Selma High’s Wrestling has been ambitiously striving for the 2024 California Interscholastic Federation Championships, held from February 22 to 24 at the Mechanics Bank Area in Bakersfield.
It was here that Kailey Salazar, Juliana Alvarez, Marina Hernandez, Damian Alvarez, Jacob Hernandez, Eli Reyes and Daniel Armendarez sported Bears’ colors, representing Selma.
The team’s head coach, José Mendoza, who has worked with Selma High for nearly seven years, commented on the rather large number of seniors.
“We had 11 seniors this year,” he said. “Now, some were new guys, but only a couple were from their sophomore to their senior year.”
He mentioned that last year, five boys and five girls had qualified for the CIF Championships, which were then held from February 23 to 25. This event is also known as the state championships, where there are 14 weight divisions in each of the boys’ and girls’ brackets. Here, the best high school wrestlers in California compete for the elusive title. The wrestlers participate in the Master’s meet, known as the Valley Championships, where only a certain number of top finishers qualify for the state finals.
Mendoza spoke on the pride wrestlers feel by just qualifying to state.
“It means a lot,” he recalled, “We’re a one-division state, so at the end of the state tournament, there’s going to be 14 state champions out of everybody, one per weight. So, getting into the top 40, the qualifiers at the state tournament, it’s a big deal.”
For the seniors, it was their last performance as part of the Bears’ wrestling program. Now, for those who choose to, they will begin to eye possible post-secondary continuation of their athletic careers.
“As of now, I don’t have anybody committed yet,” Mendoza added. “I’m hoping to send a couple. I have one senior, a returning state placer, he’s looking to go somewhere. I have another senior on the girls’ side. She’s a multi-sport athlete, [and] may be looking to go somewhere.”
However, as Mendoza mentions, it’s an understatement to say California has a lot of competition when it comes to athletics. Though participation in sports decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, many have since been able to return to their normal lives.
“Up by 1.4% since the 2021-22 survey,” the California Interscholastic Federation reported, “763,867 student-athletes competed in education-based athletic programs in California during the 2022-23 school year.”
Obviously, this makes it extremely difficult to qualify for state finals for all sports, but all the more special when successful.
“Coming from a state so big,” Mendoza added, “then having just one state tournament.” The journey is arduous, but the athletes are aware of the accomplishments made possible when putting forth their best effort.
Mendoza also recollected about past champions.
“I have one,” he said. “He finished third last year, seventh the year before. The last time we brought a trophy home for the boys was in 2019, we finished fourth. I’ve had individual placers, one last year, two the year before.”
Kailey Salazar qualified for the state finals from a second place finish at the Master’s meet, which are the valley championships and the preceding step to making it to the state championships. This brought together some of the best athletes in the sport from across the state. In addition, Marina Hernandez made her third trip to the California Wrestling state championships and is a two-time section champion. Damian Alvarez is a senior who, unfortunately, was denied a wrestling season his Freshman year due to the pandemic. However, he is a two-time state placer.
Salazar bested her first two opponents but lost in the third round of the 105 pound division. However, in the process, she was ranked seventh in the tournament.
“I took seventh at state,” Salazar commented, “making me seventh in California. I’m looking forward to next season and to making it farther. I plan to compete in the off-season in freestyle at the women’s national in Spokane, Washington. I plan to wrestle in college at Fresno City College or, if I get a scholarship, then maybe somewhere else.”
Though the team did not take the Championship title this year, returning players are looking ahead to next season while seniors begin preparing for their adulthood plans.
