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Arrowhead wrestling team slices through competition
Posted: Feb. 19, 2006
Somerset Sectional: Tomahawk senior Alyssa Lampe improved to 40-4 by winning the 103-pound weight class in the Division 2 sectional. With the victory, Lampe will enter the state tournament as a quarterfinalist and is guaranteed a place on the medals stand if she can win at least her first match.
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Wrestler makes history
Duanesburg's Whitbeck first girl to go to states
By DAVID FILKINS, Staff writer
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First published: Sunday, February 19, 2006
GLENS FALLS -- Two weeks ago, Amy Whitbeck had six inches of her curly brown hair snipped off, opting instead for a shorter, neater style. It was part of her preparation for the Section II wrestling state qualifier, which concluded Saturday at Glens Falls Civic Center.
"My mom did it, too," the Duanesburg 96-pounder said. "We thought I would look good on the podium if I got my hair cut."
Strong words, considering not a single girl in state history had even reached the final of a state qualifier, let alone won. Not surprising, considering wrestling is a sport dominated by boys.
But on Saturday, round after round, match after match, Whitbeck advanced through the tournament, winning by pin in three straight matches to make history and reach the finals. It didn't end there, as Whitbeck became a 15-year-old pioneer in her sport, defeating Andy Lyman of Ravena 5-1 to become the Section II small-school champion.
The crowd erupted in applause when it was announced that the high school sophomore was the first girl ever to qualify for the state championships.
"Finally," Whitbeck said moments after her match. "I've been working hard, staying after practice, telling myself, 'Come on, come on, this is what I'm in it for."'
Whitbeck advances to the state tournament Feb. 24-25 at Nassau Coliseum. She will be accompanied by Duanesburg coach Joe Bena, who has been in the sport for 40 years and has more wins than any coach in state history. He has molded dozens of state champions -- including 1984 Olympic gold medalist Jeff Blatnik -- and said Whitbeck's accomplishment will rank among his most memorable as a coach.
"This has never been done before," Bena said. "That says it all right there. Outstanding. Absolutely outstanding. When the match ended all I could say was, 'You did it, girl!' "
Whitbeck controlled Saturday's final match, taking a 2-0 lead on a takedown less than two minutes in. Lyman pulled to 2-1 with an escape moments later but couldn't muster another point. Whitbeck added a takedown with 29 seconds remaining and an escape to ice the match.
As the final horn sounded she ran to Bena and assistant coach Mike Walpole as the trio embraced on the corner of the mat.
"I would like to say it's a surprise," Walpole said, "but I've been telling people for years this was going to happen. Amy is an extremely hard worker and a tremendous kid."
Whitbeck's victory made state history but shouldn't be a shocker to those in the wrestling community. Her record for the season after Saturday is 25-5, and she was the top seed in her weight class last week at the Section II Class D tournament.
She is also a national champion girls' wrestler and a state champion barrel racer in the rodeo.
She hopes the accomplishment will bring more girls to the sport, so they can compete against each other as in most other high school sports.
"People in school come up to me and say, 'Oh my God, I love you. How do you do it?' They want to wrestle, but their parents won't let them," she said. "Maybe they'll change their minds in the future."
With that, Whitbeck walked into the locker room, wearing a blue T-shirt with the word that best described her on the back: Champion.
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Wrestling notes: Girls could have state tournament next year
Sunday, February 19, 2006
By TIM PYLE Columbian staff writer
TACOMA -- As soon as next year, girls wrestling could have its very own, WIAA-sanctioned state wrestling tournament.
In Mat Classic XVIII, which concluded Saturday at the Tacoma Dome, 156 girls split into 39 groupings of four had to settle for a non-sanctioned state event.
That's not to say that local state champions like Melissa Watkins of Camas and Sarah Rowen of Columbia River were complaining.
"I think it's good for the girls to have an event," said Watkins, a sophomore who went 3-0 with two pins to win Group 12, which included Misty Short of Washougal. "Girls are more flexible. It's harder to pin them."
Watkins would know, for she was the district champion at 103 pounds for the Papermakers, competing against boys. She finished sixth at regionals to miss out on a trip to the boys state tournament.
Rowen turned out for the River squad as a freshman last year, and now is a fixture in the Chieftains' wrestling room.
"It was more of a joke at first," Rowen said. "I thought it would be fun to randomly join the boys wrestling team."
River coach Joe Reed said Rowen's presence is welcomed.
"Some of the guys were giving grief about going up against her, and Brad Caldwell said, 'She's not a girl. She's a wrestler,' " Reed said. "Sarah thought that was a great compliment."
In addition to Watkins, Rowen and Short, six other locals competed in the girls event this weekend -- Micheala Nehring of Ridgefield (1-2 record), Christine Cox of La Center (2-1), Katelin McNeal of Woodland (2-1), Kaylee Aalseth of Camas (0-3), Tremae Rowshan of Camas (2-1) and Kate Jaco of Stevenson (0-3).
Father, son share final victory -- Stevenson's Cory Creighton capped his outstanding senior season Saturday by taking third place at 189 pounds in Class 2A. Bulldogs coach Mark Creighton was conflicted about the end of his son's prep career.
"As a father, it's a double-edged sword, I guess," Mark Creighton said. "To know that I won't have him in my high school again here soon, and that I won't coach him on the mat again ... it'll choke a guy up. I'm dreading the awards banquet."
Cory Creighton finished his season with just two losses, the second coming when Frank Trampush of Chewelah pinned him in 3:47 in Saturday morning's semifinals.
Sitch joins select company -- Kelso's Brandon Sitch became the fourth four-time state winner Saturday night by pinning Patrick Janicki of Sedro Woolley in 1:43 in the 3A 160-pound final.
Sitch, bound for the University of Minnesota program, also won titles at 119, 135 and 145 for the Hilanders.
"In our 10 months of working together throughout the year, it's not something that even was really discussed that much," Kelso coach Bob Freund said of the rare feat. "He knew the only way that goal would come was by working and taking things day by day, step by step."
When Sitch pinned Janicki, the normally reserved Kelso star jumped to his feet, high-stepped to Freund for a hug, then raised both arms in triumph and let out a "Woo!"
"That kind of put the stamp on it, I guess," Sitch said of the pin, his third in four tournament matches, along with a major decision. "You can't give people the chance to have any doubts."
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For Yeik, Making History Doesn't Dull Pain of Loss
By Nathan Joyce, njoyce@kitsapsun.com
February 18, 2006
Tacoma
It was a wrestling match fraught with historical and gender significance, but really the only thing the two participants cared about was who won and lost.
For the record, Whitney Condor of Puyallup recorded a pin at the 5:40 mark against Olympic’s Camie Yeik on Friday night at Mat Classic XVIII in the Tacoma Dome.
In the middle of Mat Classic’s chaos, where 24 matches are contested simultaneously, the match was different than the hundreds of others that were wrestled Friday and will continue today. It was the first time two females wrestled each other at the state wrestling tournament.
There is a girls-only invitational, but this match was in the regular bracket.
Girls qualifying for the state wrestling tournament is still rare. Condor and Yeik were the only two who made it this year, and are believed to be just two of 17 to qualify for a state tournament nationally.
But the significance of the match was left up to others to debate.
"I don’t try to think about it all," said Condor, who is one of only two female wrestlers in the state history to earn a medal with a top-eight finish. Condor (32-6) took eighth last year. "I try to forget about it.
"It’s a good thing because it’s historic, but it’s a bad thing if it goes to your head."
Condor’s win assured her of a second medal. Yeik (25-9) saw her season come to an end.
Yeik found some solace in her historical match, but not a lot. Adding to the sting is the fact that she has practiced against Condor for years and the two are very competitive.
"I would have rather lost to a guy that her," Yeik said. "We go back and forth a lot."
Yeik and Condor wrestled to a 0-0 tie at the end of the first two-minute period. Condor earned a point for an escape in the second period.
In the third, it looked like Yeik was going to take control. She tied up the match with an escape 20 seconds in, and added a takedown 10 seconds later for a 3-1 lead.
But it came apart in the final minute. Condor put Yeik on her back and pinned her with just 20 seconds remaining.
Yeik takes some solace from the fact that she’s a sophomore and has two more years to earn a state medal.
Perhaps sometime in those next two years, Friday’s match will mean more.
"It feels good to have women’s wrestling coming out and all, but at the same time it’s not," Yeik said. "It’s there, but it’s not where it needs to be."
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Patriots Host USGWA State Championships
2/19/06
 Cumberlands Alaina Berube officiates a match at the USGWA championships hosted by UC this past weekend. |
This past weekend, University of the Cumberlands (formerly Cumberland College) was proud to host the Fifth Annual USGWA State Championships. Michigan resident Kent Bailo started the United States Girls Wrestling Association in 1997. Since then, over 30 states have joined the effort to increase support for females in the sport of wrestling. Each year, these states hold competitions throughout the months of February and March. USGWA concludes the season with a national tournament, which will be held on April 1, 2006, in Lake Orion, Michigan.
Over the weekend, Cumberlands hosted the fifth annual tournament for the state of Kentucky. Several states were represented in the competition, including Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, North Carolina, and New York.
The tournament consisted of three age divisions: elementary, middle, and high school. Top wrestlers in each weight class received a medal for their accomplishments. Several Patriot ladies were also available to participate in exhibition matches.
Cumberlands is one of the few colleges in the United States that supports a women’s wrestling program. For more information about the Patriot ladies please visit www.ucumberlands.edu/athletics/wrestling/womens/
Article Provided by Jesse Clifton, University of the Cumberlands (formerly Cumberland College) Sports Information Assistant
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By Joe Lyons
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
02/18/2006
With an 11-5 win over Kirksville's Cyle Kelly in Friday morning's quarterfinals, St. Clair freshman Randi Beltz ensured she will become the first female to win a state medal in Missouri.
Beltz (31-4) lost by fall to Buffalo freshman Zach Bintliff (35-0) in the 103 semifinals Friday night.
Beltz is just the fourth female qualifier, following Pleasant Hill senior Julie Tucker (1998), Warsaw sophomore Ashley Larson (2005) and Lafayette junior Ashley Hudson (2005 and 2006).
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