Championship showing: Bel Air girls wrestling team finds success at Bowie Invite

The annual Bowie Wrestling Invitational typically showcases some of the best wrestlers in El Paso and indicates how good the wrestlers will compete in the postseason.

For the Bel Air girls, the two-day event, which is in its 45th year, was confirmation this year's team is really good.

Bel Air finished third in the tourney with 183 points, finishing behind Class 6A powers Franklin and Eastwood. Eastwood was co-champions in all of 6A last year.

The Highlanders scored first-place showings from 107-pounder Nahim Arenas, 152-pounder Cydney Davis and 185-pounder Karmelyn Olivas and a second-place performance from 120-pounder Julianne Marquez.

"We're more experienced from last year and that's helped myself and the team," Davis said. "We feel we can have a strong offseason."

Added Arenas: "We've gone out of town and competed against good teams and we've done well against the strong teams in El Paso. We just have to keep moving forward and we want to be at our best when it matters."

State champs fare well

Americas' Erica Cobos, who won last year's 235-pound state title took first in Saturday's finals, defeating Alina Fragoso of Eastwood. Cobos has lost once this season.

"I'm focused on getting back to state and I really want to win another state title," Cobos said. "I lost my first match of the year last week and I got right back to work to get better."

Franklin's Jubilee Rendon, who won last year's Class 6A title at 100 pounds, is 42-0, after defeating Eastwood's Lupita Moreno by fall.

"I feel more confident this year, I don't have any doubts about where I am and I am excited to get back to state and challenge for another state title," Rendon said.

The Eastwood girls had success as well with three individual champions, including Paulina Butler at 138 pounds,

Boys standouts

Deming from New Mexico took first with 212 points, followed by Pebble Hills with 203 points and Americas with 148.5 points.

Juan Hernandez of Pebble Hills took first at 132 pounds, Diego Ramirez was first at 144 pounds for the Spartans, Jose Olazaba of Pebble Hills was first at 150 pounds and Dorian Jaramillo of Pebble Hills took first place honors at 190 pounds.

Americas' Stephen Gutierrez had a strong tourney for Americas and took first at 215 pounds.

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Felix F. Chavez can be reached at fchavez@elpasotimes.com; @Fchavezptimes on X (Formerly Twitter)

Girls Results

100 pounds: Jubilee Rendon, Franklin (1st); Lupita Moreno, Eastwood (2nd)

107 pounds: Nahim Arenas, Bel Air (1st); Margarita Norez, Montwood (2nd)

114 pounds: Amanda Burchard, Coronado (1st)); Edith Buendia, Eastlake (2nd)

120 pounds: Alexandra Beltran, Eastwood (1st); Julianne Marquez, Bel Air (2nd)

126 pounds: Gloria Vasquez, Burges (1st); Reily Trujillo, Eastlake (2nd)

132 pounds: Daniela Hernandez, Eastwood (1st); Joy Jackson, Burges (2nd)

138 pounds: Paulina Butler, Eastwood (1st); Laura Almanza, Deming (2nd)

145 pounds: Joy Ortiz, Chapin (1st); Jayada Ramos, Franklin (2nd)

165 pounds: Mia Perez, Del Valle (1st); Isabella Moreno, Eastwood (2nd)

185 pounds: Karmelyn Olivas, Bel Air (1st); Bethany Sanchez, Organ Mountain (2nd)

235 pounds: Erica Cobos, Americas (1st); Alina Fragoso, Eastwood (2nd)

Boys Results

106 pounds: Vito Franco, Deming (1st); Mateo Barron, Del Valle (2nd)

113 pounds: Alexander Tapia, Franklin (1st); Jonas Castillo, Del Valle (2nd)

120 pounds: Erik Bencomo, Deming (1st); Jeremiah Brooke, Chapin (2nd)

126 pounds: Braulio Estrada, Franklin (1st); Leonidas Fernandez, Americas (2nd)

132 pounds: Juan Hernandez, Pebble Hills (1st); Dimas Sosa, Franklin (2nd)

138 pounds: Kaleb Mendoza, Deming (1st) Whitney Gibson, Centennial (2nd)

144 pounds: Diego Ramirez, Pebble Hills (1st); Sebastian Nunez, Hanks (2nd)

150 pounds: Jose Olazaba, Pebble Hills (1st); Gilbert Gonzalez, Montwood (2nd)

157 pounds: Gavin Ramos, Montwood (1st); Isiah Sanchez, Santa Teresa (2nd)

165 pounds: Alius Soto, Gadsden (1st); Ray Rodriguez, Bel Air (2nd)

175 pounds: Bryant Jones, Andress (1st); Jaden Gomez, Parkland (2nd)

190 pounds: Dorian Jaramillo, Pebble Hills (1st); Malaki Torres, Bel Air (2nd)

215 pounds: Stephen Gutierrez, Americas (1st); Joshua Rodriguez, Horizon (2nd)

285 pounds: Isaac Ledesma, Deming (1st); Dominic Eloreaga, Pebble Hills (2nd)

152 pounds: Cydney Davis, Bel Air (1st); Anapaula Lopez, Coronado (2nd)

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Bel Air High School girls wrestling team finds success at Bowie Invite