FRESNO — Alyssa Lopez of the Lake County Wrestling Club is a state champion.
Lopez, one of four members of the club to compete in the USA Wrestling Kids Folkstyle State Championships last weekend in Fresno, won the 60-pound intermediate girls” division. Lopez, 8, prevailed by 16-2 technical fall in the championship match.
Joining Lopez as a medal winner was Alex Garcia, 9, who claimed a second-place medal in the intermediate 80-pound boys” division.
Also competing were Brandon Garcia, 7, and Louis Lopez, 11.
The tournament drew close to 1,000 wrestlers from throughout the state.
“This was the first time my team has been on a stage this big,” head coach Adam Garcia said. “We wrestled tough and showed the rest of the state that Lake County wresters are small in numbers but big in heart.
“I was very impressed at the skill level of the athletes at this tournament. I saw a lot of matches between 7- and 8-year-old kids that looked like a high school varsity match.”
Lake County Wrest-ling Club wrestlers are now preparing for the Cliff Keen Reno Worlds on April 8-10.
The event draws athletes from throughout the country.
