BAKERSFIELD — Aliah Bertalotto has gotten to know her way around inside Mechanics Bank Arena, watching siblings, cousins and uncles compete at the CIF State Wrestling Championships. She was grateful for qualifying for the prestigious tournament in 2024 and 2025, but entered her senior year still hopeful for a brand new experience at the famous venue — standing on a podium.
In her final event as a wrestler for Turlock High School, Bertalotto accomplished her goal, earning eighth place in the women’s 100 pound division.
“It really is an unreal feeling. I’ve worked my whole life for this,” Bertalotto said. “I get to be on the wall now.”
The wall Bertallotto refers to is inside the program’s wrestling room, tucked behind Bulldog Arena. Hanging are banners of all state champions, medalists, qualifiers, section champions, and commemorations of other accomplishments from grapplers over the decades. Not only will her name hang forever, but it will be alongside familiar faces.
The last Bulldog to place at the state tournament was older brother Jeremiah in 2024, who earned seventh at 138 pounds. That year, Jeremiah qualified alongside twin brother Isaiah. Look further up the banner and you’ll find the eldest Bertalotto, Isaac, who placed eighth at the 2013 tournament.
“This was my goal, and my family and coaches were there to encourage and support me over all these years,” Bertalotto said. “I’m really proud that I was able to get it done this year, and I’m proud that I was able to represent Turlock and the Bertalotto name.”
That Bertalotto name was in early headlines over the weekend, as she pulled off one of the bigger upsets of the tournament. Following a 9-2 decision victory against Live Oak’s Aaliyah Jurado in her first match in the Round of 32, the 50-seeded Bertalotto squared up with No. 2 Kayliegh Fernandez of Golden West.
The Bertalotto and Fernandez clash was tightly contested, with the Turlock wrestler grabbing a 1-0 lead late in the second period with an escape. Fernandez had an escape of her own to knot the match in the first 30 seconds of the final frame before Bertalotto took a 4-1 lead with a takedown with 16 seconds on the clock. Instead of waiting for the whistle, Bertalotto was able to work a pin with 12 seconds remaining.
“That was so exciting for everyone,” said Turlock head coach Ricky Gonzalez, who happens to be her uncle and a former state medalist himself. “She was excited, her teammates, us coaches and the support in the crowd. That was a great moment for her.”
Bertalotto would lose by fall in the quarterfinals, but bounced back with a second-period pin of Marina’s Abigail Marques to start the consolation bracket and secure her spot on the podium.
“I was so relieved right when I got her on her back. I was like, ‘Wow, I did it. Like, I'm gonna win. This is over. I did what I needed to do. I just achieved my goal.’ Everything hit right there. It was such a rush of emotions.”
She dropped her second consolation match by 6-2 decision and the seventh-place contest by fall.
“Going into that last match, I was still pretty excited from my others. At the same time, I was sad that regardless of what happened, this was my last match of my career,” Bertalotto said. “This is the sport I love and have dedicated so much of my life to.”
“To have another Bertalotto up there on that wall, that just adds to the family legacy and their commitment to this Turlock program and a testament to the strong tradition we have here,” Gonzalez said. “I was happy as both coach and as family. She’s my niece, and since I became the coach here two years ago, she is my first state placer. That’s special for me, personally. Just all around, it was such a special weekend. I couldn’t be happier for Aliah.”
