Live Oak's Moriah Fernandez wins girls state wrestling title
Feb 5, 2008 - Staff Reports
For her class and gender, Moriah Fernandez left no doubt who the best female wrestler state is.
The Live Oak senior took first place in the 138-pound weight class at last weekend's Girls State Wrestling Championships at Hanford West High School.
Fernandez dominated her division, pinning each of her four opponents in the opening period. She drew a forfeit through the first round, then pinned Destiny Rivero of South Hills in 45 seconds; Terry Cecchine of Ramona-Riverside in 55 seconds and Savannah Barrett of Martin Luther King-Riverside in 72 seconds.
Fernandez, who drew a No. 2 seed, kept stride through the finals with a pin against Paradise's Holly Thien in the first minute.
"I was impressed - super impressed - with how she did," said Live Oak coach Robert Fernandez. "She wrestled tough; she wrestled smart and she did what we told her do, which basically was don't make any mistakes.
"There was no way she was going to lose this tournament."
Fernandez faced Thien in a rematch of last week's CIF Championships, a match Fernandez also won. She took Thien down in the first 10 seconds at state before forcing her back to the mat 25 seconds later.
"Holly's coaches were wondering how she could beat Moriah this time, and I thought to myself, 'The only way she's going to beat Moriah is if she changes weight classes,'" Fernandez said. "(Moriah) was so focused for this since day one, and she trained so hard this year - it was her's to lose."
Fernandez placed third at state a year ago and fourth in 2006. She entered this season hoping to make her first state finals appearance.
"My goal this year was to be in the finals at every tournament I went to and win the Asics Napa Tournament, CIF Nor-Cal and the girls state title, and I did it," she said. "All of the hard work and training that goes into wrestling can be tough, but I have had a lot of fun, too."
Fernandez is back with the boys this week, preparing for the Blossom Valley Athletic League finals on Feb. 16. She plans to wrestle at 127 pounds.
"Hopefully, I can place high at league and go to CCS," she said. "I have not thought too much about nationals yet but will have to soon.
"I really want our team to do well at league."
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