The Mitchell Marauder girls wrestlers (pictured left to right), Harmony Navarette-Williams, Jayden McCullar, Erica Banks, and Peyton Ollinger. 

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The Mitchell Middle School wrestling team includes several standout girl wrestlers, and over the course of the 2023-2024 season the Marauder girls continued to prove their mettle posting impressive wins at dual matches and several area tournaments. Since December, the girls have competed alongside their boy teammates and opponents at area tournaments in Sacramento, Rocklin, Fair Oaks, and Roseville. On February 17 they competed at the CIF Norcal Regional Championship Tournament Girls Division in Folsom, California. The girls wrestling squad includes Harmony-Navarette-Williams (98), Erica Banks (105), Aspen Barcelo (108), Alivia Dennis (116), Peyton Ollinger (122), and Jayden McCullar (135). 

Ollinger, Banks, Navarette-Williams and McCullar lead the team with consistent performances and results demonstrating their grasp on the fundamentals and advanced techniques including takedowns, breakdowns, and pinning combinations. Starting in November, the lady grapplers worked hard to improve and take on the challenges of increased competition with every passing week learning over 70 moves and combinations of moves throughout the season.

Harmony Navarette-Williams pins her opponent during a dual match against Sutter Middle School.

Peyton Ollinger (122) has wrestled for two seasons and placed in the top three at every tournament she’s competed in this season. Notably, Ollinger competed in the boys division at most tournaments with top two finishes at five tournaments. Most recently, Olinger finished second at the Norcal Regional Championship Tournament. Ollinger’s record in regular season dual matches was 4-1, with an overall season record of 17-8.

Erica Banks (105) is in her second season of wrestling and after a successful first year has continued her winning ways with top-three finishes at three tournaments this season and most recently winning first place at the Norcal Regional Championship Tournament. Bank’s record in regular dual matches was 5-1 and 14-9 overall.

Erica Banks prepares to pin her opponent during the regular season dual match.

Jayden McCullar (135) is wrestling for the first time this season and has excelled in understanding the fundamentals with a powerful and aggressive style of wrestling leading her to post impressive wins over more experienced opponents. McCullar won top-three finishes at four tournaments and recently won second place at the Norcal Regional Championship Tournament. McCullar’s dual record this season was 3-1 and 11-6 overall. 

Another first-year wrestler, Harmony Navarette-Williams (98) showed she could be a fast learner as she improved week after week. Navarette-Williams won top three finishes at three tournaments this season and recently won first place at the Norcal Regional Championship Tournament. Navarette-William’s dual record this season was 3-1 and 10-8 overall.

Pictured left to right, top row, Coach Zilles, Mario Covarubius, Hayden Barton, Aiden Senner, Jonathon Orozco, Zander Tran. Bottom row: Peyton Ollinger, Harmony Navarette-Williams, Jayden McCullar, and Erica Banks.

A total of eight wrestlers from Mitchell competed at the 2024 Norcal Regional Championship Tournament which also included Zander Tran (122), Aiden Senner (103), Mario Covarubius (142), and Jonathon Orozco (153). The Regional Tournament is a Norcal Tournament of Champions (TOC) qualifying event, and 8th-grader Zander Tran (122) finished third in the boys division. Only the top four finishers qualify for the TOC event. Tran wrestled tough with patient, deliberate and calculated wrestling strategies after only losing his first match to finish with a tournament record 4-1. This is the second year Tran qualified for the TOC event.    

Peyton Ollinger squares off against her opponent during a January match.

Next up for the Marauders is the California Middle School Girls State Championship in Ukiah, California, on March 30, 2024; and the Norcal Tournament of Champions for boys March 2, 2024, in Loomis, California.

GO BIG BLUE!!