At the Lady Bears Classic at Cypress Creek, the meet didn’t start due to a two hour delay, starting at 10 a.m. However, the Lady Braves still began strong with Mariana Buitrago and Paola Romero pinning their East River and Freedom opponents, respectively. Aracely Tapia pinned her opponent in 15 seconds.
After a shorter delay, Irmarys Quinones earned six points for her takedowns. However, the girls suffered three straight losses in a row. Romero led the team with a second win against a Freedom Patriot. Maria Valderama also took down her East River opponent. Quinones wrestled a close neck-and-neck match against a Timber Creek Wolf, but caught her by surprise with a turnover and pin.
However, the girls wrestled against each other due to Cypress Creek’s strange organization with the brackets. Melanie Marin beat Mercedes Brathwaite, and Julianna Bradshaw beat Natalie Menendez.
Marin continued her streak by pinning her Timber Creek opponent. Makaila Reed started her match with fierce determination, overcoming the Liberty wrestler, gaining seven points and denying any points for her opponent. Alexis Musser won her first match against an East River Falcon by waiting patiently, and listening to her coach. Musser found her chance and pinned her opponent.
At the finals, Romero and Quinones wrestled their last opponents in their weight-class. Unable to overcome her opponent, Romero placed second in her weight class. Quinones wrestled her exact equal. After the three rounds of two minutes arrived, the referee announced the first person to get a point would win the first place title. Quinones remained defensive until finally, she took the chance and shot her opponent down, pinning her and winning first place in her weight class.
Although the girls didn’t place, due to lack of points, there were individual successes.
Their last meet is the FHSAA State Championships on Saturday, Feb. 7, at 8 a.m. at Liberty High School.