VALLEJO — Ashley Pyorre of Terrace Middle School brought home a fifth-place medal from the 15th annual California Girls Middle School State Wrestling Championships on Saturday in Vallejo where she finished 4-2 in the 103-pound division with four pins.
“Ashley wrestled extremely well with her natural balance, strength and instincts, along with a handful of moves that kept her right in the mix with the top wrestlers,” said Rick Pyorre, Ashley’s dad.
Pyorre, an eighth-grader, pinned Isabelle Camarillo of Union City in the third round of the fifth-place match to secure her state medal.
As the tournament began, Pyorre beat hometown favorite Reigne Ramos of Vallejo with a first-round pin. She dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 3 seed and eventual third-place medalist Ella Harper of Sacramento in a second-round match.
In her first consolation match, Pyorre pinned Lauren Agular of San Lorenzo. She then pinned Elizabeth De Mars of Elk Grove, again in the first round.
Facing No. 4 seed Mickayla Bridges of Modesto in the consolation semifinals and with a berth in the third-place match awaiting the winner, Pyorre was trying to turn her opponent for back points but got her arm pinned while switching sides. That was all the opening Bridges, the No. 4 seed, needed as she went on to beat Pyorre.
“That loss really got to Ashley because she knew she had her and was going on to get another crack at Harper (in the third-place match), but it wasn’t to be and she had to get her head back together (for the fifth-place match),” Pyorre said.
Harper went on to beat Bridges for third place.
Wrestlers medaled down to six places in each weight division.
Pyorre was one of more than 220 girls who competed in the tournament. When she’s not wrestling, she enjoys playing soccer and snowboarding, according to her dad.
