Klein Collins HS held their annual Tiger Classic wrestling tournament this past weekend before the big freeze in the Houston area. The girls’ portion of the meet consisted of 30 teams from around the Houston area, as well as a regular visitor from out-of-town, Austin Bowie. According to my count, and the WrestlingTexas.com January 6th rankings, there were 41 Texas ranked wrestlers participating in the tournament, including three #1s, four #2s, three #3s, and twelve additional Top 10 ranked wrestlers. All rankings in this article are based on WrestlingTexas January 6th listing.
Photos from Brian S. Doyle
Let’s review the Finals’ matches in each weight class.
100 lbs.
#2 Yvette Zepeda from Langham Creek has been 14-2 since moving to 100 lbs. in January, with both losses coming at the CFISD Invitational. Chloe Hanes #9 at 107 lbs., also moved down from 107 lbs. in January. Hanes has an 8-1 record since that move.
Zepeda built a 9-1 lead in the first period with a great defense of a Hanes’ leg shot, and two near-falls. Hanes’ length and flexibility seemed to prevent two sure pins. Starting in neutral for the second, Hanes earned a takedown on a great shot defense, and a NF-2. Zepeda reversed and caught a NF-4 on the edge of the mat. After a restart, Hanes scored a reversal right before the end of the period. Trailing 15-8, Hanes chose top to start the third period. She immediately broke Zepeda down, and sunk a deep armbar. On the second attempt, she turned Zepeda over and secured the pin at 4:51 for the championship.
107 lbs.
The second finals’ match pitted #4 Danielle Sizelove of Conroe The Woodlands against Miaham Jimenez of Conroe Caney Creek. Coming into the tournament, Sizelove was listed as having a 29-7 record, while Jimenez had a posting of 24-12. Jimenez beat the second seed Ashley Gore and sixth seed Hailey Bello to reach the finals, while Sizelove pinned #14 Kamryn Quinin the Semis, which put her ahead after their third match of the year, 2-1.
Jimenez began with the first takedown, a single that Sizelove put a good defense to, but not enough. Sizelove stood, escaped and while on their knees, she drove forward and got Jimenez’ ankle and scooted behind for a takedown just before the whistle. Jimenez chose neutral, trailing 4-3. While sprawling, after defending a shot, Sizelove bull-rushed Jimenez and forced her to her back, getting the pin slap at 3:35 for the title.
114 lbs.
The premier wrestler in the State at 114 lbs., the #1 ranked Riley Rayome, continues to be the weekly story at this weight class. With four other ranked wrestlers in this tournament, the story is still about who will make it to the finals, and who will finish third. Rayome pinned #8 ranked Mariangel Miranda of Katy Paetow in the 1/4s (1:24), Then had a Tech Fall against #6 ranked Alia Baker of Klein Cain in the Semis, and pinned #11 ranked Alexie Hurtado of Cy Park in the Finals (1:33). Rayome extended her record to 40-0.
At the whistle Rayome came in and shot a high, right leg single, lifted it up and came down on top for the takedown. After a restart, Rayome cut Hurtado loose and shot a high crotch dump, ending up on top with Hurtado’s head and arm. The pin was called at 1:33.
120 lbs.
Just as impressive as Rayome’s tournament, #2 Chamille Bryson (29-2) of Cypress Creek tore through her bracket with three first period pins, beating #14 Layla Castro of Conroe Caney Creek and #20 Annalie Mejia of Klein Collins. The combined total of her three pins was only 1:53. She ended her final with a takedown similar to Rayome’s high crotch/dump. Then scooted Mejia back onto the mat, where she turned her over and got the pin back on the edge of the mat.
