Glenn goes to a tiebreaker to defeat Norwalk in girls wrestling
NORWALK – It took 14 matches and nine different tie-breaking categories to determine a winner between host Norwalk and John Glenn high schools in a girls wrestling non-league match Wednesday (Dec. 8).
After it was determined that Glenn had won more first-points scored in each match, the Eagles won, 43-42.
With the score tied, 36-36, and two matches remaining, Glenn knew it had to win in the 13th match to have a chance to at least tie Norwalk. Glenn did not have a heavyweight wrestler and would have to forfeit the 14th and final match, which would result in six points.
JG needed a pin, which scores six points, from freshman Sarah Ramirez in the 189 Lb. weight class.
Asked if Ramirez knew how important her match was, she simply replied, “…no, not until right now,” after the dual meet was over.
Ramirez, who knew about the rivalry between the two schools and how Norwalk had dominated recently in some of the sports, was well aware of the importance of the win, but just not her match.
“It was kind of crazy,” she said. “We had a lot of pressure on us about winning, because a lot of the other sports don’t win against Norwalk.
“I was so nervous and just went out there and tried my best.”
Ramirez, who had a pin in a previous tournament, jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a takedown in the first period. She finished the match with the pin and the 42-36 lead.
“She is very green and she is coming off of being off for a little bit, but she’s back and it was all on the line,” said Glenn coach Hector Ramirez of Sarah Ramirez’ match. “I told her to be patient and when you get the right moment, be explosive.”
Glenn forfeited the heavyweight weight class and the match was tied, 42-42.
From there, both coaches, Bryan DeVries of Norwalk and Ramirez of John Glenn, and the official, went over the rules when a tie exists.
After a few minutes and eight tiebreakers later, it was determined that Glenn had a 14-6 advantage in first-points scored for the victory.
“This is the first time we’ve ever tied,” said DeVries, of the match. “We either win or we lose, so this was exciting. It was a good match, since we were both champions last year.
“It came right down to a tie. We’re getting there.”
DeVries, who has been coach at Norwalk for three years, led his team to a Suburban League title last year. Assisting DeVries is the boys coach, Frank Soto.
Glenn, which won the 605 League championship for the third consecutive year last season, is assisted by Kathryn Gonzales and Jose Rodriguez.
“I have run into a tie situation before in my six years and it usually comes down to the criteria of most pins,” Ramirez said.
This time, however both teams had the same amount of pins (5) and the same amount of forfeits (2).
“It always makes it entertaining,” Ramirez added. “Norwalk High School has great athletes, just like John Glenn. It’s all in the same community and they all know each other, so it becomes a bit of a rival. All it does is pushes our kids to be more competitive. You got to have a little rivalry to motivate your athletes to push harder. It was a great ending for us.”
Norwalk opened the dual with two consecutive pins. In the 101 weight class, Ruby Hubbard pinned Glenn’s Diana Bravo in the second period. Bravo actually recorded a near fall, takedown and a reversal in the first period, but couldn’t pin her opponent.
At 106, Norwalk’s Tatum Mora was leading Kaela Miranda, 3-2, and ended up pinning here in the first period, as the Lancers took a 12-0 lead.
The first forfeit occurred at the 111 Lb. class as Norwalk senior Sabrina Sinohui got the win since a Glenn wrestler had bumped up to another weight class. The Lancers led, 18-0.
Sinohui reflected on her previous three years wrestling at Norwalk.
“For the last three years it’s just been a lot of sweat, tears, a lot of blood, being sore 24/7, never having any free time for sure and it’s a year-round sport,” she said. “I missed fighting my rival because I would have loved to beat them in front of all of my friends. It’s fine though.
“(Wednesday) it was close. If we would’ve had enough wrestlers, we would have won.
“Having Byran as a coach, he is so enthusiastic and like a father-figure, just like he is with his daughter (Lilah).”
Glenn’s Mia Ramirez was next up at 116 Lbs. and battled Liyah Salazar in the first period, building up a 7-0 lead, before pinning her in the second period. The Eagles got on the board, trailing 18-6 after three matches.
“This is my third time wrestling against Norwalk,” said Mia Ramirez, who was the 605 League Lower Weight MVP last year. “We (Ramirez and Salazar) were pretty equal and when I shot, I felt like I could take her down. She was very aggressive. When I did a fake shot so I could see how she moves, then I pinned her after that.”
Ramirez recently took third at the James Monroe Tournament and the Santa Ana Lady Saints Tournament in the 116 Lb. weight class.
After losing in her first-round match by pin at the Lady Saints tourney, Ramirez came all the way back with four consecutive wins by pin to place third.
Glenn took 13th in the Lady Saints tournament as a team.
“I was going out there and I was trying to wrestle my hardest,” said Salazar, of the match against Ramirez. “She is very tough and I like that about her. She is very aggressive. She put me on my back a couple of times, but I didn’t want to give up.
“(The match against Glenn) was really exciting. I was really hyped for it.”
Coach DeVries talked about the 116 Lb. match. “That was a great match,” he said. “It was our girl, Liyah Salazar and their girl, Mia Ramirez, two captains battling. Liyah’s defense just failed her by millimeters and that’s all that Mia needed.”
Norwalk then had its first forfeit in the 121 Lb. weight class and Glenn closed to within six points, 18-12.
Glenn, 2-0 in dual meets so far this season, recorded its second pin of the match as junior Rhain Aranjo (126), with a 5-0 lead on a two-point takedown and a three-point near fall, pinned her opponent, with 54 seconds left in the first period.
Aranjo, like Mia Ramirez, also placed third in the Lady Saints Tourney, but at 121 Lbs. After pinning her opponent in the first round in the tourney, she lost in the second round and then won all three matches by pins.
With Aranjo’s win over Norwalk, the Eagles evened the match, 18-18.
“The person (Marley Estrella) that I wrestled (Wednesday), we are really good friends,” Aranjo said. “I love Marley and she is one of my close friends. We had wrestled before at the Dog Pound.
“There are a lot of bonds between us and Norwalk,” added Aranjo.
Coach Ramirez, who is in his sixth year as Glenn’s coach, owns The Dog Pound MMA and Fitness gym, which is located in Norwalk
Norwalk then reeled off three consecutive pins by Melanie Manzo (131), junior Zitlali Sarmiento (137) and Celeste Otero (143) for the 36-18 lead with five matches remaining.
Following that, Glenn charged right back into the match with three consecutive wins, which included a forfeit in the 170 Lb. weight class.
Prior to the forfeit, Glenn’s Aileen Lopez (150), with a two-point lead, pinned her opponent, Breion Thomas, and Olga Ledezma (160) pinned Norwalk’s Thalia Ariste.
Those three JG wins evened the match, 36-36, and it all came down to the 189 Lb. match between Sarah Ramirez and Elisa Estrella.
The next varsity tournament for both John Glenn and Norwalk is the Blackwatch Girls Varsity Tournament, Dec. 28-29 at Upland HS.
The next home dual for Norwalk is a girls varsity and boys duals tournament.
The teams participating are: Warren, Perris, Dominguez, Arroyo and Alhambra.
Meanwhile, the John Glenn girls JV team will be at the Santa Ana Lady Saints Tournament Saturday (Dec. 18).
The next Glenn home action will be the JG lady Eagles Invitational, January 22.
Glenn JV Boys win in last match
Just prior to the girls varsity match, an exciting ending to the J.V. boys match saw Glenn squeak out a 39-36 win.
With Norwalk holding a 36-33 lead, the match came down to the final weight class – the heavyweights.
After the first period, Glenn’s Joseph Chavez held a 4-2 lead over Ray Malo of Norwalk.
The crowd was loudly cheering on both wrestlers and after another two-point takedown by Chavez for the 6-2 lead, he later pinned Malo for the win and the match.
“This match was exciting too,” said DeVries, of the JV match. “That’s what we want, to come down to the end and just show how hard everyone works. If every match could be that close, it would be fantastic.”
What they said:
Bryan DeVries, Norwalk coach: “(Lilah) is my little shadow. She goes everywhere with me. She started wrestling and had to wrestle a lot of boys. She just kind of gravitated when I started coaching the girls teams.
Ever since I started coaching here, she would come to practices when she could. She goes to all of the tournaments. She’s up and ready to go with me early in the morning for the tournaments.
My wife Wendy, god bless her, she’s a teacher at Artesia and she is also at home taking care of our three boys.”
Hector Ramirez, John Glenn coach: “My assistant coach Kathryn Gonzales dedicates so much time helping the girls achieve their goals. She brings in wrestling experience coming from Millikan High School wrestling. I couldn’t do it without her assistance.”
Zitlali Sarmiento, Norwalk junior (137 Lbs.) “We all tried our best to beat John Glenn. Even though we were bummed about the scores and they won by points, we won in our hearts because we gave it our all. Plus, we had three girls wrestling for the first time ever and they also gave it their all.
We’re all still happy.”
Lilah DeVries, Norwalk’s “little coach”: “My dad (Bryan DeVries) is the coach and I’m there to support the wrestling team,” said 10-year-old Lilah DeVries, who is coach DeVries’ daughter. “I’ve been wrestling since I was six or seven.
It’s important to get those first points, because if you go to a tie-breaker you could win.
It (Norwalk-John Glenn rivalry) means a lot to me, because when I go to the Dog Pound, the coaches of John Glenn go there. It’s cool to see who would win versus my dad’s team.”