Ceres High’s varsity girls wrestling program had one individual advance to the second day of the Sac-Joaquin Section South Regional Tournament this past week in Ceres.

“It felt great to represent my team,” junior Jazzmin Suarez said. “If I would have won my first match on Saturday, I would have made it to Masters.”

Suarez placed in the top 12 in the 139-pound weight bracket.

She compiled a 1-3 record.

Suarez bested Central Valley’s Abigail Garcia (pin, 3:47).

She lost to Atwater’s Haley Hultgren (pin, 3:22), Buhach Colony’s Daniela Gonzalez (pin, 2:06) and Pacheco’s Daisy Gutierrez (pin, 2:14).

“I could have done a lot better,” Suarez said. “I psyched myself out. I was so nervous because I was the only wrestler from Ceres High competing the second day. It felt weird. I still got one year left. I’m going to start practicing tomorrow. I’m not going to take a break. I’m going to do freestyle and Greco through the Ceres Club, and work on drilling by myself. I still feel like I have a lot to learn.”

“From the beginning of the year until now, she was way more focused,” Ceres High coach Curtis Hulstine said. “She flipped the switch. She’s gotten a taste of success. She wants more.”

Suarez dropped both of her matches at South Regionals as a sophomore.

“I didn’t know a lot last year,” she said. “I went into every match blind. I was like a deer in headlights. This year, I had more focus and drive. I changed so much. I just wrestled instead of worrying about everything else. I’ve gotten a lot more confident.”

“The sky is the limit for her,” Hulstine said. “She’s committed.”

Bulldogs teammates Angelique Huerta, Elizabeth Mercado, A.C. Lugo, Mariana Ramirez, Karen Vang and Rosely Ayala were all eliminated during the first day of South Regionals, staged Feb. 14-15 at Central Valley High School.

“I was hoping for two to three girls to make it to Masters,” Hulstine said. “We got some tough draws.”

Huerta posted a 1-2 record at 123 pounds.

She bested Pitman’s Mimi Olthof (decision, 9-8).

She lost to Lodi’s Leiana LaLonde (pin, 1:26) and Enochs’ Divine Salas (decision, 3-1).

Mercado (103s, 0-2), Lugo (133s, 0-2), Ramirez (145s, 0-2), Vang (152s, 0-2) and Ayala (162s, 0-2) all compiled identical records.

Mercado lost to Pacheco’s Mira Marinelarena (pin, 3:14) and Gregori’s Angelique Martinez (pin, 0:50).

Lugo lost to Delhi’s Jennifer Madrigal (pin, 1:52) and East Union’s Amiaya Gutyon (pin, 0:42).

Ramirez lost to Ripon’s Katelynn Cardoza (pin, 0:57) and Lathrop’s Kristina Rose (pin, 3:53).

Vang lost to Tokay’s Tayler Marshall (pin, 0:18) and Enochs’ Rebekah Shirley (injury default).

She broke her right ankle against Shirley.

Ayala lost to Atwater’s Yadira Flores (pin, 3:17) and Tokay’s Itzel Gonzalez (pin, 0:35).

The Bulldogs finished in 43rd place in the team standings.

Suarez and Huerta accounted for Ceres High’s six points.

Tokay (305), Atwater (298) and Lodi (184) took first, second and third, respectively.