By Jondi Gumz
Danica Kelley, a senior at Scotts Valley High School who has been wrestling for seven years, capped her best season with a first-place finish in the California Interscholastic Federation State Wrestling Championships.
Kelley, who competes at 135 pounds, won all five matches in the tournament at Mechanics Bank Arena in Bakersfield.
Danica Kelley with her State Championship medal.
Winning the title “feels good,” she told Scotts Valley Times. “It’s a closing to a season and a completion of a circle. In some ways it doesn’t feel real.”
She is the second girl in Santa Cruz County to win a CIF State championship.
The first was Domino Parrish of Scotts Valley, who won state titles in 2014 and 2015 and won gold medals at the 2022 World Wrestling Championships and the 2022 Pan American Wrestling Championships.
Kelley is coached by Nick Reyes, a Scotts Valley alum who was on the wrestling team one year behind Parrish when she was state champion.
Asked who has helped you get where you are, Kelley said,“Too many people to count! My whole area has pitched in to this. And it feels more like a victory for the community. All my coaches, family, friends, and even some of the school staff have sacrificed for this.”
Kelley, who had won Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League and Central Coast Section titles, was seeded No. 2 in the state tournament.
On the first day, she defeated Kayla Ganac, the first female wrestler from Los Osos High to go to state, and Renice Gonzalez of Colony High, a returning state medalist — both pins.
On the second day, she got a 5-4 decision over Braya Cruz of Clovis North High, a junior who took first in the Masters Championship in Kern County.
Then on the third day, she faced Maci Stemmons of Monte Vista High, the North Coast Section champion, who is committed to attend Menlo College.
Kelley thought she had a pin, but her opponent got back on her feet and when her coaches challenged the referee ruling, it was overturned. Instead of a pin, Kelley got four points for a nearfall, boosting her score to 6-0 in the first period. In the second period, she kept her composure to get a pin.
In her final match, Kelley faced No. 4 seed Alex Maday of Whitney High, whose aggressive moves gave her a 5-0 lead. Again, Kelley kept her composure and got a pin in 1:43.
For Reyes, it was a moment he’ll never forget, watching Kelley, who was on her back, to flip Maday and earn the pin.
Maday was unconscious after the match ended but she got medical attention and stood up to congratulate Kelley.
What’s the secret to Kelley’s success?
She wrestles year-round.
She doesn’t take time off.
She spent time scouting and watching Maday’s videos from this season and got coaching from Reyes on what to do.
For a girl who’s devoted seven years of her life to her sport, this is the pinnacle.
What got Kelley interested in wrestling?
She explained, “Some of my family had wrestled in school and I had done jiujitsu. I heard an announcement on the loudspeakers one morning in middle school and decided on the spot that I wanted to try it. Seven years later and I do not regret that impulsive decision.”
What’s next? Kelley will compete in the California USA Wrestling Championships in Fresno May 31-June 2.
She hasn’t yet decided which college to attend, but she definitely wants to wrestle.
She has been communicating with college coaches and is open to talking with more.
Watch out NCAA: Danica Kelley is excited to open up a new chapter of her life.
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Citiali Lopez • Photo courtesy of Nick Reye
Three girls wrestling for Scotts Valley High School earned Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League championships this season.
- Danica Kelley, a senior at 135.
- Kayse Martinovsky, a senior at 140.
- Citiali Lopez, a sophomore at 119.
As a team, the Scotts Valley girls placed third with a score of 52, behind league champion Santa Cruz with 66 and Aptos with 58.
Danica, Kayce and Citiali all earned the right to compete in the Central Coast Section Southern Regionals, a 45-team competition in Watsonville, along with nine other wrestlers from around the county.
Danica took first, with four pins. In the final, she pinned senior Joselin Hernandez of Alisal in 2:59.
Martinovsky was pinned by Monterey junior Ella Myers in 56 seconds in the final. Martinovsky finished in second, going 3-1 with two pins. This is a season where she had to rehab after a knee injury last season.
Kayse Martinovsky • Photo courtesy of Nick Reye
Citiali finished in 10th.
Alisal finished in first with 280 points. Gilroy took second with 255.5, and Monterey was third with 223 was third.
Scotts Valley, with 75 points, was the top team from Santa Cruz County for ninth place.
Watsonville, 51 points, was 16th, Aptos, 46 points was 19th, Santa Cruz, 42 points, was 20th, Harbor, 29 points, was 24th, and Soquel, 25 points, was 25th.
State Championship
Danica and Kayce earned the right to wrestle in the CIF State Championship in Bakersfield.
Danica Kelley, the No. 2 seed, got two pins in her first matches, defeating Kayla Ganac of Los Osos in 3:24 and Renice Gonzalez of Colony in 6:00.
In the quarterfinals, Danica won a 5-4 decision over Braya Cruz of Clovis North.
Her next match came against Maci Stemmons, the No. 3 seed. See story, page 1.
Kayse got a bye, then lost two decisions, 6-5 to Lucia Ledezma of Granite Hills and 12-4 to Dora Assis of Newport Harbor.
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Cover Photo: Danica Kelley in the SCCAL tournament • Photo courtesy of Nick Reyes