Benicia High senior Ricki Liang wrestled her way to a state championship at last Saturday’s CIF State Girls Wrestling Championships at the Visalia Convention Center.

Liang became the first Benicia wrestler ever to win a state championship and is Benicia’s first state champion in any sport since Amber Purvis won the girls long jump title in 2006.

Liang, who finished second at last year’s CIF State meet, beat Daishea Jaime of San Dimas, 2-0, in the 121-pound title match. The senior pinned Hayley Aguilar of James Logan in the semifinals to reach the finals.

Benicia sophomore Shelly Avelino took fifth place at 131 pounds. St. Patrick-St. Vincent High wrestler Caitlyn Macanas took fifth in the 111-pound division.

In boys wrestling, Benicia High had five grapplers qualify for CIF State after finishing fourth or better at last weekend’s Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Meet in Stockton.

Senior Christian Ramos took second place at 106 pounds after losing to Vacaville’s Jordan Aquino, 4-2, in the finals. Fellow senior Joseph Hurst also took second place at 160 pounds, going unbeaten until losing to Folsom’s Lorenzo De La Riva in the finals. De La Riva is ranked No. 2 in the state and No. 1 in the Section.

Mason Boutain (138) took second place after losing 6-0 to Kent McCoy of Enochs, the top-ranked wrestler in the Section and state. Lysander Mahilum (113) took fourth place and teammate Fernando Lanza (132) finished fifth.

All five Panther wrestlers advance to the CIF State meet beginning this Friday at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.

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