00 into that match. Alice Asoyan of La Costa Canyon High School pinned Bano 11 seconds into the third period. Bano began consolation bracket competition with a pin of Chaparral's Gabriella Chance 59 seconds into the bout. Bano faced Amelia Brown of Torrey Pines High School, who won a 9-0 major decision.

Danielle Roberts was Fallbrook's other wrestler in the UC Girls Wrestling Tournament. The junior faced the 140-pound champion and the third-place wrestler, who both pinned Roberts. Division winner Neveah Thompson of Monte Vista pinned Roberts in the first period while third-place Delilah Velasquez of Castle Park pinned Roberts in the second period.

"It was good," Brockson said of the UC Girls Wrestling Tournament.

Liberty High School of Menifee had two 170-pound girls at the Ian Dykstra Memorial; Holly Snyder took second place and Malia Aina placed third. Sam Cook of Great Oak High School in Temecula and Isabella Becerra of Dominguez High School in Compton were the other two wrestlers in that weight class.

"She was kind of nervous," Brockson said of Mendez.

Mendez began the tournament by pinning Aina 1:55 into the competition.

"That was probably her hardest match," Brockson said.

The match between Mendez and Cook ended 1:15 after it began. Mendez needed 45 seconds to pin Snyder, who won her other three matches with first-period pins, and 26 seconds to pin Becerra.

"She went out there and really performed like a warrior," Brockson said. "It was a pretty good experience."