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News from Arizona:
5th Grade Girls place at the 2006 Arizona Jr High State Championships.

Caroline Cotton 68lbs-Fourth Place
Amanda Alejandro 68lbs-Sixth Place

(Caroline has the long hair and Amanda has the blue beanie hat on).

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LADY LUCK : WOMEN ATHLETES GET THEIR SHARE, AT LAST

4th phase of UP games from March 1

Express News Service

Lucknow, February 27:

WOMEN have at last got their share in the State Games-2005. While the first three phases of State Games organised by the sports department largely featured competitions in the men’s section in a majority of sports, the fourth and last phase being organised by the UP Olympic Association will feature competitions in the women’s section. The fourth phase will be held from March 1 to 5 with most of the competitions taking place at the KD Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium, Lucknow.

Express Newsline in its story ‘Sorry ladies, State Games is a manly affair’ dated January 16 had vividly highlighted the point that the participation of women during the first phase (from January 12 to 15) of State Games in Lucknow was negligible and nothing better lay in the fixtures for the remaining two phases at Varanasi (January 16 to 19) and Faizabad (January 21 to 24) as well.

Addressing mediapersons secretary general UP Olympic Association (UPOA) Anandeshwar Pandey said, “The officials of various sports associations expressed their displeasure over the meagre participation of women during the State Games as very few events were organised in the women’s section. So we decided to organise the fourth phase to give state women players their due share. The basic purpose of organising this phase is giving women a good platform to prove their talent for the National Games and the national level tourneys ahead. This is just the right time to organise aquatic events as well.”

The best eight teams from the state have been entertained in the team events in various sports and the best eight players of various disciplines have been given entry in the events involving competitions in individual section, he further informed.

As per the schedule kho-kho will be played on March 1 and 2 in which 96 women will participate, taekwondo will be organised on March 1 and 2 in which 96 taekwondoists in the male section and 96 in the female section will be seen in action. Women’s wrestling will be organised on March 1 in which 75 women will be seen in action, volleyball featuring 96 women will be organised on March 3 and 4. Handball competitions will be organised on March 1 and 2 in which 144 women are likely to take part. Fencing will be organised in both the male and female section’s with 96 men and 76 women taking part. Women’s boxing will be organised from March 3 to 5 in which 96 female boxers are expected to participate.

The weightlifting competitions will be hosted by Guru Govind Singh Sports College, Lucknow in which 60 female and 75 male lifters will be participating in their respective sections.

The aquatic events involving rowing, kayaking/cannoeing etc will be organised from March 3 to 5 in which a total of 100 men and 100 women will be participating.

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Plemon earns gold in 103 title bout

The Daily Press
Monday, February 27th, 2006 10:19:46 AM

MADISON — Park Falls' Jay Plemon had already made school history prior to his WIAA Division 3 103 state title match Saturday at the State Wrestling Meet.

Plemon was the first Cardinal underclassman to reach a final. Then Plemon went out and scored a 7-5 decision over Robert Daggett of Cambridge to win the state title.

Plemon (44-4) led 2-0 after one period and 4-0 heading into the third period. Plemon chose down to start the third and was able to stay in control and take the win. It was Park Falls' first state title since 2000 when Christian Marsh brought home gold.

Jeff Tijan of Hurley worked his way to a fifth-place finish at 119.

After going 1-1 Friday, Tijan scored a 4-0 decision over Ryan Renon of Wrightstown Saturday afternoon. Tijan scored a takedown with 25 seconds remaining in the first period for a 2-0 lead. With 15 seconds to go in the second period Tijan reversed on Renon for a 4-0 lead.

"I'm glad to get a medal, I will be the first kid from Hurley to medal at the state tournament," Tijan told Steve Belcher of the Park Falls Herald after his semifinal match. "My quarterfinal

match did not go exactly the way I wanted it to go. It will be fun wrestling for fifth. Hopefully next year we can get two more wrestlers down here, but there is talk about cutting the program."

In the fifth-place match, Tijan (41-5) decisioned Joe Makouske of Kenosha St. Joseph 7-4.

Tijan, a senior, is the school's all-time career leader in wins with 139.

"Having the most wins in Hurley history make me feel good," Tijan said. "I'm happy to be the first state medalist from Hurley. It hurts being two matches away from a state title as a senior."

Phillips' Fred Freeman finished sixth at 125. On Saturday, Freeman pinned Tim Will of Dodgeland in 1:41 to advance to the fifth-place match. Josh VanderMeulen of Bonduel then scored a 9-6 decision over Freeman (32-5).

In Division 2 action, Northwestern's Zac Martinson wrestled for the state title at 135. In the title match, Cole Schmitt (43-0) of Belleville/Monticello/New Glarus pinned Martinson at 5:40.

Also at 135, Medford's Aaron Spencer (39-8) lost a 10-6 decision to Derek Foley of Ellsworth Saturday afternoon. At 112, Medford's Pat Willis (35-6) lost a close 8-7 decision to Blake Cifaldi of Cumberland Saturday afternoon.

Tomahawk senior Alyssa Lampe became the first female to finish as a place-winner.

However, Thane Antczak of Chetek/Prairie Farm prevented Lampe from becoming the first girl in Wisconsin history and the second in the nation to win an individual wrestling title in a co-ed state tournament.

Antczak (48-2) defeated Lampe 6-3, to win for the second time in three matches against her this season. Lampe had beaten Antczak 2-1 at the individual sectional tournament in their last meeting.

‘‘He just wrestled better,’’ Lampe said of Antczak. ‘‘I wanted to be a state champion but I lost to a great wrestler.’’

Lampe (45-5), who drew a solid round of applause from the sold-out crowd at the Kohl Center after her match and later when she received her award on the podium, said she was proud that her brother, Anthony, followed her match by winning his first state title.

‘‘Anthony inspired me. He’s the one who got me involved in the sport, when I became his practice partner when I was in kindergarten,’’ said Lampe, who finished as a three-time state qualifier. ‘‘I’m disappointed I didn’t win. That’s what I came here for. But if one of us had to win, I’m glad it was him.

Anthony Lampe prevented Dodgeville’s Bobby Wunnicke from repeating as a state champion when he pulled out a 12-10 victory in overtime for the Division 2 title at 112 pounds.

‘‘It was a great match. It feels awesome to be a champion,’’ said Lampe after he beat Wunnicke, who was the defending Division 3 champion at 103.

Freshman Nick Hagar (49-3) ended a near perfect day for Tomahawk when he beat Jordan Foy of Ellsworth 4-3 to win the Division 2 title at 125 pounds.

Tomahawk's Dan Silvernale finished fifth at 171. On Saturday, Silvernale (40-6) decisioned Kyle Thorpe of Stanley-Boyd/Thorp 3-0. In the fifth-place match, Silvernale decisioned Brian Cisar of Peshtigo 8-2.

In the only match that featured a pair of unbeaten wrestlers, River Falls’ Trevor Brandvold (45-0) beat Neenah’s Ben Engelland (44-1) 14-6 for the Division 1 title at 189 pounds.

Dodgeville’s T.J. Wunnicke, Bobby’s brother, became the second member of his family to win at least two state titles when he pinned Viroquas’ Jed Domke in 3 minutes, 51 seconds to win the Division 2 title at 119 pounds.

The Wunnicke’s older brother, Cole, was a four-time state Division 3 state champion at Ithaca from 1999-2002. T.J. Wunnicke (47-0) won his first title at 103 pounds for Ithaca as a freshman in 2004.

Merrill senior Dustin Perry captured his third straight Division 1 title at 135 pounds with a 2-0 victory over Brookfield Central’s David Becker.

Perry (42-2), who was fifth at state at 130 pounds as a freshman, became the state’s 41st wrestler to finish his career with three state titles.

‘‘It’s awesome. But this one is special because it’s my last year,’’ said Perry, who has a career record of 173-8 and will compete with his teammates at the team state meet next weekend.

‘‘My coach knows how to push my buttons. He said they were trying to take (the title) away from me. I wouldn’t let them do it.’’

Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln’s Kevin Tritz (41-0) was the only other Division 1 wrestler to repeat as a champion. He won his second straight 145-pound title with a 9-3 victory over Mukwonago’s Billy Schlottke (33-5).

Luxemburg-Casco’s Zac Cibula, Kewaskum’s Scott Rhoads (145) and Westby’s David Caspar (189) became two-time champions in Division 2.

Cibula (46-1), who was the defending champion at 130, defeated Scott Fahey of Sugar River 8-5 to win the 140-pound title.

A sophomore, who has a 95-6 career mark, he remains on track to become only the eighth four-time champion in state history.

Rhoads (40-1) defended his title at 145 pounds with an 8-4 decision over Pioneer Westfield’s Kendall Vogel.

Casper (46-3) defeated Kewaunee’s Joe Trindal 11-8 to win the 189 title. He was the defending 171-pound champion.

Mineral Point’s Curtis Fiedler, Edgar’s Andrew Lukasko and Oostsburg’s A.J. Kissel all became two-time champions in Division 3.

Fielder (41-2) defended his 130-pound title with a 3-2 victory over Zeb Secrist of Cochrane/Fountain City.

Lukasko (41-0) edged Auburndale’s Chris Karl 3-2 for the 152-pound title after winning at 145 last year. Kissel (42-0) topped Pittsville’s Jeremiah Adrian 10-0 to win the 171-pound title.

Kissel, who was the defending champion at 160, is 79-0 over the past two seasons.

Mineral Point used victories from Fiedler and Greg Burke at 140 pounds to take over the lead with the most individual state champions.

The two wins upped the Pointers’ total to 42, snapping a tie with Stoughton, which didn’t advance a wrestler to the championship round.

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High school wrestlers pin down crowns

By GLEN DAWKINS 2/27/06

Grant Park's Jamie Michaels pinned Jack Miller of West Kildonan in the boys' 85-kg final to capture his second consecutive provincial title -- and remain undefeated in Manitoba in the last two years -- at the provincial high school wrestling championships Saturday at Kelvin High School.

Outstanding female

Meanwhile, Vincent Massey's Wilson Le was named most outstanding male wrestler after winning the boys' 69-kg title, while Kim McNabb picked up most outstanding female wrestler honours after taking the girls' 56-kg crown.

St. Paul's recaptured its boys' team title, while Grant Park took the girls' team honours.

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Road ends for Duanesburg's Whitbeck
17 Section II wrestlers head to today's semis

Staff reports
First published: Saturday, February 25, 2006

Amy Whitbeck of Duanesburg, the first girl to reach the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship in its 44-year history, fell in the quarterfinal round of the tournament held Friday at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale.
Whitbeck, who won a preliminary round, lost by technical fall to Kyle Dake of Lansing High School in Section IV (Binghamton area).

Seventeen Section II wrestlers advanced to today's semifinal round, including CBA junior Michael Chaires, last-year's large-school runner-up. Chaires won his quarterfinal match at 152 pounds against Alex Sidlecki of Clarence, 3-2.

Duanesburg's Jim Almy, the reigning 275-pound champion pinned Mount Sinai's Jarrel Guerrero in 2:35 to move on.

Shenendehowa freshman Austin Meys, large school champion at 103 pounds last year, beat Zach Lange of Niagara-Wheatfield (Section VI) 13-2 at 125 pounds.

Other area wrestlers to advance were Jeremy Cuomo of Schalmont (103), Mark Burchhardt of Scotia (130), Nick Wilson (189) and Dan Randall of Salem (215), Carlo Izzo of Canajoharie-Fort Plain (112), Erik Johanson of Schuylerville (119), Carl Breittstein of Duanesburg (135), Ryan Black of Warrensburg (152), Nate Graham of Ravena (160), Brandon Lapp Maple Hill (171), Kareem Naguib of Shenendehowa (140), Matt Kaylor of Burnt Hills (145) and Manny Hickson of LaSalle (160).

STATE TOURNAMENT

DIVISION I QUARTERFINALS

103 -- Jeremy Cuomo (Schalmont, I) dec. Steven Russ (St. Anthony's), 6-5.

125 -- Austin Meys (Shenendehowa, II) dec. Zach Lange(Niagara-Wheatfield, VI), 13-2.

130 -- Mark Burchhardt (Scotia-Glenville, II) dec. Dan Audy (Clarence, VI), 9-4.

135 -- Lucas Mariacher (Iroquois, VI) dec. Mike Goossens (Ballston Spa II), 5-2.

140 -- Kareem Naguib (Shenendehowa, II) dec. Paul Vaeth (Islip), 2-1.

145 -- Matt Kaylor (Burnt Hills, II) dec. Matt Cinelli(Lockport, VI), 14-0.

152 -- Michael Chaires (Albany CBA, II) dec. Alex Sidlecki (Clarence, VI),3-2.

160 -- Manny Hickson (LaSalle, II) dec. Lucas Brooks (Rondout Valley,IX), 7-2.

189 -- Mike Van Houten (Monroe Woodbury, IX), dec. John Dambrosio (Guilderland,II), 7-4.

DIVISION II QUARTERFINALS

96 -- Kyle Dake (Lansing, IV) def. Amy Whitbeck(Duanesburg, II), 6:00.

103 -- Nick Wilcox (Greene, IV) dec. Brian Borst (Duanesburg,II), 6-2.

112 -- Carlo Izzo (Canajoharie Ft Plain, II) dec. Josh Tripp (Peru,VII), 4-2.

119 -- Erik Johanson (Schuylerville, II) dec. Justin Perry(Northern Adirondack, VII), 5-0.

125 -- Anwar Goeres (Phoenix, III) pin Jonathan Hyatt (Granville,II), 1:28.

135 -- Carl Breittstein (Duanesburg, II) dec. Nyame Cooper-White(Woodland, I), 7-1.

145 -- Corey Barber (Hudson Falls, II) pin Dave Beard (Haldane, I), 1:32;.

152 -- Ryan Black (Warrensburg, II) dec. Kyle Amidon(Canisteo-Greenwood, V), 8-3.

160 -- Nate Graham (Ravena-Coemans-Selkirk, II), def. John Kravic (Red Hook,IX), by tech. fall, 4:11.

171 -- Brandon Lapp (Maple Hill, II) dec. Steven Yablonski (Mt. Sinai), 14-1.

189 -- Nick Wilson (Salem, II) dec. John Maybee (Gowanda, VI), 7-2.

215 -- Dan Randall (Salem, II) pin Chris Vingo (Ardsley, I), 1:54.

275 -- Jim Almy (Duanesburg, II) pin Jarrel Guerrero (Mt. Sinai), 2:35.
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Dominant Great Bridge advances 10 wrestlers

The Virginian-Pilot
© February 25, 2006

Odds and ends: The Eastern District's best hopes advanced. Booker T. Washington's Brandon Gardner (152) scored a pair of two-point victories. Granby's Andrew Hairston (171) won on a technical fall and an overtime takedown. … Herndon's Firen Gassman was the first female to qualify for the Group AAA tournament last year. Friday, she became the first girl to win a match, beating Mills Godwin's Matt Hatcher 10-7 in the consolations.

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Six from region go 2-0
Godwin's Cureton hoping to cook up state crown; Allgood in semis at 130

BY TIM PEARRELL 2/25/06
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Herndon's Firen Gassman (at 103) became the first girl to win a match at a state tournament at any level. Gassman lost her first match, but she beat Godwin's Matt Hatcher 10-7 in a first-round consolation match.

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Schwarze Moves On

By JOHN A. LEWIS 2/27/06
Burlington County Times

Schwarze's third-place finish denied Northern Burlington's Brandy Price a chance to be the first girl to reach the Region 7 tournament. Schwarze gave Price the tying point when he allowed her to escape with 35 seconds remaining, and Price promptly got on his waist and took him down.

Schwarze responded with a four-point move, a reversal, then a half-nelson, as time expired. English said the freshman 112-pounder gained some valuable experience in the process.

“It was tough to deal with the whole atmosphere of that match. The whole situation. She's wrestling for a chance to make regions, and he's a freshman coming in, nervous about wrestling her. I'll be honest, he was nervous, but he did what he had to do.”

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