Girls compete in first year of Wrestling
March 8, 2016
Girls’ varsity wrestling ended its season on a good note. For this being its first year of officially having a girls’ wrestling team, it came along way.
The team was coached Coached by Mark Duncan and Jonathan Blackwell, Duncan has been involved with girls’ wrestling for 18 years, since coming to Tracy in 2007. Duncan’s name was placed on the SJAA Outstanding Female Wrestler award.
Simone Stewart stood out the most, her background in martial arts helped from where she started to the end of the season. — Mark Duncan
Stewart season was cut short by her injury, but she did place second at the Novice Tournament at the beginning of the season and won first place at The Lady Eagle at Enoch’s High. At the San Joaquin South Division she pinned her first opponent, but was injured in her second match
“If it weren’t for her injuries, I feel she could have qualified for the Girls’ State Championships,” Duncan said.
Duncan said the highlight of the season would have to be that all six girls either won matches and or medals. With senior Emily Simmons who won her first match and placed sixth at the Lady Tiger Tournament. Gisele Farias placed third at the Lodi Shootout and fourth at the JV TCAL, Stewart placed second at Novice, Lodi Shootout and first at the Lady Eagle Tournament. Also, Maricela Ferreitiz placed second at Novice and Cassidy Denoyer placed first at Novice Tournament, but lost for the rest of the season, to an arm injury.
The biggest surprise Duncan said was Courtni Bradley placing eighth at the SJS/CIF Division qualifying for Masters. Top five from Masters qualify for state. Courtni had some tough matches, but was unable to qualify for State.
“I am very proud of all of them, they stuck out the season in a very tough sport,” Duncan said.
Both coaches hope to field a full team next season with three of the juniors who hope to be returning.
