SARA GETTYS/Yakima Herald-Republic
Davis wrestler Candra Graham practices with freshman Tommy Lagerquist during during a wrestling practice at Davis on Wednesday, December 3, 2006.
News Page
Kelso's girls wrestling tournament draws 93 regional competitors
By Ben Zimmerman
Jan 07, 2007 - 12:45:52 am PST
The Kelso girls wrestling probably considers its first day of practice -- back in November -- as the program's official "birthday."
Or maybe Lassie grapplers will convene annually to blow out candles on the date that the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association decided to sanction wrestling as a girls varsity sport.
But Jan. 6, 2007 ought to be commemorated as "Independence Day".
On Saturday, 93 girls wrestlers from 21 different schools packed the main gymnasium and cafeteria at Kelso High School for what is believed to be the largest invitational girls wrestling tournament in Washington State history. It wasn't the first tournament that Lassies like senior Aly Wilson have competed in. The fourth, actually.
But, as Wilson pointed out, "it's home."
Kelso's first-year girls head coach, KHS English teacher Erinn Morton, tried to put the meet in perspective during her constant scrambling from mat-side to scorer's table to hospitality room.
"This is so gratifying, because now, our girls have a personal stake," she said. "They are representing their school, their classmates, their coaches and their community." By 4 p.m., six hours into the tournament, Morton was flush with excitement and a bit weary with co-orchestrating the first wrestling tournament of her life. According to Kelso boys head coach Bob Freund, the girls tournament and simultaneous boys junior varsity event was running very "smooth," with every wrestler "weighed in and bracketed by 9:15 a.m."
"We started 15 minutes early, due to the organization of Dave Holter and Gary Schimmel," Freund said. "And Morton. She busted her butt calling, e-mailing and faxing schools."
Morton had no experience with wrestling when Freund asked her to take over Kelso's fledgeling program, but has quickly transformed into a mat addict.
"I didn't realize that wrestling would become the passion of my life," she said, laughing. "My little boy (Cade, 6) is grappling around. I went to the Moses Lake tournament the night before Christmas. I went to the Sierra Nevada Classic (in Reno); there were 1800 matches and I couldn't stop watching. The day after I got back from that, I went to the Pacific Coast tournament. If you would have told me that I'd be spending my weekends watching tournaments, I'd tell you, um...no. This is very contagious."
Kelso had six wrestlers in the tournament on Saturday. Hoquiam brought 19 girls, and Sedro Woolley ---- making one of the longest road trips of the 27 teams that entered JV boys or varsity girls ---- had 11 girls wrestling.
Girls from Burlington-Edison (seven), White River (seven), Fife (six), Franklin Pierce (six), Washougal (six), Rochester (five), Mt. Baker (five), Emerald Ridge (three), La Center (two), Kentwood (two), and Skyview, Camas, Yelm, Ilwaco, Ridgefield, R.A. Long, and Columbia River (one apiece) joined six Lassies in what Hoiness said was "the largest girls tournament in the state, by far."
"We didn't have opportunities like this before," he added, scanning the four mats and two full tiers of fans in the stands in Kelso's main gymnasium. "We've hit three or four tournaments this year. It's the payoff."
Hoquiam senior Tess Grannemen, a third-year wrestler who won a state exhibition title last season in the 103 division and will run cross country at the University of Montana, agreed. "My first year, we had no tournaments to go to," she said. "Now, it seems like we have every other weekend. It sure beats sitting around and watching."
For girls wrestling to grow ---- and eventually achieve parity with boys wrestling, in terms of weight divisions and state berths ---- it will take more than quantity of tournaments. Those tournaments must also feature a depth of competition in each individual weight class.
Kelso's tourney is a start.
"Look at all these girls," said Wilson. "It shows that it's just going to keep getting bigger."
"This is a great step to building the system," Camas assistant coach Matt Chase added. "A tournament like this will also help get more girls involved."
"This (tournament) is put together really well," added Grannemann. "I really like it."
Larger tournaments like Kelso's offer girls wrestlers a chance to face several different opponents, which better prepares them for districts, sub-regionals, regionals and state.
"The bottom line is that we want these girls to do well," Morton explained. "They need a variety of opponents and a certain amount of mat time."
On Saturday, Wilson beat an opponent from Burlington-Edison who had pinned her with a "gnarly cross-face move" at the Gig Harbor tournament. She later lost a grueling match against Grannemann, who is hoping to return to the Tacoma Dome, this time as a regional qualifier.
"We finally get a chance to earn a place in the Tacoma Dome," said Grannemann, her emphasis on "earn."
While wrestlers battled inexorably towards March glories, coaches took the long view.
"This is the only girls tournament I've seen, and it's a good one," said Chase.
"It is exciting to see the reaction from other coaches wanting to come back," added Morton. "And there's just something about having it on your home turf."
Beach leads Lassies
Alisha Beach was a champion and all six Kelso grapplers finished in the top-three of their respective divisions as the Lassies held a 22-team girls' wrestling tournament on Saturday.
Beach won the 160-plus-pound division, while Aly Wilson (103), Amber Mendoza (112), Veronica Mendoza (119), and Shannon Hicks (125) also wrestled in finals matches and finished second. Kylie Wheeldon (130) placed third.
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Throwing down the cliches
John Carroll's Gabriella Denu brings her judo skills to the boys wrestling team
Cassandra A. Fortin
special to the sun
Originally published January 7, 2007
Judo skills enhance team
Gabriella Denu wrapped her arms around a 114-pound opponent's waist, lifted him onto his tiptoes and threw him to the floor.
Then she flipped a 121-pound foe over her shoulder. After she crashed the wrestler onto the mat, the 5-foot, 106-pound Gabriella plopped down and pinned him.
Just as quickly as she handled teammates during the recent practice session, the freshman has subdued skepticism about a girl being on John Carroll School's junior varsity wrestling team.
"At first I was worried about whether or not the boys would accept me as a part of the team, but it did not take much to prove myself," she said.
As promising as Gabriella looks as a wrestler, the sport is a new pursuit for her. And it is one she has dived into headfirst, because it complements her development in the sport she is even more passionate about: judo.
"I often do my judo throws in wrestling," said Gabriella, an Aberdeen resident who has been learning judo for about eight years. "It helps me improve my judo skills, and it helps me learn wrestling techniques."
She is the U.S. Judo Association's top-ranked female in the nation for her age and weight, based on her performance in several state, regional and national competitions. She also is ranked second in the Pan-American Judo Union, a region that includes North, South and Central America.
Now she is aiming even higher, setting her sights on the 2012 Olympics.
"From the time I competed in my first match, I knew that this was the sport for me," Gabriella said. "And I want to go all the way."
She was introduced to judo by her father, Richard, who was taking a jujitsu class in a building where judo also was being taught. Gabriella peeked in on the judo class and wanted to give it a try.
"I was happy she wanted to try it," said her father, an Aberdeen police officer. "She is athletically gifted. She is mentally tough, physically tough, and she is very determined."
Gabriella loved judo instantly. But it took longer for her mother to adjust the idea that her daughter chose judo - and then wrestling - over, say, ballet.
"I was asking my husband, 'What are you doing to my daughter?' But as soon as I saw her in her judo class, I knew it was right for her," Elaina Denu said.
Gabriella's No. 1 national ranking earned her a spot in the Pan American Infantile Championships held Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 in Maracaibo, Venezuela. But her path to competing on the world stage was clouded a month earlier by the death of her 13-year-old brother, Dillon, of a brain tumor.
Though devastated, Gabriella decided that she wanted to honor her brother by giving it her best shot at the competition. When her match began, she imagined Dillon watching from the stands.
"Dillon was always very impressed by what I was doing," she said. "Although I was emotionally drained, I was determined to make him proud of me. He was not there in person, but he was there in spirit cheering me on."
Gabriella finished second in the grueling competition. When she returned from Venezuela, she went back to wrestling.
Though her father had been happy about her taking up judo, her interest in wrestling was a harder sell. "When she came to me and said she wanted to join the boys wrestling team, the idea did not really appeal to me," he said. "Boys have all these creepy rashes, and they sweat, and I was not sure I wanted her with them. And there are a lot of injuries in wrestling versus judo."
But he let Gabriella make the decision.
John Carroll's wrestling coach, Keith Watson, was concerned about whether the boys on the team would warm to the idea of having girls on the squad (the roster also includes freshman Beth Bahr).
To break the ice on the first day of practice, Watson directed Gabriella to throw one of the bigger wrestlers. The team watched in amazement. Although it was the first time that girls had been on the team, the boys accepted their female teammates.
"Once I threw that boy, they knew I was serious about wrestling," said Gabriella, who wrestles in the 112-pound weight class and has compiled a 4-3 record.
Still, there are awkward aspects.
"She is a good wrestler and everything, but she is a girl," said teammate Trey Profili. "You have to be careful not to touch her body parts. She smells different, she has longer hair, and she acts different than boys."
At times, Gabriella's gender works to the team's advantage, Trey said.
"At the meets, guys come out and see her and they are not ready because they do not want to wrestle a girl," the 14-year-old Bel Air resident said. "So she wins the match, because they are not prepared."
The surprising discoveries about the opposite sex go both ways, Gabriella said.
"I did not expect the boys to be so mature," she said. "But they are fun to have around, and they help me when I need it."
More than anything, being on the team is an ideal arrangement for Gabriella because wrestling bolsters her judo. She frequently demonstrates judo throws during practice, including one called a Japanese whizzer.
"Judo lends itself to wrestling," said Watson, her coach. "And I wanted her on the team because she can teach the other wrestlers some of her throws."
Meanwhile, the judo work continues, and Gabriella keeps her goals clearly in focus.
"I know it will be a lot of work, but I want to make the world team and compete in the 2012 Olympics in London," she said. "I can do it. I have to work hard and not give up. Dillon would want me to try."
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Alone in a crowd -- Davis sophomore happy to be a trail blazer
By SCOTT SPRUILL
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC 1/5/07
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SARA GETTYS/Yakima Herald-Republic Davis wrestler Candra Graham practices with freshman Tommy Lagerquist during during a wrestling practice at Davis on Wednesday, December 3, 2006. |
Fear of the unknown? There's no such thing for Candra Graham.
In the summer of 2005, she was a diminutive young teen-ager transplanted from the southern Oregon coast to Yakima. She arrived on the campus of Davis that year as a freshman who didn't know anybody.
And out of 2,000 students, Graham decided to be the only girl turning out for wrestling.
Not exactly a bashful move.
But a deliberate one.
"I like being the only girl," says Graham, now a sophomore. "That means I'm the only one who can handle the challenge."
This year, for the first time, that challenge will offer a reward.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association will elevate its state girls tournament from exhibition status to an official event with individual and team champions next month, running concurrent with Mat Classic in the Tacoma Dome on Feb. 16-17.
Plans are still being finalized by the WIAA, but an eight-entry format with nine weight classes is expected with a regional tournament on each side of the mountains.
One of 10 high school girls wrestlers in the Yakima area, Graham has improved greatly from her first season, adding an off-season stint with the Yak-Attack freestyle club, and will be a strong contender for a berth in the first 112-pound state bracket.
The prospect of being part of the first official state field gives Graham a boost when muscles and nerves wear thin at the end of a long training sessions in Davis' humid wrestling room. But the physical aspect of wrestling isn't the challenge she holds up to other girls.
It's between the ears.
"The physical challenge, to me, isn't even half of it," she insists. "It's mental. When the body gets tired and breaks down, I want to be mentally stronger. That's what I think about."
With a hard-edged determination underlying her soft-spoken way, Graham is no-nonsense in practice, often sparring with varsity starters Courtney and Zach Nalley.
"I love having Candra on the team," says third-year Davis coach Eric Rotondo. "Her work ethic is tremendous. And being the only girl, she loves that. She revels in that."
The growth of girls wrestling is undeniable. Last year's state all-comers exhibition drew 156 entries and a recent state survey showed over 300 girls turned out at the start of the season.
SARA GETTYS/Yakima Herald-Republic Being the only girl on the Davis wrestling team doesn't bother Candra Graham, center. In fact, it's a source of pride, and she says she likes being the lone girl as it means that she's the only one up to the challenge. Graham hangs out with her teammates before practice begins at Davis on Wednesday, December 3, 2006. |
And yet girls, especially locally where numbers remain thin, still have a difficult time getting matches against other girls. Graham has wrestled in seven matches this season and six of them have been against boys.
For the most part, she's OK with that.
"Guys try to muscle you instead of using moves," she explains. "It's tough but I like the challenge. Some people look at girls as wimps, but I want to be stronger than anybody expects."
When the boys were unable to maximize their strength advantage in the Eisenhower Takedown Tournament, where speed and agility mattered most, Graham placed fourth overall in a large 112-pound field last month.
Rotondo says it's easier now to pair a girl with a boy in a match, that the uneasiness of such a gender clash is dissipating. Not long ago many boys simply wouldn't do it. It's that change in thinking that has helped girls get more matches and, thus, make advances in the sport.
"I'm always looking to get her matches and I do think it's a little easier now than it used to be," he says. "Most coaches -- not all, but most -- see girls as wrestlers just like all the boys."
The daughter of a state prep champion from Montana, Graham will tolerate a loss to a boy. But not a girl.
"I hate losing to a girl, just hate it," she says with half smile, half sneer. "I feel like if it's a girl, I should win that match."
Graham finally got that chance last week at Eastmont's Cat Classic. Not in the tournament field, she nonetheless warmed up as though she was, hoping Rotondo would find her a JV match.
Not only did the coach find an opponent in the 12-team field, he paired Graham with Bellevue's Jamie Bryce, who was 3-0 in her state exhibition pool in Tacoma last year.
"I was excited to get the match and twice as excited when it was a girl," she recalls. "I had no idea who she was or where she was from, I just wanted to wrestle my best."
Graham was plenty ready to pounce. Finishing off the match with an ankle pick move, she pinned Bryce in the second round.
"Last year when she first came out as a freshman I remember wondering how long she would last," Rotondo says. "Now she can compete with most girls her weight and she's moving up. By the time she's a senior she'll make a name for herself."
INSET
Valley Girls
Here's a list of girls currently on area high school teams:
Melissa Lewis, West Valley, sr.
Kali Moser, East Valley, sr.
Candra Graham, Davis, soph.
Adilene Caballero, Granger, jr.
Marcela Martinez, Granger, jr.
Sarah Rangel, Wapato, jr.
Mandi Moore, East Valley, soph.
Armani Emmal, Naches Valley, soph.
Inez Gutierrez, Mabton, soph.
Gabriella Guerrero, Sunnyside, fr.
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East Coweta, Northgate shine in first round
Published 1/6/07 in The Times-Herald
By TONY JONES
tony@newnan.com
LAGRANGE – The opening night of the LaGrange Invitational was plenty interesting for the three Coweta county schools.
East Coweta looked the best, winning eight opening round matches and securing a top-five position as action continued in the second round. The Indians didn't appear rusty at all and are set to have a big afternoon today.
Advancing to the second round were Blake Earich (125), Dwayne Anglin (130), Leighton Anglin (135), Nick Cochran (145), Daniel Cook (152), Ashton Cooper (160), Christian Flavin (189) and Joseph Babb (285).
Northgate won six opening-round matches with Keith Woolard (112), Paul Sanford (119), Justin Alderman (125), Josh Crager (130), Scott Ricker (140) and Dustin Wyatt (215) also advancing to the second round.
Sanford went on to win his second round match against Newnan 119-pounder Zack Thompson on a third-period pin. It was one of the few second-round matches that involved local competition that got completed before press time.
Another that was decided was the Newnan forfeit at 112 from Caleb Forbus. The forfeit was awarded to a female wrestler from Pike County. Newnan coach Clint McCall has a policy that doesn't allow his kids to compete against any female competition
It's a policy that hasn't been welcomed by the majority who support Newnan wrestling but McCall calls the shots and does what he believes is best for his program.
His decision wasn't a popular one on Friday night and seemed to devastate Forbus, a two-time county champion.
"I don't know what to say. This is very difficult to accept and handle. I worked very hard to be in this position to compete but this is out of my hands," said the Cougar junior.
Forbus was then consoled by representatives from many of the other teams competing including East Coweta, Northgate, Fayette County and LaGrange.
Forbus, Thompson and Josh Ruhmour (140) were the only Newnan kids who advanced to the second round.
McCall was forced to field a depleted Cougar squad in this challenging event. The team lost two starters due to grades, another to missing weight and two more weren't able to compete on last night because of storm damage suffered on Friday morning to their homes.
Northgate assistant Chris Kimes seemed to sum up things the best. "You can't say this wasn't an uneventful day and night. Our kids spent 90 minutes today missing class in tornado drills. The fact that any of us were able to focus and compete is commendable."
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Article Launched: 01/07/2007 08:52:43 AM PST
Wrestling with the boys didn't bother Vallejo High's Mary Jane Fernandez.
Fernandez, weighing 98 pounds, had an impressive outing at the Karen Foley Crossface Classic at St. Patrick-St. Vincent on Saturday, taking first place in the 103-pound bracket. Fernandez - "pretty impressive wrestling against the boys," assistant coach Carl Estrella said - went 3-0 with a single pin.
Also finishing first for Vallejo was 215-pounder Stephen Arguello, who went 3-0 and recorded a pair of pins. In the girls bracket, Vallejo's Sabrina Ross took first in the 103-pound division and 132-pounder Jasmine Delangin claimed a second-place result.
In the boys team results, with about a dozen schools represented, Rodriguez was first with 183.5 points. Following, in order, were St. Pat's (125), Benicia (113), Concord (82), Bethel (69.5) and Vallejo (64).
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Chatham-Glenwood wins Carbondale wrestling tourney
By Geary Deniston, For The Southern 1/7/07
CARBONDALE - Chatham-Glenwood earned just enough points Saturday to sneak past host Carbondale for its first Murdale Wrestling Tournament title.
With both teams capturing two first- and two third-place trophies, it came down to who could get more second and fourth places. In both cases, the Titans got the nod to beat the Terriers, 199 to 180.
"We had 12 out of 14 in the place bouts, so up and down we were pretty solid," said Titans coach Tommy Johnson. "At 130 Zach Pallante wasn't even going to wrestle because of a bad shoulder, but he made it to the finals and finished second. Even at 135 Dallas Tankersley loses his first match, but comes back to place sixth. It all helped."
The Titans picked up second-place finishes in the 112-weight class by Dan Ramsden, in the 130 by Pallante and in the heavyweight class by Paul Hinckley.
The Terriers picked up second-place points in the 145 by Zach Lomax and 215 by Mike Smith.
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Carbondale's brother-sister duo of Jared and Alli matched Chatham's two titles by Sam Danna at 160 and Jake Bennett at 189.
Alli Ragan's title in the 112-weight class was not only the first Murdale title for the freshman, but was the first time a girl has won a title in the 46-year history of the tournament.
"It's pretty cool being the first girl to win a Murdale title. I'm hoping it's the first of four," Ragan said. "(Ramsden) was the first match I had this season, so it was easier this time (winning 10-2). I was only ahead 4-0 going into the third period, so I kept the pressure on."
For her brother, Jared, it was the second time in three years the junior has won. Ragan beat Herrin's Thad Farlow by a tech fall at 3:58 in the 125 class. He also won as a freshman at 112 and finished second at 119 last year.
Herrin's John Kesler breezed through the competition at 145 to win his first Murdale title. He also claimed the coveted "Most Falls in the Shortest Time" award with three pins in an average time 1:35. The junior beat Carbondale's Zach Lomax on a pin with 30 seconds left in the second period.
"Reaching back to get him was actually the wrong thing to do, but it works on some people. He just got high and his head was on the outside, so I just grabbed it," Kelser said. "He is good. It would have gone all three periods if I hadn't caught him."
Herrin's Jake Holliday - last year's "Most Falls" champion - continued his undefeated season with three wins in the 119 class to up his season record to 15-0 and win his third straight Murdale crown.
Belleville East and Murphysboro led the tournament with three first-place finishes each. Sophomore Shae Baker at 140 and senior Matt McLaughlin at 275 each won their second consecutive titles while freshman Jake Miller winning his first at 103.
"He made a mistake and I capitalized on it (to pin him). I just put him in a Saturday night ride and he couldn't hang with it," McLaughlin said. "His mistake was wrestling me."
Zack Marvel took Johnston City's only first-place finish with a pin at 3:46. For the senior it was his first title of any kind and upped his season record to 17-1.
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BY BRIAN WEIDMAN 1/7/07
SVN SPORTS REPORTER
bweidman@svnmail.com
Alex T. Paschal/SVN Amboy wrestler Tanner Berogan (left) and Erie-Prophetstown wrestler Megan McCullough say they want to be treated just like boys by their competition. |
AMBOY - The shouts are always similar.
"Come on Tanner, get up," hollered one fan.
"Get your arm out of there, Tanner," implored another.
"Work it, Jordan. Be smart out there," pleaded the coach of the other wrestler.
These were the sounds heard during the 125-pound third-place match at the Amboy Fresh-Soph Wrestling Invitational, where Rockford Lutheran's Jordan Semevolos was a technical fall winner over Amboy's Tanner Berogan.
The unusual aspect of the match - Berogan is a girl, one of two in the competition at Amboy. Erie-Prophetstown's Megan McCullough was the other. Each of the freshmen earned fourth-place medals at the tourney.
The beginning
Berogan's father, Gary Lutz, helped start the Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation club team in Amboy three years ago.
She wanted in on the action, against her father's objections.
"He didn't believe in girls wrestling," Berogan said, "because he thought his daughters should be ladylike."
Berogan persisted and competed on the team as a seventh and eighth grader. A broken collarbone put her on the sidelines as a sixth grader.
"I was like, 'Dad, you have to let me wrestle," Berogan said. "At first he said no. When it came to the first practice, he said, 'Tanner, I thought you wanted to wrestle.' He told me if I quit, he'd never let me do another sport ever again.
"I can honestly say wrestling has been an adventure I'd never give back. I have no regrets."
McCullough has been around wrestling nearly her entire life. Her father, Tod, has been the head wrestling coach at Erie-Prophetstown for 11 years, and he's also involved in the school's youth program.
This season, Megan McCullough is filling a needed spot for the Panthers, who otherwise wouldn't have a competitor at 103 pounds.
"She came out to help me, her dad, and to help our team because she knew we didn't have a 103-pounder," coach McCullough said. "If she wasn't in the lineup, then we'd have to forfeit that. The goal in the beginning was to put her out there and take forfeits to help the team. It hasn't turned out that way. She's had to wrestle most every meet."
Perception
Opponents of Berogan and McCullough, some may argue, are put in a no-win situation. They're supposed to win, and if they do, what was accomplished?
"I've had it happen where they think they're better because I'm a girl," said McCullough, whose record is 9-11 with six of the wins via forfeit. "They wrestle different than they would somebody else."
When she's on the mat, Berogan simply wants to be treated like any other wrestler.
"I definitely want them to give it their all, because that's going to make me better in the long run," Berogan said. "I wouldn't appreciate them as a person if they took it easy on me. That's not what the sport's about."
Semevolos has now defeated Berogan twice this season. His approach to their matches was music to Berogan's ears.
"To me, it was just another match," Semevolos said. "I wanted third place, and she was who I had to beat."
Injury concerns
The physical nature of wrestling raises the question of potential injuries. Berogan has been injury-free since suffering the broken collarbone as a sixth grader.
"It's always in the back of my head," Berogan said, "but it's something I try not to think about."
"I've thrown Tanner against some pretty tough kids, and she doesn't back down," Amboy coach Sam Jones said. "She knows the consequences. If she gets hurt, she gets hurt. That's just part of the sport."
McCullough has thus far avoided wrestling injuries.
"That's possible an every sport," said McCullough, who also participates in volleyball, track and cheerleading at Erie. "You've just got to take the chance."
"When Megan decided to come out, my wife and I were blaming each other for it happening," coach McCullough said. "I said, 'You could have always said no.' She said, 'Well, you could have always said no.' Our biggest concern is that she doesn't get hurt. Right now at that weight, I don't see a whole lot of problems."
Teammates
McCullough's primary workout partner, 112-pounder Brett Schipper, concedes little when they scrap in practice.
"Yeah, it's different than a guy," Schipper said, "but to me, she's just another teammate. We push each other to make each other better. She's pretty tough and she stays up with us."
"I'm just glad she's out there helping us out," said Brad Stewart, another teammate. "Because there's a lot of teams that don't have wrestlers. She can get forfeits for us, and she tries her best. That's all we can ask for."
For McCullough, her wrestling teammates have become like an extended family.
"They're kind of like big brothers to me," McCullough said. "They treat me the same."
Berogan gets the same treatment at Amboy.
"It took them a while to warm up to me, but now, I could not be part of a better team," said Berogan, who noted her practice partner, Laramie Potts, is her best friend. "I have so much support from them and I love them for it. My coaches are great, too."
Jones, in his fourth year as head coach at Amboy, initially made one change in practice when Berogan joined the team, but that was quickly scuttled.
"At first, I had to tell the boys to watch their mouths," Jones said. "Then she came to me and said, 'That's all right with me. I can handle that.' I haven't changed anything with practice. She gets right in there and works with the boys."
Incidents
Berogan hasn't had an opponent refuse to take the mat against her because of her gender, but her younger sister has. Last year, as a seventh grader, Taylor Berogan had an opponent at an area tournament purposely injure himself rather than compete against a girl.
"He was scratching his arm in the bleachers and he told the ref he couldn't wrestle because he had some kind of disease," Tanner Berogan said. "It was a sight to see."
Jones noted the only problem he's had was at Peru St. Bede, which has a rule that girls must wrestle other girls. At that event, there was another female wrestler close to Berogan's weight class, so they competed against each other.
In her young wrestling career, McCullough hasn't encountered the problem of a male opponent who refused to compete.
"I'd probably be offended," McCullough said. "I'm out there, so I don't see why they couldn't try."
Coach McCullough acknowledged he could see how some opponents may be uneasy about the situation. At the varsity level, his attitude is he has to do what's best for his team.
"If it wasn't a varsity competition, I'd give my jayvee guys the option," coach McCullough said. "I'd say it's up to you. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, that's fine. I would hope their coaches would make the same consideration."
Coach McCullough said one coach's words particularly touched him in regards to his daughter.
"Randy Swinford from Princeton, after his kid beat Megan, she went over and shook Randy's hand, and he said, 'I've got three daughters and none of them would have done that for me,'" coach McCullough said. "He was just impressed that she'd step on the mat and try."
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Lunas win 10 titles in MIL opener
The Maui News 1/7/07
Maui High’s Jasmine Dollopac (right ) takes on Lahainaluna’s Victoria Milanio during their 114-pound match on Saturday at the Maui Interscholastic League’s first wrestling meet of the season held at Maui High. Dollopac defeated Milanio.
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KAHULUI – The Lahainaluna High School boys and girls wrestling teams won 10 titles at the Maui Interscholastic League Meet No. 1 on Saturday at Maui High School.
Travis Okano, a state champion from last year at 119 pounds, defeated Jireh Torres-Umi of Molokai at 125.
Also winning for Lahainaluna were George Chihara (103), Edison Hidalgo (112 A), Jared Panlasuigi (130 A), Daniel Quinlan (140 A), Holden Mowat (140 B) and Imihana Ampog (160 B).
In the girls matches, the Lunas won at 98 pounds with Brittany Bermudez-Lynch, 108 B with Ashley Hayase and at 140B with Chelsea Drazkowski.
The Baldwin boys won six matches, including Robbie Herbst at 112 B, Ronnie Herbst at 130 B and CJ Kalekini at 135 A, Jayson Patao at 135 B and Alix Quintana at 145 B.
Also winning on Saturday were Kamehameha Maui’s Kyle Saiki at 145 A, Rylan Echlar of Lanai at 152, Clinton Manley of Molokai at 171 A and King Kekaulike’s Landon Kerbow at 171 B.
Keifer Edwards of Maui High at 189 A, Keloni Kamalani of Kamehameha Maui at 189 B, Molokai’s Gregory Puaoi at 285 A and Maui High’s Mike Watlers at 285 B.
Stanley Nakamura of Kamehameha Maui and Kaena Puaoi-Dawson of Molokai tied at 119 while Maui High’s Jonathan Los Banos and Molokai’s Godfrey Akaka tied at 160 A.
St. Anthony had two girls winners in Tehani Ibarra at 114 and Tamra Takeshita at 130.
Kamehameha Maui’s Caronne Rozet won at 108 A, Hana’s Poha Kanakaole won at 140 A and Baldwin’s Kailee Andrade won at 175.
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