Sara Brinkac enters this weekend’s provincial high school wrestling championship tournament in Salmon Arm with momentum and a title.
As defending champ in the girls 60-kilogram division, the Burnaby Central Wildcat leads a strong contingent from the district, fresh off of winning the division title at last week’s zone playdowns.
Brinkac defeated the St. Thomas More Knights’ Gabriella Bellini in the final, with both advancing to the B.C.s in Salmon Arm.
STM’s female team swept to another zone title, and finished one-point shy of New Westminster in the boys division.
Among the medal winners for STM were Caileen Corbett, who won the girls 43kg crown, edging teammate Isabella Laing. The Knights’ Clara Scaglione prevailed in 47kg, topping schoolmate Gabi Chavez. In 90+kg, Amanda Silveri picked up the title, and will look to equal or improve on last year’s silver at the provincials.
Other silver medallists at the zone meet were STM’s Ayesha Mian in 40kg and Logan Stimson in 57kg. The Knights’ Juliana Casas, in 57kg, Charlotte Cho, in 43kg, Lily Philipp-Tajenar, in 54kg, and Faith Westman, in 90kg, took bronze.
On the boys side, Dylan Duggan, Tyler Eckert, Mathew Magano and Gino Ramos scored golds in their respective divisions.
Duggan and Ramos represented Central well with wins in 48kg and 74kg divisions. Magano was uncontested in the boys 38kg division for Burnaby South. Last year’s cadet national bronze winner, Eckert topped the boys 90kg category for STM.
Also collecting medals were Central’s Jivan Basi (2nd, 66kg), Aidan LaBreche (3rd, 63kg), South’s George Brar (3rd, 84kg), and STM’s Daniel Alphonso (2nd, 57kg), Kristian Araiaga (3rd, 54kg), Aiden Field (2nd, 51kg), Joel Pielak (2nd 78kg), Noah Slotman (2nd, 54kg), Sam Steele (2nd, 84kg), and Jack Wagner (3rd, 74kg).
