Aragon’s very own senior Angela Bonanni recently wrestled her way to California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) girls division tournament after repeating as the Central Coast Section (CCS) girls wrestling champion for the second consecutive year on Feb. 20.
Bonanni entered the CCS tournament as the defending champion and the no. 1 seed. After winning the CCS girls bracket, Bonanni was selected among with the top three seeded wrestlers to proceed to CIF.
Amongst the top wrestlers from each division competing at states, the top six wrestlers in CIF were named medalists. Wrestlers at CIF also had a chance to proceed to the nationals to be held at Fargo, North Dakota.
At CIF, Bonanni lost her first match in the double-elimination champion bracket, thus dropping down to the consolation bracket, where she was able to move on to the second round. In the second round of the consolation bracket, Bonanni lost her second match in states, finishing her CIF performance with a 1-2 record.
After joining Aragon’s girls wrestling team just last year and becoming captain of her team, this year is Bonanni’s second consecutive year of winning the CCS girls division title. “A lot of hard work, pain, and dedication went into this, especially being so new to the sport,” Bonanni recounts. “I honestly have no clue why I joined wrestling. I just like ended up joining and being really good at it, and thought, ‘might as well keep on doing it.’ What motivates me is that feeling when the ref pulls up your arm. You’re breathing so heavily from this match that you just did and all of a sudden they lift up your arm and you just think, ‘I won this, I did this all by myself.’ It’s an amazing feeling.”
This year, she has cited feeling more aggressive and confident compared to last year when she was more wary and slow to make the first move.
Bonanni was one of two wrestlers in the 235-pound class as she faced off against Terra Nova’s Sarah Braun in the only match of the bracket. Bonanni was able to clinch the 235-pound title 5-4 in four overtimes, going to work early with a late first-round pin in order to defend her CCS title.
“The whole time I looked at my coach and he was just like ‘stand up!’ And then as soon as I was able to stand up and I didn’t feel her weight on me, I knew I had won. It was just a great feeling,” says Bonanni.
Bonanni’s coach Carlo Altamirano describes her as a natural wrestler, “wrestling a very disciplined and exciting match to capture her second CCS title.”
Teammate junior Hina-O-Holeva S. Filimoehala-Egan describes Bonanni as an excellent athlete. “She works hard everyday and gives her absolute all with anything. She has always been a kind-hearted and generous person but when it comes to competition, she’s got it. She has always taught me to keep my head up and work harder than the day before because nothing is impossible. Overall, she deserved the first place title at CCS and for her to get to state for a second year that’s phenomenal.”
