NEWARK — Emily Knispel of Upper Lake High School and Sierra Egger of Middletown High School are headed to the inaugural CIF State Wrestling Championships for girls on Feb. 25-26 in Lemoore after placing fourth or higher in their respective weight classes Saturday at the North Coast Section Championships at Newark Memorial High School.
Knispel, a senior, finished second at 146 pounds after losing a 5-3 decision in the championship match, and Egger, a freshman, claimed fourth place at 98 pounds.
The top four finishers in each weight class advance to state, which is being held for the first time in girls” wrestling.
“She has a good chance to be the first Upper Lake athlete to be a state placer in any sport,” Upper Lake coach Tom Cox said of Knispel, who needs to finish in the top eight at Lemoore High School to win a medal.
Knispel pinned Kim Agenbroad of Willits High School in the first round of their semifinal-round match, avenging a loss to Agenbroad a week earlier.
“It was a decisive match on the part of Knispel,” said Middletown High School coach Troy Brierly, who took four wrestlers to the tournament although only three competed (Rachel Ramirez was injured). “She wrestled tough and controlled every aspect of the match until the pin at 1:43.
“Emily was totally dominant all day until the finals,” Brierly said.
Knispel lost 5-3 to Molly Trejo of Maria Carrillo in the finals.
“If those two wrestle 10 times it would probably end up 5-5,” Brierly said. “She should be proud of what she did.”
Egger guaranteed herself a trip to the state finals by pinning Julie Martinez of James Logan High School just 17 seconds into their match. Egger then lost by pin in the second round of the third-place match.
“What can I say about Sierra other than she is one tough little freshman,” Brierly said. “She is the first girl, freshman and lightweight ever to go to state for Middletown. I am very proud of her.”
Also placing in the tournament were Middletown”s Mary Mann (seventh at 103 pounds) and Karen Castellanos (eighth at 108 pounds).
Among the highlights were Mann”s pin of Tristan Hunt of Ukiah in the quarterfinals and Castellanos” third-round pin of Inkia LePrince of Washington High School.
Kelseyville High School senior Cambria Miller participated in one of the more exciting matches of the day, falling 4-3 in overtime to Julia Jakobs of Berkeley.
“She lost but it was one hell of a match,” Brierly said.
“I think we surprised the Bay Area girls big-time,” Brierly said of the strength of the Lake County contingent. “About midway through the day I overheard coaches swapping info about those ?girls from up north” right after Egger had pinned one of their girls?”
