Local Digest: Enochs’ Jones wins national freestyle wrestling title

Sariyah Jones is winding down a busy summer in Colorado Springs as she closes her training with Team USA Wrestling.

She will begin her senior year at Enochs High next week and, in about seven months, will pursue her second consecutive state wrestling title. Her recent pace suggests an elite athlete who’s not standing pat.

The Eagles star won all four matches en route to the 105-pound title at the ASICS Junior National Freestyle Championships last month at Fargo, N.D. In the finals, she defeated a familiar rival and 2015 Pan American Games bronze medalist and Canyon High (Anaheim) senior Aleeah Gould. They also met in the state finals, won by Jones, 5-1.

“The competition is tougher at the nationals,” Jones said. “California and Texas is big in wrestling. But at Fargo, it’s everybody.”

Before Jones left Fargo, she also led Team California to the National Team Duals Championship. California rolled to the finals and eventually defeated New York 43-11. Jones was the only Stanislaus District wrestler on the state team.

Bispo at nationals – Former Texas swimming All-American and Downey graduate Karlee Bispo will take part in the USA National Championships this week in San Antonio. Bispo is scheduled to compete in the 200 individual medley, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, and the 50 and 100 free. She’s preparing for the 2016 Olympic Trials.

Another win for Ebster – Gregori junior Chris Ebster continued his good form this week by winning the boys overall title of the Turlock Junior at Turlock Country Club. Ebster shot 72-70 – 142, three shots better than the field, and won a $500 gift certificate for the TCC pro shop. He also won the Maroney Junior Memorial at Dryden Park and Creekside (70-67 – 137) and the Oakdale Rotary Junior (68). Ryan Meyer of Oakdale captured the boys 12-13 flight and Clark Van Gaalen of Turlock won the boys 7-9 division.

The overall girls champion was Liu Yang of China (76-75 – 151). Turlock’s Bergen Benedict tied for third and Sarah Garcia of Turlock placed fifth. The Turlock Junior, which dates to the 1950s, welcomed a field of 138, its largest in at least 10 years.

Roadrunner champion – Ayden Powers of the Central Valley Roadrunners took home the 9-10 boys title in the triathlon last week at the Junior Olympics at Jacksonville, Fla. Powers scored 751 points, which broke the Pacific Association record. He’s the first Junior Olympics champion from Modesto since Nicole Warwick won twice in 2010. Powers also concluded his busy meet with a seventh-place finish in the high jump.

Other Roadrunner results: Mikayla Bryant 24th in the 13-14 3,000-meter race walk; Alexus Surnip 24th in the 13-14 long jump; Naomi Campbell 43rd in the 13-14 long jump; McKinley King 39th in the 11-12 discus and 47th in the shot put; Dexter Williams 43rd in the 13-14 400; Meikayla Surnip 32nd in the 11-12 turbo javelin, 38th in the 80 hurdles and 38th in the long jump.

This story was originally published August 6, 2015 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Local Digest: Enochs’ Jones wins national freestyle wrestling title."