LAKE COUNTY — Jasmin Clarke of Kelseyville and Adriana Lopez of Upper Lake are trying to do what no other Lake County wrestler has done before – win back-to-back North Coast Section championships – and you have to like their chances given that they’re both seeded No. 1 entering Friday’s sectional tournament at Albany High School in Albany.
Clarke is the defending champion at 189 pounds and Lopez is the defending champion at 121 pounds. Both seniors are also among the top wrestlers in the state – Lopez is a two-time medalist who finished third a year ago and sixth at 116 pounds in 2017 while Clarke placed fourth a year ago at 189 pounds.
The expectations for both wrestlers are sky high as they close out extremely successful high school careers. Clarke is Kelseyville’s first wrestler to win a state medal and Lopez could become Lake County’s first three-time state medalist later this month. Needless to say, the county has never had a state champion – girl or boy – and Clarke and Lopez could also achieve that first as well.
Clarke
“She’s improved by leaps and bounds from last year,” Kelseyville head coach Adam Garcia said of Clarke (25-3). “We’re shooting for her to be a state finalist, that’s our goal.”
On Friday, Clarke opens her section run against either Chloe Murphy of Middletown or Brisa Gonzalez of Ukiah.
Garcia said he expects his star wrestler to take care of business this weekend in Albany before heading to the CIF State Championships the following weekend in Bakersfield where Clarke’s nemesis, Fola Akinola of Menlo Atherton High School (Central Coast Section), awaits along with another state title contender in Sierra Gregory Adams of Millikian High School (Southern Section), who beat Clarke in last year’s third-place match.
Clarke’s wrestling career will continue at the collegiate level next season at Life University in Marietta, Georgia.
Lopez
Lopez, who will be competing with nationally ranked Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky, this time next year, enters her final high school section tournament looking to dominate the competition for a second year in a row.
“We are extremely confident in a repeat performance from last year,” Upper Lake head coach Jose Fernandez said. “Nobody in our section has even scored on her this season. Winning a section title this year is almost guaranteed for her. She has been working extremely hard to prepare for state.
“We couldn’t be more proud,” Fernandez added.
Up first for Lopez (20-3) at this year’s sectional tournament is Harper Moreno of Middletown.
Looking ahead to the state tournament, Lopez figures to be one of the favorites if not the favorite going into Bakersfield where three of the top four finishers in her weight class a year ago – champion Gracie Figueroa, runner-up Caitlin Cardenas and fourth-place finisher Karla Rivera all graduated. Lopez was the No. 2 seed a year ago. She was upset by Cardenas 6-3 in the semifinals but battled back in the consolation bracket to place third.
