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Dayton takes first step toward district title
Published: February 1, 2005
By the News-Register staff
DAYTON — The Dayton Pirates took first place in the six-team District 1 wrestling tournament in Dayton on Saturday, outscoring second-place Willamina by a score of 191-111. Clatskanie (89.5) was third, followed by Warrenton (83.5), Amity (78) and Corbett (11). The tournament was the first of two district seeding tournaments that each team competes in.
Dayton's Summer Mercier, one of the top female wrestlers in the state, pinned Clatskanie's Isaac Jepson to win the 103-pound title. Jepson entered the match with a record of 24-3.
"He tried to throw her and she rolled him up for the pin," said Amity coach Paul Sweigert. "Everybody kind of went nuts when she did that.
"She's an awfully good wrestler. I think she has a good shot at getting to state."
The Pirates' Jesse Marines pinned former Willamina Bulldog Kevin Morse, now with Warrenton, in the 112-pound finals and Amity's Josh Brown pinned Clatskanie's Ray Morris in the 119-pound finals.
"Josh wrestled tough," Sweigert said. "He's been struggling with pinning people, but he pinned the kid from Clatskanie in the finals. That was good to see."
Willamina's Jared Staben got past Dayton's Zach Wegner to win the 125-pound title and the Warriors' Nate Marquez and Alex Tombleson won at 130 and 135 respectively, although they didn't have to wrestle a match. The two did meet in a practice match, with Marquez getting the best of his Amity teammate.
The Pirates displayed their strength in the middle weights, with three-time defending state champion Barry Johnson winning at 140 by technical fall, Chad Hanke getting the best of Warrenton's Billy Pike by a score of 4-2 to win at 145 and state champion TJ Johnson winning at 152 by pin.
"Billy Pike is a tough wrestler," Sweigert said. "That was one heck of a match."
Amity's Jeff Whitman defeated Dayton's Jose Cisneros to win the 160-pound title, but Sweigert said it was a real battle.
"That was a tough match," Sweigert said. "It went right down to the third round. Cisneros wrestled Jeff tougher than any other time they've wrestled. It will be a real battle at districts."
Willamina's Denny Derum defeated Dayton's Tyler Wilson to win at 171 and the Pirates' Derek Palmer outlasted the Bulldogs' Brody Collins 7-2 to win the 189-pound title.
Clatskanie's Ian Rice won at 215 and Willamina's Travis Schloeder got past the Pirates' Casey Ranger to win the heavyweight title.
"Our seniors stepped up, with Jared, Denny and Travis taking first" said Willamina coach Ariah Fasana. "Brody also looked good, but lost a close one in the finals."
All the teams from the district will compete at Neah-Kah-Nie on Saturday and the coaches will determine the seedings for the district tournament on Sunday morning.
Sheridan wrestlers do well at Nestucca seeding tournament
CLOVERDALE — The Sheridan Spartans competed against five other teams from District 1 in the other district seeding tournament at Nestucca and fared extremely well, with nine wrestlers placing in the top four.
Alan Dickey came through with a big win at 135 pounds and is a definite contender for the state title.
Dustin Milsap took second at 140, as did Brett Mode (171), Jordan Branson (215) and Kevin McMahon (275).
Third-place finishers for the Spartans were Adam Jordan (145) and Brian Fuller (160), while Ryan Swift (135) and Nathan Arneson (152) each netted fourth-place finishes.
Josh Gensaw, Zack Milsap, Angela Spencer and Charles Neujahr also competed for Sheridan.
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Gold medal wrestler helps pump up interest in sport
BY SCOTT HUNTER HADDOW
scott@northernlife.ca 2/1/05
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For wrestler Alyssa Unwin, a step up in a weight category hasn’t meant a step back in her performance.
Unwin, along with 11 other wrestlers from Chelmsford Valley District Composite School, are headed to the Cadet Juvenile Ontario Provincial Championships at Guelph University this weekend.
Unwin won a gold medal last year at the same event in the 44-kilogram class, but she has stepped up to the 48-kilogram division this year, and she loves the tough challenge.
“I grew a little bit,” Unwin joked. “It’s a bigger challenge because the girls are stronger and there’s more of them. Last year, in the 44-kilogram, there were only four other wrestlers. In the 48-kilogram, there are probably 12 to 15 wrestlers. It’s a transition for sure.”
Unwin has used her trademark grit, supreme skill and determination to make her mark in the 48-kilogram class.
She has already won first place at two tournaments this school year, and placed second at a third event.
At provincials this year, Unwin has plenty of motivation to grasp the gold.
“This year’s provincials is also the (2005) Canada Summer Games trials, so if I win this, I get to go to the Canada Games,” said Unwin. “I think my chances are very good. I have had to change my style, but I am sure I can win. Last year, I was the strongest in my weight class, so I could muscle a few moves. Now, I am not the strongest, so I have adapted, and it has worked. It will take a lot of smart wrestling. I will stick to the basics and not get fancy because that’s how you get beat.”
The move to a higher weight class will also benefit Unwin’s future plans.
“It has been a great help,” said Unwin. “When I go to university next year, there’s no 44-kilogram class at that level. The lowest is the 48-kilogram class, so it’s good that I am getting used to it this year and it will not be a shock. I have definitely improved by the move up in weight.”
Unwin’s coach, Paul Berthiaume sees good things for Unwin and credits her with building interest in the sport in the community.
“She has her work cut out for her because the 48-kilogram class has traditionally been one of the most competitive divisions in Ontario,” said
Berthiaume. “She just returned from the Ontario Junior Championships for 18 and 19 year olds. She is only 17 but wrestled up an age class and placed second, losing to a Brock University wrestler. She’s built the Chelmsford team and Sudbury club up for females, being one of the first female all-Ontario champions out of this region. The team went from two girls four years ago to 12 girls this season.”
Along with Unwin, Jenna Schroeder, Julie Vincent, Tanya Silander, Jenna Howard, Sarah and Shawna Sookram, Spencer Burton, Sheldon Burton, Ben Schram, Dilan Byrnes and Cody Demeau will all take to the mat vying for coveted spots in the Canada Summer Games, which will take place in August in Saskatchewan.
The team will be without the services of two silver medal-winning wrestlers from last year’s championships. Melissa Charron is out with a broken elbow and Cale Predon is done due to torn knee ligaments.
“We have major injuries on the team, and that will hurt the team’s chances for a team title,” said Berthiaume. “We have a large contingency of rookie wrestlers, but with lots of potential. Jenna Howard has beaten most of the wrestlers in Ontario at her own weight. Cody Demeau should fair well, as he placed sixth in Canada last year. Julie Vincent finished just out of the finals last year. She’s been working hard and should medal if she
has a good day.”
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Taking it to the mat ; Girl wrestler earns praise and respect from team
Jay Gearan. Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, Mass.: Jan 19, 2005. pg. 1
FITCHBURG- Whitney Fox has never met Tara Neal, but if the two girls'
paths ever crossed, Whitney knows what she would say.
"Tara," Whitney would tell her. "That's not fair."
Tara Neal's story inspired "Girl Wrestler," the television documentary
shown recently on most PBS stations. Ms. Neal, who lives in Texas and had
been an avid wrestler from an early age, was prohibited from wrestling when she
turned 14. Texas state law bans girls from wrestling with boys at the
high school level.
Here in Massachusetts, there's nothing stopping Whitney Fox from taking
to the mat and wrestling. She's the only girl wrestler on the Monty Tech
varsity team, and she's a valued member of the squad.
"Whitney's a good one," said Monty Tech wrestling coach Ruddy Paulino.
"She's strong and very determined to win."
Whitney, who lives in Athol and is 17 years old, is a junior at Monty
Tech studying carpentry. She joined the wrestling team a year ago when she
was a sophomore.
"It sounded like fun," Whitney said recently, after a match. And as far
as her teammates are concerned she added, "My team is very good about me
being here. I haven't come across anyone who hasn't been good about it."
Whitney, who is also a field hockey player and track participant,
wrestles in the 112-pound division. She explained her match strategy this way:
"I like to use my legs more in moves. That's where I'm stronger, rather
than in upper-body strength."
"I've wrestled other girls, but she's the best I've seen. She's
strong," said Ryan Goodwin, the Quabbin wrestler who defeated Whitney at the
recent Neal Champney Memorial Tournament in Gardner.
"About the only hold I can use to win against her is the three- quarter
Nelson," Goodwin added. "That's the hold I can turn her with. When she
gets down on the mat it's very hard to turn her because of her strength."
Coach Paulino is looking into some all-girl tournaments where Whitney
can compete. "She's very tough," Mr. Paulino said. "To us, she's really
just one of us, another wrestler going out there and trying to do the best she
can. It's not all about strength in wrestling, it's about technique, and
Whitney has been working very hard. She never really wrestled before last year
and came out and really wanted to be a part of the team, and the boys have
really accepted and respected her."
In the television documentary "Girl Wrestler," one boy, wrestling in a
pre-high school league in Texas, speculated on the prospects of losing
a match to a girl. "If you lose to a girl," he said, "you walk out of the
gym, you walk out of the stadium. You don't come back either."
Whitney Fox, in her high school wrestling career, has defeated three
boy opponents, each with a pin to the mat.
And what was the reaction, she was asked.
"Well," said Whitney, "two of them cried."
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Bishop, Jimenez notch take downs at state meet
By JUDI BOWERS 2/2/05
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Kristy Bishop and Ginny Jimenez have made a name for themselves. They are among the leaders forging the way for female athletes in nontraditional fields. As wrestlers, Bishop and Jimenez are still the exception rather than the norm, although the world of wrestling is slowly opening its doors to females.
And if there were ever two distinctly different wrestlers, Bishop and Jimenez are just that. Bishop is a three-sport athlete. She plays tennis in the fall, burning up the court as one half of the Lady Bears top doubles team. During winter, she splits her time between the wrestling mat and soccer field. CIF rules allow student athletes to compete in two sports during the same season under certain conditions, which Bishop meets. And she excels at both.
Jimenez focuses entirely on wrestling, when she's not dancing or acting that is. The petite powerhouse on the mat is just as powerful on the stage, participating in numerous high school and CATS productions from an early age.
But when these two step into their wrestling uniforms and walk onto the mat, they are of the same mind-focused on how to take their opponent down for the count.
Both Big Bear wrestlers spent the past weekend in Valejo competing in a state girls wrestling meet sponsored by the California Women's Wrestling Association. Going up against some of the best females in the state, Bishop and Jimenez held their own. Unfortunately for Bishop, her season ended in Valejo with a knee injury, leaving her sidelined for the De Anza League finals set for Saturday, Feb. 5, at Big Bear.
Bishop (132) started the meet Jan. 28 with two consecutive pins. She downed Beth Pentridge of Lassen High School in 1 minute, 56 seconds then sent Claire Curtis of El Molino High School packing in 1:29.
The wins advanced Bishop to the quarterfinals where she met Kayla Chambers of Valley Oak High School. The two stayed even until Chambers "took Kristy down hard," said Bears coach Alicia Jimenez. Bishop's knee took the brunt of the blow, forcing her to end the match and take the loss. The injury ended the meet for Bishop.
It was bittersweet for Bishop the next day when she learned she was reinstated and finished sixth overall. Coach Jimenez said Chambers was determined to be ineligible and was disqualified. "So Kristy earned sixth on a technicality, but she'll probably be out for six weeks," the coach said. The injury also ends Bishop's soccer season.
At 105 pounds, Ginny Jimenez also started with two straight pins. The first came against Kelly Urionaguena of Lassen High School, the second against Shireen Adenwala of San Leandro High School.
In the quarterfinals, Jimenez faced Jazzy Green, the top ranked wrestler in Southern California. "It was probably the most brutal match of the tournament," Coach Jimenez said. Green won with a technical fall in the second period over Jimenez.
Nicole Powell of Yukia was Jimenez' first victim on Jan. 29, falling in 1:24. Next up was Natasha Agtarap of Jesse Bethel High School. "Ginny dominated her in the first period," the coach said. "She pinned her twice, but they weren't called."
Agtarap upped her aggressive game plan, getting Jimenez in a hold that literally took her breath away. When Coach Jimenez called out to the referee that Ginny was turning blue, wrestling stopped and the ref awarded Agtarap points. Coach Jimenez argued the point, and won; the points were reversed, but it wasn't enough. Agtarap defeated Jimenez 16-14.
Bouncing back, Jimenez pinned her final opponent Amanda Murillo in 40 seconds to finish seventh overall.
Neither Big Bear wrestler will attend the national event in Michigan. Bishop is opting for resting her knee and focusing on the remainder of the school year as the senior is being courted by college wrestling scouts.
Jimenez, a junior, will focus on DAL finals in search of a trip to the CIF finals