Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls wrestling: Kailani Barrientos leaves a legacy at Oakleaf

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Kailani Barrientos usually watched her older brother try different sports and followed in his footsteps.

He tried a sport and then Kailani gave it a shot, too. It was almost like a sibling tradition. So when Keon, two years older than his sister, gave wrestling a shot, it was only a matter of time before Kailani tried it.

“So, I got involved because I was watching my brother do wrestling because he started first,” Barrientos said.

“And then my mom was like, ‘oh, you should try it out, too.’ And I usually try out the same sports as my brother. So, I was like, okay, why not? And then after the first practice, I just fell in love with the sport.”

Barrientos, the Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls wrestler of the year, made the right decision. Just over four years after she first tried wrestling, Kailani has carved a legacy all her own at Oakleaf.

She followed in the footsteps of her brother, Keon, a three-time state wrestling qualifier, not only picking up the sport but excelling in it. Barrientos ended her career with a 22-1 record and first state wrestling championship in Oakleaf history.

Barrientos had three pins in the state tournament, and capped her sterling final season with an 8-2 decision win in the final. Barrientos’ only loss came in the third round of the Knockout Girls Christmas Classic last December.

“I was just shocked. I was just surprised that this didn’t feel real because I’ve been wanting it to be in the state finals and win states since freshman [year],” she said.

Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls wrestlers of the year

“Because my coaches said that I could be there and I could win state as a freshman, but I guess I wasn’t in the right mindset then. But now, it’s just so odd to me that I can’t believe this happened.”

Girls wrestling is still in its early stages. The sport wasn’t officially sanctioned and given its own standalone tournament until 2022. But not all schools have been able to field their own full girls programs yet.

That meant Barrientos got her start competing against boys since there were programs that didn’t have female wrestlers. Now, she’s left her own legacy at Oakleaf for future female wrestlers to look up to.

“I’m glad that this sport has grown a lot. And I’m glad I get to wrestle girls instead of guys my whole year. I’m just like glad that it grew,” she said.

Varsity 4 All-News4JAX wrestling team

First team

Weight, Name, School, Class

100: Lily Bradshaw, Middleburg, Sr.

34-10, Region 1 qualifier (reached blood round), District 3 champion

105: Sophia Wojnar, Bartram Trail, Fr.

39-10, Eighth in state, third in Region 1, District 3 champion

110: Memphis Moses, Middleburg, Sr.

32-13, Sixth in state, third in Region 1, District 3 champion

115: Fallon Dames, Middleburg, Fr.

44-7, Third in state, Region 1 champion, District 3 champion

120: Anjana Sermadevi, Fernandina Beach, Jr.

17-7, Region 1 qualifier (reached blood round), District 2 champion

125: Leilah Carter, Fleming Island, Sr.

21-7, State qualifier, third in Region 1, District 3 champion

130: Aidan Arthur, Fletcher, Sr.

26-10, State qualifier, third in Region 1, District 2 runner-up

135: Kailani Barrientos, Oakleaf, Sr.

22-1, State champion, Region 1 champion, District 3 champions

140: Anslee Crawford, Tocoi Creek, So.

26-11, State qualifier, fourth in Region 1, District 3 champion

145: Alisha Vilar, Flagler Palm Coast, Jr.

28-5, Third in state, third in Region 1, District 4 champion

155: Lilian Ison, First Coast, So.

30-3, Region 1 qualifier (reached blood round), District 2 champion

170: Alexa Calidonio, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.

25-4, State runner-up, Region 1 champion, District 4 champion

190: Khyra Lewis, Westside, So.

19-6, State qualifier, third in Region 1, District 2 runner-up

235: Hanalee Corbin, Suwannee, Fr.

UNK, State qualifier, second in Region 1, District 2 champion

Second team

Weight, Name, School, Class

100: Leialoha Lopez, Bartram Trail, Sr.

27-11, Region 1 qualifier, District 3 runner-up

105: Joslyn Johnson, Flagler Palm Coast, Sr.

23-5, State qualifier, third in Region 1, District 3 champion

110: Juliana Mills, Flagler Palm Coast, So.

22-10, State qualifier, Region 1 runner-up, District 4 champion

115: Hannah Deruiter, St. Augustine, So.

27-8, Region 1 qualifier, District 3 runner-up

120: Annyka Watt, Ponte Vedra, So.

24-8, Region 1 qualifier (reached blood round), District 3 runner-up

125: R’Cardenay Michel, Matanzas, Sr.

34-8, State qualifier, fourth in Region 1, District 4 runner-up

130: Isabel Flowers, Sandalwood, Jr.

27-9, State qualifier, fourth in Region 1, District 2 champion

135: Sarah Walsh, Middleburg, Sr.

35-8, Third in state, Region 1 runner-up, District 3 runner-up

140: Bella Guerrier-Lajoir, Columbia, Sr.

31-2, Region 1 qualifier (reached blood round), District 2 champion

145: Taylor Pelchat, St. Augustine, Sr.

38-3, State runner-up, Region 1 champion, District 3 champion

155: Isabelle Schneider, Beachside, Jr.

30-9, Region 1 qualifier, District 3 champion

170: Taniyah McKinstry, Ed White, So.

17-4, Region 1 qualifier, District 2 champion

190: Amariah Handy, Suwannee, Fr.

State qualifier, fourth in Region 1, third in District 2

235: Briana Durry, Matanzas, Jr.

14-6, State qualifier, third in Region 1, District 4 runner-up

Third team

Weight, Name, School, Class

100: Casen Gaskins, West Nassau, So.

23-10, Region 1 qualifier, District 2 champion

105: Abigail Ciarletto, Sandalwood, Jr.

24-9, Region 1 qualifier (reached blood round), District 2 champion

110: Lola Jones, Fletcher, So.

26-12, Region 1 qualifier, District 2 champion

115: Jaleah Terry, Westside, Sr.

16-6, Region 1 qualifier, District 2 champion

120: Kylie Rodriquez, Beachside, Sr.

27-11, Region 1 qualifier, third in District 3

125: Donavanne Hofmann, Ponte Vedra, Sr.

23-15, Region 1 qualifier (reached blood round), District 3 runner-up

130: Riley Toomey, Middleburg, Sr.

17-11, Region 1 qualifier (reached blood round), District 3 runner-up

135: Kylee Hopkins, Baker County, Sr.

25-8, Seventh in state, third in Region 1, District 2 runner-up

140: Jahzara Lightfoot, Riverside, So.

15-8, Region 1 qualifier, third in District 2

145: Zoe Goode, Oakleaf, So.

24-12, State qualifier, Region 1 runner-up, District 2 runner-up

155: Kayleene Felix, Oakleaf, So.

19-14, Region 1 qualifier, District 3 runner-up

170: Lamees Hudson, Oakleaf, So.

23-7, Region 1 qualifier, District 3 champion

190: Izabella Bentancourt, Bartram Trail, Sr.

33-9, Region 1 qualifier (reached blood round), District 3 champion

235: Kailey Baker, Middleburg, Jr.

13-7, State qualifier, fourth in Region 1, District 3 champion

Honorable mention

Bartram Trail: Vivian Williams (145, Jr.)

Beachside: Zoey Albers (105, Jr.); Gabriela Gill (130, Jr.)

Columbia: Leah Brown (190, Fr.)

Creekside: Violet Reach (190, So.)

Ed White: Lasharon Williams (140, Sr.)

First Coast: Marley Young (145, Jr.)

Fletcher: Nicole Anderson (125, Sr.); Ilah Washington (235, Sr.)

Matanzas: Jayme McDannell-Vale (100, Fr.); Susie Tuton (135, Fr.)

Middleburg: Toni Silcox (105, Jr.); Lorena Chaput (140, Sr.); Cyndi Almonte (145, So.)

Oakleaf: Sophia Walther (100, So.); Tatyana Centeno (140, So.)

Raines: Maryah Jones (125, Sr.)

Ridgeview: Shyann Schioppa (120, Fr.); Zoey Fowler (130, Sr.)

Riverside: Siniayra Thomas (145, Sr.); Paris Robinson (155, Jr.); Jade Savage (170, Sr.)

Sandalwood: Ainsley Ciarletto (110, Sr.); Nevaeh Baisden (125, Jr.); Sara Goodman (135, Sr.), Isabella Argueta (145, Sr.)

St. Augustine: Gwen Pelchat (110, Fr.)

Parker: Journi Huggans (110, Sr.)

Tocoi Creek: Makayla Cortez (235, Jr.)

Yulee: Journey Flannery (120, So.)