Sectional Girls Wrestling: Avon Lake qualifies everyone to district; Lorain's Cali Otero, Black River's Taylor Owen win titles

AVON LAKE — Local wrestlers had a good day Sunday at the Avon Lake girls sectional tournament. Two sectional champions — Lorain sophomore Cali Otero (100) and Black River junior Taylor Owen — were crowned and the host Shoregals qualified all of their wrestlers to district, leading a contingent of 18 locals who will head to Findlay next Sunday for the district tournament. Avon Lake didn't have a sectional champion but had two runners-up: Destiny Cabot, who lost to Otero in the 100-pound final, and Kaylen Martin (135). Virginia Jordan (105), Bianca Craig (120), Bridget Carbaugh (125) and Rylee Post (130) also earned a trip to Findlay as the Shoregals finished second as a team with 104.5 points behind Salem, which had 121. "We are a very young team. I have one senior and everybody else is a sophomore or below," Avon Lake coach Dennis Copfer said. "A lot of girls got a lot of experience this year and it showed today. "We have a really tough schedule and we travel everywhere. So they knew coming into today that they could compete with girls who are older than they are and that some perceive to be better than they are." Cabot is a two-time state qualifier and Otero qualified for state last year as a freshman. They have met many times over the last two seasons. On Sunday, Otero needed a third-period takedown to defeat Cabot 3-2. "It was a good day today, pretty smooth, but the finals was a really good match," said Otero, who defeated her first three opponents by pins in less than a minute. "Honestly, I'm really proud the way that it turned out. I could have wrestled better but I am proud of my effort. That's a win that will really boost my confidence and help me get ready for state." Lorain qualified three girls for district, with Sophia Rosario (110) and Nylashia Phillips (140) joining Otero on the way to Findlay. Owen, a two-time state placer, only needed 2:08 to pin her first three opponents at 155 before winning the sectional title with a 13-3 major decision over Valley Forge senior Joanna Torres. "I wasn't expecting the final match to be that good of a match, honestly," Owen said. "I hadn't wrestled her all year and I didn't know too much about her." Owen led 6-1 after two periods but needed a late takedown to secure the major decision. "I never doubted myself. I always try to stay positive," Owen said. "I always have it set in my mind that I'm gonna win and I want it more. I'm on my way to get first (at state), I want it bad. I just want to prove it here and keep proving it all the way to state." Midview finished fourth in the team standing with 96.5 points and the Middies will send five to district, led by Aubree Costlow (115) and Alaina Malone-Brown (145), who finished second. Costlow, a freshman, had one of the best matches of the day against Salem senior Delaney Callahan in the 115 final. Costlow had two takedowns and earned seven back points in the first two periods to build a 13-1 lead. In the third period Callahan was able to quickly take Costlow to her back from the neutral position and recorded the fall 24 seconds into the period to earn one of the Quakers' three sectional titles. North Ridgeville will also send two girls to Findlay while Oberlin has one district qualifier. Contact Todd Shapiro at (440) 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com. Team results: 1. Salem 121, 2. Avon Lake 106.5, 3 Lakewood 98, 4. Midview 96.5, 5. Normandy 86, 6. Brunswick 74.5, 7. Highland 74, T-8. Lorain 62, T-8 Valley Forge 62, 10. North Royalton 58.5 Local teams: 14. Oberlin 43.5, T-16. Black River 39, T-18. North Ridgeville 38, 23. Firelands 9. Individual results 100 — FIRST: Cali Otero (Lorain) def. Destiny Cabot (Avon Lake), 3-2; THIRD: Bella Buckles (Hudson) def. Niya Rai, fall 3:58. 105 — FIRST: Brooke Yontosh (Normandy) def. Alana Brown (Lakewood), fall :57; THIRD: Virginia Jordan (Avon Lake) def. Sanjita Subba (Akron North), fall 1:40. 110 — FIRST: Anna Tsirambidis (North Royalton) def. Alina Mortus (Lutheran West), fall :41; THIRD: Skye Price (Midview) def. Sophia Rosario, fall 2:06. 115 — FIRST: Delaney Callahan (Salem) def. Aubree Costlow (Midview), fall, 4:25; THIRD: Bri Popovich (Cuyahoga Falls) def. Gianna Sanfilippo (North Ridgeville), fall 10-5. 120 — FIRST: Riley Robertson (Lakewood) def. Elana Quigley (Lutheran West), major dec. 10-0; THIRD: Bianca Craig (Avon Lake), fall 3:28. 125 — FIRST: Anna Madi (Brecksville) def. Sarah King (Brunswick), fall 3:04; THIRD: Stella Januszewski (Strongsville) def. Bridget Carbaugh (Avon Lake), fall :22 130 — FIRST: Marisa McCartin (Brunswick) def. Fallon Popovich (Lakewood), fall 1:34; THIRD: Rylee Post (Avon Lake) def. Chaya Murray (Salem), 3-1. 135 — FIRST: El Tha (Lakewood) def. Kaylen Martin (Avon Lake), fall 3:18; THIRD: Ilona Kuziv (Highland) def. Giada Pomeroy (Brunswick), fall 3:58 140 — FIRST: Paige Menough (Salem) def. Nylashia Phillips (Lorain), 7-2; THIRD: Kelsey Denholm def. Miyah Makoski (Normandy), by forfeit. 145 — FIRST: Amber Le Bourdais (Salem) def. Alaina Malone-Brown (Midview), fall :14; THIRD: Bella McDearmon (North Royalton) def. Sahlara Issa (Normandy), fall :21. 155 — FIRST: Taylor Owen (Black River) def. Joanna Torres (Valley Forge), major dec. 13-3; THIRD: Olivia Kirkpatrick (Midview) def. Anna Wheaton (Strongsville), fall 2:36. 170 — FIRST: Lexi Timura (Highland) def. Collins Bizub (North Ridgeville), fall 1:06; THIRD: Lyric McCullough (Salem) def. Leah Wade (Brunswick), fall 1:34. 190 — FIRST: Tamiya Whittsette (John Adams) def. Zyaira Brashers, fall 0:25; THIRD: Summer Massey (Midview) bye 235 — FIRST Hadeel Abuqbitta (Valley Forge) def. La'Nyah Lewis, fall 4:27; THIRD: Layla Simmons (Normandy) def. Trinity Smith (Highland), fall 1:40