High schools: Tokay’s Tuavao earns medal at state wrestling tournament

Kayleen Tuavao went 5-2 at the tournament to place fourth in the 137-pound division, with her only losses coming against Olivia Davis of Monte Vista-San Diego, ranked No. 2 in the state.

Tuavao’s teammate Kelly Meehan went 1-2 in the 150-pound division to fall short of placing. Lodi High’s Jocelyn Shelley (116-pound division), Azaria Biegler (126) and Elora Parises (189) also competed.

Tuavao opened the tournament by pinning Exeter’s Tiara M. Daly in 1 minute, 5 seconds, and followed that up with a 3-2 decision over Soledad’s Ariana Mercado to finish the first day. The deciding point in that match came via a stalling penalty.

The second day started with Tuavao’s showdown against Davis, a 5-2 loss. Davis pulled away with a third-period takedown for two points. The loss send Tuavao to the consolation bracket, where Skylar Gassell of Newport Harbor awaited after being knocked out in the second round of the championship bracket.

Tuavao won with a major decision, a 13-2 win, to kick off a three-match win streak, with a 9-0 major decision over Julissa Gonzalez of Shafter and another 9-0 major decision over Cara Cheng of Temescal Canyon.

Tuavao’s win over Cheng in the consolation semifinals set up a rematch with Davis, who lost 10-3 to eventual-champion Gianna Dibenedetto of Bella Vista in the championship semifinals.

The rematch was close before Davis won via a pin in the second period. After a scoreless first period, Tuavao started the second period on the bottom, and earned a point via an escape. Davis earned a 2-point takedown with 39 seconds remaining in the second period, then finished the match with a pin.

In the 150-pound bracket, Meehan opened with a loss by pin against Newport Harbor’s Duda Rodriguez, then stayed alive in the first round of the consolation bracket with a forfeit win over Aariyana Scott of Jesse Bethel.

Naomi Can Zandt of Sacred Heart Cathedral ended Meehan’s tournament run with a pin in the second round of the consolation bracket.

Of the three Lodi wrestlers, Parises was the most successful, going 2-2 and bowing out in the third consolation round in the 189-pound bracket.

Parises opened the tournament with a victory, pinning Carson’s Nova Gallegos in the first period. She then ran afoul of Saiheron Preciado Meza in the second round in a 7-1 loss.

Dropping to the consolation bracket, faced down Marlee Garrison of Oceanside with a second-period pin, then exited the tournament with a 3-2 loss to Katianna Martinez of Evergreen Valley.

Shelley went 0-2 in the 116-pound bracket, with a pin at the hands of Selma’s Areana Arias in the first round, and a pin at the hands of Eve Norbin of Point Loma in the consolation first round.

In the 126-pound bracket, Biegler went 0-2 with a pin at the hands of Kayla Edwards of Rancho Buena Vista, and 9-5 decision against Sophia Carrillo of Dana Hills.

In the 121-pound bracket, Liberty Ranch’s Bailey Cathey lost 8-7 to Hailey Cagle of Orland in the first round, then lost by pin to Danica Kelley of Scotts Valley in the consolation bracket.