Enochs High’s Jones is The Bee’s top female wrestler

Sariyah Jones, without much warning, found herself on her back at the CIF State Girls Wrestling Championships.

This wasn’t just unusual. It was unprecedented for the unbeaten Enochs High School junior. Not only had the 106-pounder not lost in her previous 30 matches, she never had been taken down. Until now.

Here she was, a favorite in her weight class – a heralded member of the U.S. National Jr. team – and she trailed Granite Hills sophomore Brittany Wynn 5-2 in the second round of her opening match. Her weekend at Visalia appeared to be knocked sideways just as it started.

Jones responded by, well, being Sariyah Jones.

“She threw me to my back, but I wasn’t really worried,” she said. “I knew I wasn’t going to get pinned. I’m calm when I wrestle. I knew I had another period left.”

Jones recovered, built a 9-5 lead and pinned her opponent with 25 seconds left. But think about it: Had Jones lost, she wouldn’t have won her state title and her team wouldn’t have clinched its historic state title. Enochs would have been a footnote rather than a surprising champion.

Clearly, Jones is one cool operator on the mat. She gained strength from her bit of drama, winning by fall, by 10-2 decision and – in the final – controlling from the start to defeat Aleeah Gould of Canyon of Anaheim 5-1.

“It was a wake-up call,” Jones said. “I was a little weak. I had a chance to eat that night. I told myself I wouldn’t get taken down again.”

She wasn’t. She completed her 34-0 season, reason enough why she’s The Bee’s choice as its first girls Stanislaus District Wrestler of the Year.

Jones celebrated her state title by allowing a trip to Denny’s for her favorite meal – chicken strips and fries – but she’s already accelerating toward other goals. She competes this weekend in USA Wrestling’s Folkstyle Nationals in Oklahoma City. Summer will bring a tryout for what she hopes is her third straight year on the national team as she continues toward her major goal – the 2020 Olympics.

“I had a couple of days to splurge,” she said. “It’s back to work now.”

Jones, fourth at state as a freshman, passed up the postseason last year and journeyed to Sweden for international competition and training. She doesn’t regret the decision, but she wasted no time a year later. Before the season even started, she said she would aim for a state title.

As it turned out, it was the right choice. In fact, Jones will seek back-to-back titles as a senior.

“I’m 99.99 percent sure I’ll try for state as a senior,” Jones said. “After winning as a team, I think we have to come back next year.”

Jones likes the challenge. She used to be intimidated when she competed for the national team, but experience has weaned her off that anxiety. At the high school level, she accepts the fact that opponents target her for a breakthrough victory.

“They come after me at Masters and at state,” she said. “I’m improving mentally and physically. I wasn’t confident before. Now I think about only good things.”

This story was originally published March 27, 2015 at 11:40 PM with the headline "Enochs High’s Jones is The Bee’s top female wrestler."