Jasmine Yanez’s quest for back-to-back titles ended in
gold-medal glory and with her second-place performance Megan
Nebesnick’s first season as a prep wrestler will culminate with an
appearance at the CIF State Invitationals as the two Gilroy High
grapplers anchored a seventh-place team finish at the 2010-2011
Central Coast Section Championships on Saturday night in Oak
Grove.
Jasmine Yanez’s quest for back-to-back titles ended in gold-medal glory and with her second-place performance Megan Nebesnick’s first season as a prep wrestler will culminate with an appearance at the CIF State Invitationals as the two Gilroy High grapplers anchored a seventh-place team finish at the 2010-2011 Central Coast Section Championships on Saturday night in Oak Grove.
“They did absolutely phenomenal. I’m proud of all of them,” GHS coach Steven Hernandez said.
The Mustangs entered five wrestlers to the 51-team meet – the inaugural all-girls section championship – and gathered 76 team points for their top-10 finish.
“Bringing five girls, when we only had one or two before, I couldn’t be happier for them,” Hernandez said.
After six grueling hours of wrestling, waiting and wrestling some more, the field of about 160 hopefuls dwindled down to 28 individuals and 14 finals matches.
One last hurdle remained and separated Yanez and Nebesnick from what they had come to obtain.
It didn’t take long for Yanez to realize she had a fight on her hands.
“She was tough, she was strong and she was quick,” Yanez said of her scrappy challenger.
Circling one another as they stared into each other’s eyes looking for any type of opening, Yanez and Live Oak’s Amy Fearnside shared one common goal: a CCS title.
Yanez, seeded No. 1 at 108 pounds, and Fearnside (21-4) the No. 2 seed, engaged in a physical, give-me-your-best shot matchup.
“There wasn’t really any strategy,” Yanez said. “Just go in there and do what I do.”
The two contenders were deadlocked at 2-2 early in the second period. Yanez, though, a three-time All-American and 24-1 this season, remained in control and let her experience take over. Yanez picked up a reversal (following a point in her favor due to Fearnside getting called for grasping) late in the period to carry a 5-2 lead into the third and final two minute stanza.
“There was a point where I felt like I was in trouble, but that just fueled me to work harder,” Yanez said.
The two continued to struggle for positioning before Yanez finally broke through Fearnside’s superb ground defense and recorded a two-point reversal out of the bottom position and a three-point near fall to secure a 10-2 major decision triumph.
“This is wonderful,” Yanez said.
GHS head coach Greg Varela, who has been in Yanez’s corner for a majority of her bouts throughout her four years, said the senior’s performance was the ideal battle before the state meet.
“That was a big win for her with state being next,” Varela said. “(Fearnside) is a real good grappler.”
An hour after Yanez exited the mat Nebesnick took center stage for her 154-pound showdown.
“Before the match we talked and I told her to stay settled and keep her composure,” Hernandez said. “She handled it beautifully.”
Facing Kiara Aguiar-Valentin of Andrew Hill – the team champions – Nebesnick, a first-year sophomore wrestler who is also a key figure on the GHS gymnastics team, kept pace with her opponent and completed a crunch-time takedown early in the third period to tie the match at 4-4.
“When I got out on the mat I just focused and tried my hardest with what I knew,” Nebesnick said.
However, Aguiar-Valentin managed an escape for one point and, despite Nebesnick’s wily maneuvering, solidified a two-point takedown to seal the 7-4 win.
“She went out there and gave her all,” coach Marty Serrano said. “She was one move away from winning it.”
Nebesnick, overtaken with emotion following the down-to-the-wire encounter, said she exceeded her expectations, though a championship is something she’s eyeing over the next two years.
“I though I had it. I really wanted it,” Nebesnick said, her bottom lip quivering as she held back a few lingering tears. “I came here wanting to wrestle and didn’t think I would get this far. This feels pretty good. My goal is to keep doing better and better.”
Both Yanez and Nebesnick advance to the first CIF-sanctioned state meet held in Lemoore on Feb. 25-26.
Also in action Saturday were Mustangs Courtney Pipkin, Amorita Fregoso and Brittany Lorenzana and Christopher High sophomore Brenda Lopez.
View more photos of the Central Coast Section Championships at our
