The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Former Jackrabbits Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
Selieni Paseka didn’t begin her high school career on the wrestling mat. When Long Beach Poly coach Ken Lee first asked her about joining the team as a freshman, she wasn’t interested.
A year later, everything changed.
Paseka returned as a sophomore ready to commit and what followed was one of the most rapid rises in recent program history. She became a CIF placer in her first season, then steadily climbed the ranks each year, ultimately finishing her career as the school’s first girls state placer, a Moore League champion and a three-time All-American across three different national tournaments.
“Selieni is one of those athletes coaches dream about,” Lee said. “She was a quiet, hard worker in the room and a true leader on and off the mat. She never gave excuses and always pushed herself to improve.”
Her development was fueled by an environment that demanded growth. Paseka credited the program’s intensity and her early training partners for accelerating her progress.
“It was definitely the trainings that pushed me to progress so fast,” Paseka said. “Coach Ken’s practices push every individual beyond their limits, which makes our performances at tournaments or duals over the top.”
She also pointed to her first drilling partner, former Jackrabbit Raven Ross, as a key influence in building her foundation. Combined with extra training opportunities arranged by Lee and assistant coaches, Paseka quickly adapted to the sport’s physical and mental demands.
That mental growth was tested most during her senior season at the CIF Masters Meet. Entering as the No. 1 seed, Paseka felt the weight of expectations and nearly saw her season unravel.
“It put so much pressure onto myself that ultimately I sabotaged my own match because of my own mental,” she said. “I nearly lost cons-semi blood rounds … but I finally snapped out of it and was able to pin my opponent while down 0-7, with only 10 seconds left.”
The comeback became a turning point.
“From then on, I learned not to get into my head and just wrestle,” she said.
That mindset carried into national competition, where Paseka faced some of the top wrestlers in the country. Instead of being intimidated, she leaned into confidence.
“The main approach to wrestling is definitely confidence,” she said. “I ignored any accomplishments or titles my opponents had. I was able to beat multiple state champions and ended with fifth place.”
Lee said that willingness to embrace challenges defined her career.
“She told me at the beginning of her senior year she was going to be a CIF champion and a state placer,” he said. “She went above and beyond all expectations.”
Beyond competition, Paseka embodied the school’s motto of “Home of Scholars and Champions.” A member of Poly’s PACE program, she balanced academic rigor with elite athletic performance, helping set a new standard for the girls wrestling program.
Her high school career concluded on a fitting stage, representing the Poly girls’ wrestling team at an Angels game on April 20th where the team was honored as a CIF-Southern Section All-Academic winner.
Paseka will attend Seattle University, where she plans to study criminology. Without a collegiate wrestling program, her competitive future is uncertain, but her connection to the sport remains strong.
“One of my dreams is possibly becoming a wrestling coach or even starting a wrestling club in Seattle,” Paseka said. “I would love to continue growing wrestling, especially for women.”
For Lee and the Poly program, Paseka’s impact will endure.
“She is someone I will truly miss in the room,” Lee said. “But the legacy she left behind is something all future Jackrabbits can look up to and work toward.”
