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The Sporting Life: Female intimidator

By Christopher Wuensch, CWuensch@ExplorerNews.com July 5, 2006 -

It isn't often that a 100-pound girl plays the role of intimidator. Such was the case, however, when Andrea Hughes walked into the wrestling room at Catalina Foothills High School to start the 2005-06 season.

After a successful debut season with the Falcons - one which saw her become the first girl to ever place at the Arizona high school state wrestling tournament - both teammates and opponents began to respect the sophomore. Further proof that winning is a cure-all.

"They didn't know what to do, they were kind of confused," said Hughes. "But then they saw me wrestle and I won my first couple of matches and since I was winning, they liked me. They saw that I was good and that I was serious."

After transferring to Foothills from North Carolina last summer, Hughes first made a name for herself at this year's high school wrestling state finals, where she finished fourth in the 103-pound weight class. Her efforts earned her honorable mention on the 2006 TheMat.com ASICS Girls High School All-American Wrestling Team, announced on June 15. She was the only wrestler from Arizona named to the 72-girl squad.

"She was popular at the tournaments," said Foothills teammate Billy Morris. "Everyone is always asking about her. It's all positive stuff, everyone congratulates here for coming out."

This summer, Hughes is taking measures to ensure that she doesn't lose any of that intimidation factor. The junior-to-be is spending her summer in the sweltering hot gym at Sunnyside High School, grappling with the finest wrestlers and learning from the best coaches that Southern Arizona has to offer.

Eventually winning a state championship requires work outside the gym as well as in. Every morning, Hughes is running for Foothills' cross country summer running program. The junior ran for the Falcons' 2005 state champion cross country squad before joining the wrestling team in the winter. Her nights are spent in the gym at Sunnyside in preparation for the this summer's USA Wrestling Cadet and Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D., the biggest and most prestigious high school summer wrestling tournament in the country.

Getting to Fargo, however, won't be easy. The trip is an expensive one and Hughes is currently searching for sponsors to help fund the trip.

She began her career in sports in seventh grade playing soccer in North Carolina. Later that year, a coach convinced her to come out for the wrestling team, which she did reluctantly at first. It didn't take long for her to find a passion for the sport and soon she was winning matches against the boys.

"My dad wrestled in high school for like three years," said Hughes. "But he said I was a lot better than he ever was."

Hughes may be the first girl to place at the high school state tournament, but she isn't the first girl to come through Foothills. Brenna Larkin wrestled for the Falcons before graduating in 2003. Larkin wrestled her way to a scholarship at Pacific University where she is now a junior. The Boxers placed third in the nation in women's wrestling in March - a finish that may have been higher had Larkin (138-pound weight class) not broken her wrist wrestling the night before.

Larkin's success is proof that there is a future in wrestling for women. Pacific is annually among the nation's elite in the sport as is the University of Cumberlands, Missouri Valley College and Oregon State.

Hughes said she is aiming for a scholarship of her own in the sport and even has her eye on one day qualifying for the women's Olympic team.

Before that happens, she still has some unfinished business on the high school level and some intimidating to do.

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Camp

July 17th, 7:30am -through- July 22nd, Noon

Cost $150.00
Camp schedule:
6:30am - Wake up
6:45 - Breakfast
7:30 - 9:30 Technique (Take downs and turns)
9:30 - 10:00 Live situations
:15 min break
10:15 - 11:40 Conditioning
11:45 - Mandatory shower or swim
Noon - Lunch
12:45 - 1:15 Motivational speakers
:5 min break
1:20 - 2:20 Camp Olympics
:10 min break
2:30 - 4:30 Technique session II (counter offensive wrestling)
4:30 - Live situations
5:00 - Live Par Terre
5:30 - Live
6:00 - Mandatory shower or swim
6:30 - Dinner
7:00 - Free time
10:00 - Lights out!!!!!!!!!!!

For more information, please call me at, 503-887-6445

For those of you who need to be in Fargo by the 24th of July, You are
welcome to travel with us.We will be leaving at 2pm on the 22nd and
arriving in Fargo at Noon the 23rd.

Bobo Umemoto
OWWD

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Erin Tomeo named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for the week of June 27-July 3

Craig Sesker USA Wrestling
07/05/2006

Erin Tomeo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) has been named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week for the week of June 27-July 3.

Each week, TheMat.com will select an Athlete of the Week, based upon performance within wrestling for that week. The selection committee will consider any level of wrestling, from youth programs through the Senior level. The announcement will be made each week on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old Tomeo swept two-time World bronze medalist Sally Roberts in two straight matches at 59 kg/130 pounds to win the U.S. World Team Trials on June 30 in Colorado Springs. With the win, Tomeo qualifies for the World Championships on Sept. 26-Oct. 2 in Guangzhou, China. She also made the World Team in 2001.

Tomeo dropped the first period of the first match to Roberts 11-5 before rebounding to win the second period 2-2 by virtue of scoring last. She then pinned Roberts in the third period.

Tomeo won the first period of the second match 7-4 before rebounding from a 4-0 deficit in the second period to prevail 5-4 and make her second World Team.

Note: To nominate a wrestler for TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week, send the athlete's name, accomplishments for the week and career accomplishments to Craig Sesker at csesker@usawrestling.org