Central Valley High School was the host site of the Sac-Joaquin Section South Regional Girls Wrestling Tournament this past week.

The Hawks and Ceres High Bulldogs had a combined four grapplers claim medals in front of their home fans.

Central Valley’s Brianna Espinoza, Savannah Gomez and Mia Mendoza, and Ceres High’s Madeline Schultz all finished in the top 8 of their respective weight brackets en route to earning berths to the Masters Championships.

Espinoza, a freshman, placed fourth with a 1-2 record at 237 pounds.

She topped Bear Creek’s Jenessa Serrano (pin).

Espinoza lost twice to Lodi’s Emely Zavala (pin, tiebreaker).

“When she first started wrestling, she didn’t know if this was what she wanted to do,” Central Valley coach Brandy Cordova said. “She stuck it out. She’s been here every day putting in the work. It’s helped her progress. The reason why she’s had success is she watched her older sister Samantha wrestle at Central Valley for three years. She was at all the meets and tournaments.”

Gomez, a senior, placed seventh at 172 pounds.

She compiled an 0-3 record.

She lost to Mountain House’s Jayden Knox (pin), Gregori’s Natalie Sutherlin (pin) and Pacheco’s Briana Orozco (pin).

A third-year grappler, Gomez didn’t win a single match as a sophomore.

“Her goal last year was to win a match,” Cordova said. “She did that. She wanted to double her win total this year. She’s definitely raised the bar for herself.”

Mendoza, a junior, placed eighth at 162 pounds.

She compiled a 1-3 record.

Mendoza topped Gregori’s Sirena Aguilar (pin).

She lost to Buhach Colony’s Najeh Russo (pin), Livingston’s Faith Vazquez (pin) and Ripon’s Alexia Garcia (pin).

“She lost her first match and came back through the consolation bracket,” Cordova said. “She never stopped fighting.”

Schultz, a freshman, placed sixth at 170 pounds.

She was sidelined the previous month and a half with an ankle injury.

“We talked with her mom and agreed that she was healthy enough to compete,” Bulldogs’ head coach Curtis Hulstine said. “We took some precautions by taping her ankle and she wore an ankle brace.”

Schultz posted a 2-3 record.

She beat Tokay’s Fatima Ortega (pin) and Pacheco’s Briana Orozco (pin).

Schultz lost twice to Gregori’s Natalie Sutherlin (decision, pin) and once to Lincoln’s Isabella Lebed (pin).

“I was super impressed with her grit,” Hulstine said. “She wrestled tough. She beat some good girls to get to Masters."

“I think she can win matches at Masters if she stays focused,” he added. “She’s going to surprise herself and some people.”

Ceres High’s Tiffany Rios (139s, 0-3) and Makynzie Hale (162s, 0-3), and Central Valley’s Stephanie Aguilar (123s, 1-3), Julia Roton (191s, 0-3), Aliyah Badillo (128s, 2-3), Soriah Corona (103s, 0-2), Keilany Torres (108s, 0-2), Kylie Maines (113s, 0-2) and Cintia Martin (118s, 0-2) all gained valuable experience competing at South Regionals.

Rios, a freshman, lost to Chavez’s Taydem Khamjoi (pin), Amador’s Isabella Dondero (pin) and Escalon’s Dani Roybal (pin).

Hale, a sophomore, lost to Los Banos’ Kiara Daniels (pin), Livingston’s Faith Vazquez (pin) and Gregori’s Sirena Aguilar (pin).

“I’m proud of them,” Hulstine said. “They’ve been working hard. Makynzie’s aggressive and really tough. That’s hard to teach. Tiffany played two sports this winter. She’s young. She has a really solid base to build off of.”

Aguilar, a senior, topped Los Banos’ Alisha Lopez (pin).

She lost to Pitman’s Lillian Avalos (pin), Downey’s Victoria Chavez Portillo (pin) and Tokay’s Kelly Meehan (pin).

Aguilar was a newcomer to wrestling.

“She was dedicated to the sport,” Cordova said. “She worked hard to learn the moves that were being taught. I wish she would have wrestled before her senior year.”

Roton, a senior, lost to Buhach’s Emily Pacheco (decision), Lincoln’s Anaya Whiteside (pin) and Central Catholic’s Andrea Chavez (medical forfeit).

She concluded her prep grappling career with a forfeit loss.

“It was a difficult decision me and her parents had to make to keep her from further injuring herself,” Cordova said. “She wanted to wrestle.”

Badillo, a freshman, topped Gregori’s Layla Lopez (pin) and Patterson’s Kately Vargas (forfeit).

She lost to Enochs’ Sophia Hejnal (pin), Argonaut’s Destiny Campbell (sudden victory) and Tracy’s Alysse Leanos (pin).

“With more experience next year, I see her (Badillo) getting past Regionals,” Cordova said.

Corona lost to Grace Davis’ Jazmine Turner (pin) and Manteca’s Isabella Lopez (pin).

Torres lost to Gregori’s Ajenae Castaneda (pin) and Ripon’s Trinity Diaz (pin).

Maines lost to Mariposa’s Valeria Chavez (pin) and Lodi’s Scarlet Castaneda (pin).

“They all wrestled hard,” Cordova said. “It just didn’t go their way this weekend.”

Ceres High freshman Kaylee Clindaniel hurt her knee the previous week and was unable to compete at South Regionals.

Schultz, Espinoza, Gomez and Mendoza will compete at the Masters Tournament this Friday at Stockton Arena.

“We just want them to give their best,” Cordova said. “No matter what happens, we’re proud of how they did this year.”