News Page
12/4/06
Junior Toni Faux is a very busy student, involved in the National Honor Society, Student Council, Future Business Leaders of America, wrestling, cheerleading and the forensics program. She also works weekends at the Black Walnut Family Restaurant. But she recently pursued another goal when she traveled to Pittsburgh on Nov. 24-26 to compete against 188 other girls for the title of Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA. Although she didn’t win, she considered it a rewarding experience.
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Title IX firing dispute settled
By Michael Mirer/Enterprise staff writer
Published Dec 03, 2006 - 20:55:14 CST.
The case of a former UC Davis wrestling coach who sued the university for retaliation under Title IX has been settled out of court, just days before a trial was set to begin.
Michael Burch — who coached the Aggie wrestling team for six seasons — alleged that his dismissal in May 2001 was a result of his outspoken support for two women who had been cut from the team. The trial in the case had been scheduled to begin Tuesday in federal court in Sacramento.
Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
The case had attracted a great deal of outside attention, especially for the rare sight of a wrestling coach who supports Title IX. Many in the sport blame the gender equity law, which celebrates its 35th anniversary next year, for the steep decline in college wrestling during the last two decades.
The agreement has been submitted to the University of California Board of Regents for final approval. That is expected to happen next month. Officially, the trial date has been postponed to February, pending resolution of the case.
Burch had been seeking back pay as well as damages for emotional distress and injury to his reputation. He had said last summer he had hoped to be reinstated at UCD or somewhere else within the University of California system.
Burch is in his fifth year as an assistant wrestling coach at Brown University in Providence, R.I.
Both sides were tight-lipped about the settlement.
“The matter is under submission,” UC Davis spokesperson Julia Ann Easley said.
Burch’s Oakland-based attorney, Dan Siegel, read a similar statement.
Reached by phone, Burch also declined to comment for the record.
UCD still faces another Title IX challenge, a class action suit brought by four female wrestlers, alleging they were denied the opportunity to compete because of their gender. Both lawsuits stemmed from the events of the same period, during the 2000-01 academic year.
In October 2000, Burch cut two women, Arezou Mansourian and Chris Ng, from the wrestling team. Burch later said he was carrying out the orders senior administrators in the athletic department, a contention that UCD disputes.
On April 24, 2001, Ng filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. That was the same day UCD officials said they decided not to renew Burch’s contract. Burch, who had been working for the athletic department on a series of one-year contracts, was a part-time coach and a lecturer in the religious studies department.
The coach was not informed of his firing until late May, after a month in which he very publicly supported the women and their case.
Burch sued, believing it was his outspoken support for women’s wrestling that led to his ouster, which came on the heels of a season in which the Aggies compiled a 10-7 dual meet record and sent four wrestlers to the NCAA tournament. Both were all-time bests for the program.
At the time, UCD athletic director Greg Warzecka, citing department policy, offered no explanation for why the school did not renew the coach’s contract.
According to court papers, UCD cited as reasons for the firing personality conflicts between Burch and senior administrators, budget deficits within the wrestling program and an unwillingness to cooperate with the compliance office during investigation of potential NCAA rule violations.
Burch’s case survived a summary judgment motion in June.
The American Association of University Women’s Legal Advocacy Fund had pledged more than $12,500 in support of Burch’s efforts
A trial date for the female wrestlers’ case against UCD is expected to be set early next year.
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By Femi Solaja, 12.05.2006
LAG Festival
A total of 130 entries have been received for the wrestling event of the 2006 Lagos State Sports Festival, just as other events get underway in different centres from today.
According to the wrestling head coach, Mr Kally Agogo, the actual competition has been moved to tomorrow. All the bouts will be staged at the wrestling hall of the Rowe Park Sports Complex, with the athletes jostling for 120 medals.
The female wrestlers will contest in 10 categories while there will be competition in 10 categories in the Greco/Roman and freestyle categories each.
Meanwhile, Lagos State Government yesterday redeemed its pledge with the payment of N5.4 million sporting aids to its athletes.
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Bobcats, Eagles look strong as wrestling season opens
By The Daily World staff
Tuesday, December 5, 2006 10:54 AM PST
Aberdeen and Elma rank among their league contenders, while the accent is on youth — and on female wrestlers — as the Evergreen 2A Conference mat season begins this week.
Elma opens its dual season at Hoquiam on Wednesday night, while the Bobcats travel to Chehalis for an early showdown Thursday.
The Bobcats and Eagles rank with Tumwater as prime challengers to perennial league power Chehalis.
Hit hard by graduation, Hoquiam figures to be in a rebuilding mode. The Grizzlies, however, are expected to be prime contenders in the first officially sanctioned state girls tourney next February.
Aberdeen
Loaded at the heavier weights, the Bobcats could be a force in dual competition if they can fill some middleweight gaps.
Erich Schmidtke, who won the state 3A 171-pound championship as a sophomore last February, leads the Bobcat returnees. He is ticketed to wrestle at 189 this season.
Senior Arne Andersen, normally a 160-pounder, took the 171-pound title at last weekend’s Bonney Lake Invitational, while heavyweight Ben Seath also prevailed in that tourney.
The Bobcats boast two quality 215-pounders in senior Xaver Bowers and sophomore Sawyer Smith, with Pat Gagnon — another talented returnee — attempting to crack the lineup at one of the heavier weights.
The middleweights are in enough of a state of flux that coach Randy Connelly wouldn’t speculate on probable starters at 140 and 145 pounds.
“We have some holes in the middle, but we have guys tougher than nails (at the heavier weights),” said Connelly.
The lighter weights, in Connelly’s view, will determine Aberdeen’s dual success.
“If they come through, we’re actually a very good dual meet team,” said the AHS coach.
The Cats probably will start freshman Trevor McCullough at 103 pounds, junior Zach Slyter at 112, junior Jake Grazioli at 119, senior Garrett Johannes at 125, sophomore Eric Pink at 130 and sophomore Mylon Emard at 135. Jacob Karlik, a transfer from Mount Spokane, will probably open at 152 and junior Brit Coverdale at 171.
Jason Dore returns as one of Connelly’s assistants, with Cole Martin and Cole Macke joining the Aberdeen staff.
Elma
With a good mixture of veterans and talented youngsters, the Eagles figure to easily make the transition to the tougher Evergreen 2A Conference.
“There’s a ton of potential with this team,” said Elma coach Sean Ekerson. “What I’ve asked my seniors to do for this program is to lead by example and set a legacy for the young kids.”
Senior 171-pounder Russell Luellen, a state runner-up at 152 pounds last season, senior 160-pounder Mac Watson, fifth at state last year, and two-time state veteran Brandon Truini, a junior who will wrestle at 119, lead the Eagle veterans. Ekerson, a former Eagle assistant and Aberdeen head coach in his first year as the head man at his alma mater, is pleased with the remainder of his lineup as well.
“Last year, we had a lot of gaps,” he said. “This year, I truly believe we’re solid from 103 to heavyweight.”
Probable Eagle starters include freshman Luke Boyer at 103, junior Mark Ballew at 112, senior Shane Jhanson at 125, senior Brick Waldroup at 130, sophomore Daniel Lillie at 135, freshman Ford Davis at 140 and sophomore state veteran Nick Watson at 145.
Senior Josh Widener will probably open at 152, with sophomore Carlos Tautoto (third in a state Cadet tourney) at 189. Like Aberdeen, Elma has two good 215 pounders in senior Sam Sherwood and junior Justin Whitney, a transfer from Sedro-Woolley. Seniors Michael Gamino and Brian Shumate are battling for a starting job at 275.
Longtime Elma aide Lynn Skuza moves up from the junior high ranks to join the high school staff this season. Jason Dick, John Enslow and Troy Smith are the other full-time Eagle assistants.
Hoquiam
Aside from state veterans Drew Gwinn and Joel Veloni, both of whom will operate in the 145/152 weight classes, the traditionally strong Grizzlies are something of an unknown quantity.
“Our team motto this year is building a new foundation,” said Hoquiam coach Kirk Hartzell. “We’ve lost something like 12 state placewinners in the last two years, so we’re starting all over. But we’ve got some good kids coming up and they’re good kids to be with.”
The Grizzlies are putting a heavy emphasis on their girls program this season. Hoquiam has 24 girls — possibly a state high — turning out for wrestling this season. Three of those — Alex White, Tess Grannemann and Kyra Butler — went unbeaten in an unofficial state tourney last year.
A sanctioned state girls tourney will run concurrently with Mat Classic next February at the Tacoma Dome.
Grannemann and Butler are good bets to crack the otherwise male HHS starting lineup this season.
While hesitant to designate probable starters, Hartzell will likely utilize freshmen Nick Berndt, Thomas Elliott and Derek Harris junior Scott Vessey and senior Beto Fuerte (an exchange student from Mexico) at the lighter weights and freshmen Jordan Harrington and Drew Grannemann and senior Buck Giles along with Gwinn and Veloni at the middle weights.
Probable upper-weight regulars include sophomore Curtis Fuchser, juniors Connor Dineen, Jeremy Foulds, Ross Carrigan, Nick Kramzer, William Law, Scott Tetzlaff (currently recovering from a broken ankle), Alex Bratt and Anthony Elders and senior Tim Priebe.
In addition to the returning state champions, Hoquiam’s female standouts include Kelsea Williams, Juline Girts, Kelsey Klein, Ashley Kroll, Jenna Lamb, Alyssa Lee, Teri Norris, Alicia Garcia, Kelsey Sund and Lexi Taylor, among others.
Todd Hoiness, Jason Ronquillo, Torrin Bradbury and Bing Perrine return as Grizzly assistants.
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12/5/06
Montreal wrestlers captured five first-place titles at the University of Toronto Open during the weekend. Nikita Chicoine of Vanier CEGEP was voted outstanding wrestler of the event while capturing the women's 69-kilogram class. Tyler Marghetis (82 kg) of Concordia University, David Tremblay (57 kg) and Alex Dyas (90 kg), both of Vanier, and Jamie Mancini (65 kg) of the Montreal YMHA Wrestling Club also won their classes. Local wrestlers also took two firsts at the London, Ont., Junior Invitational. Kulver Gill of the YWHA won at 90 kg, while teammate Mike Noonan won at 72 kg.