News Page
By Brendan Sagara 1/10/07
Special to the Star-Bulletin
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OVER the past three years, Kamehameha two-sport star Randolyn "Hoku" Nohara has elicited many descriptions and superlatives from opponents, teammates and fans. Words commonly used in reference to Nohara are "talented" or "imposing," but the word heard most often to describe the three-sport standout is "dominant."
A world-class powerlifter who has set five national bench-press records and five state marks, Nohara set her first state record in 2003, and set her first national mark a year later. In 2005, Nohara eclipsed her own national open division record by benching 314 pounds at the World Association of Bench Pressers and Deadlifters Championships in Reno, Nev. Last year, she put up 352.5 pounds to set a new national record for girls ages 16-19.
Nohara has also established herself as one of the top wrestlers -- male or female -- in state history. Already a three-time state champion, the 5-foot-7 Nohara is aiming for her fourth title at 220 pounds this season. Currently ranked sixth in the nation among wrestlers over 165 pounds by the United States Girls' Wrestling Association, Nohara hopes to become just the fourth four-time champion, joining Iolani's Patrick Higa (1983-86), Jonathan Spiker (2000-03) of Saint Louis, and Caylene Valdez of Moanalua (2000-03).
If she pulls the trick, Nohara would be the first to win all four of her titles in the same weight class.
"Winning that fourth state title is definitely one of my goals," Nohara said. "I know that I've been given some ability and I try to honor that by working as hard as I can to make the most of it."
Besides her dominance in the power sports of weightlifting and wrestling, Nohara has also displayed her versatility with her exploits on the softball field.
"The girl is a star in two sports, plain and simple," said Kamehameha softball coach Ty Sing Chow. "She dominates on the mat, and out here, she is one of the best. The thing people don't realize is that she is athletic. Her sophomore year she played the outfield for us. In club ball, she catches, and this year she's playing third base for us and playing it really well."
On the diamond, Nohara has been one of the main cogs for the Warriors for some time. This year the 2005 All-State honorable mention slugger has returned to the heart of the Kamehameha lineup to hit .420 with two homers and 10 RBIs for the 6-2 Warriors. Last year, Nohara returned from a wrestling injury just in time for the final three regular season games to help Kamehameha capture the ILH title and the state tournament's top seed.
This past summer, Nohara led her club team, Ho'onou, to the state 16-and-under title and an appearance at the Amateur Softball Association nationals in Seattle, Wash.
"I really don't think I can say that either sport is my favorite," Nohara said. "Wrestling and softball have different things to offer, and I like them equally. Softball is definitely a sport you play for your team, while wrestling is an individual thing. You're the only person that can go out there and perform."
Nohara has already accepted a scholarship to play for coach Callen Perreira at the University of Hawaii-Hilo next year. Nohara's signing is the latest in a string for Kamehameha softball, which has sent players to college programs at Tennessee, East Carolina and the University of Hawaii in recent years.
"Hoku is as dangerous as any player we've had," Sing Chow said. "She can change the game with one swing of the bat. Because of her size and strength she is a physical player who can contribute not only with her bat but with her arm, her glove and she runs surprisingly well, too."
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But for those closest to Nohara, other words apply when describing the talented teen. Among them are "humble, considerate" and most of all, "daddy's girl."
"I have been a daddy's girl my whole life," said Nohara. "I was his little girl when I was a kid, and I still am to this day. He's always coached me in everything and my mom's always been there, too, screaming all kinds of stuff at my games."
Indeed much of Hoku Nohara's success can be attributed to her father, David, a former wrestler at Moanalua and a coach on Kamehameha's intermediate school squad.
David sparked Hoku's interest in strength training by accident as a child. He began dishing out exercise as methods of discipline, but soon found Hoku enjoying the workouts a bit too much.
"When she was about 4, I decided to make her do push-ups and sit-ups instead of giving her spankings," David said. "But it came to a point where she would do the workouts on her own. I remember walking past her room when she was about 7, and seeing her on the floor working out."
Hoku's self-directed workout routine would soon take wings, as she noticed her gains.
"She could tell she was getting stronger than the other girls and I guess she liked it," David said. "She played her first season of softball when she was 8, and began wrestling immediately after that. I had already been training her to wrestle a little at home and then I saw a sign on the side of the road in Hawaii Kai about a PAL wrestling team out there and that was the start of it all. She was hesitant at first, but soon she was beating the boys, and she just fell in love with the sport."
By the eighth grade, Hoku was already competing in varsity wrestling tournaments. While she was able to compete physically with most wrestlers, one tough opponent motivated her to enhance her strength.
"At that point, we sat down and talked about what her goals were," David said. "She said she wanted to be a four-time state champion. We came across Keith Ward, who was coaching a youth powerlifting team out here and that's how she started with the weightlifting."
Of all the coaching, encouragement and parenting Hoku has received from David and her mother and namesake, Randolyn, perhaps no lesson is of greater importance than the humility she learned from them.
"She's really a good girl," David said. "She has a lot of heart and she refuses to fail in anything, and that's carried over into her academics, too. Hoku gets along with everybody and shares our faith in the Lord. We brought her up to look out for the younger ones, the weaker ones and she has taken it to heart."
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Liz Short wrestles her way through life with USOEC program
Colleen O'Reilly USOEC
01/09/2007
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MARQUETTE MICH. – Imagine this. It’s 5:00 a.m. You’re buried under three of your most comfortable blankets snug and warm, and then you hear it, that loud “beep, beep, beep!” It’s time for United States Olympic Education Center athlete Liz Short to wake up and start another grueling day.
After hitting the snooze button a few times, Short is up by 5:15 a.m. She spends about a half hour getting ready and heads out the door.
Unlike most Northern Michigan University students, however, she isn’t on her way to class. Instead, she is on her way to the first freestyle wrestling practice of the day. Only after an intense two-hour training session of running, weightlifting, rope climbing, pull ups, push ups and live wrestling, is it time to focus on academics.
The NMU senior athletic training major attends four hours of class, takes in an afternoon practice and heads to the PEIF’s Care Clinic. She doesn’t go to the clinic for her own treatment; however, she goes to help others. Short uses her time in the clinic to gain experience for her future career.
She evaluates members of the university community and provides primary treatment for sport and physical activity related injuries. Short plans to put her experience to use in her professional and athletic careers.
“Through athletic training, I am able to better understand how my body works and how my competitor’s body works. I think this knowledge gives me an advantage on and off the mat,” says Short.
For most students, dinner time signals the end of the day; they’re ready to head home for the night. But for Short, it’s back to school.
Following class, she takes a one-hour break for dinner and hits the books. She studies as long as she can, but finds her eyelids getting heavy after such a long, challenging day.
Aside from having a great support system, which she credits to her professors, coaches, family and the USOEC, she maintains an internal drive to help her get through each day.
“The thought of earning my degree and becoming an Olympic champion keeps me going. It is my motivation,” she says.
Short’s athletic and academic successes are the results of her hard work, but she’s not the only athlete with dreams of Olympic gold and a college degree. About 90 resident USOEC athletes on the campus of NMU are striving to achieve their own academic and athletic goals.
To learn more about them and how to support their efforts, please go to
www.nmu.edu/USOEC
Liz Short (Lombard, Ill.) proves herself in the classroom and on the mat. She overcomes challenges daily as she follows her dreams of winning Olympic gold and earning a college degree
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By Bruce Campbell Staff Writer 1/10/07
Until a month ago, Clint Dodds hadn’t wrestled since he was in the fifth grade.
The Enid senior made up for lost time Tuesday as he pinned Matt Lovelace in 32 seconds for his first win of the season as the Plainsmen beat injury-ridden Woodward 59-18 at Mark Price Arena.
The Boomers were missing six starters because of either injuries or illness, including Watonga Tournament champion Zac White and Joey Miller, the first girl to place at the state tournament and a national girls champion.
Dodds, wrestling at 171 pounds, took Lovelace down in 19 seconds and soon put him on his back. That was Dodds’ first fall since he got second place in a tournament as a fifth-grader.
“I just wanted to get it done quick,’’ Dodds said. “I was going for a pin all the way.’’
Dodds reported to practice Dec. 11 after helping lead Enid to the Class 6A state championship football game as a starting linebacker. He decided to wrestle to get in better shape for baseball.
The win raised his record to 1-3.
“Things are getting better as we go,’’ Dodds said. “At the beginning, I was too much out of shape. I’m in pretty good shape now and I’m taking a run at it. Wrestling shape is totally different than football or baseball shape.’’
The Plainsmen also got falls from 189-pounder Lane Singer, who flattened Joe Sampson in 1:11 despite moving up two weights, and heavyweight Justin Glenn, who stopped John O’Dell in 5:52.
Shane Perosi won by an injury default over Derek Branson at 215.
The Plainsmen got major decisions from Brayden Daniels, who beat Daniel Flores 11-1 at 152, and Dakota Druse, who beat Kyle Shannon 15-6 at 160. J.B. Stuart was Enid’s other contested winner, beating Carlos Aguirre 3-1 at 135.
Woodward got falls from Jake Ruble at 125, Caleb Lewis at 130 and Ramon Marin at 140 but could not overcome forfeits at 103, 112, 119 and 145.
White was injured at the Watonga Tournament. Miller was sent home from school in the morning because of illness.
“We gave them 30 points before it even started,’’ said Woodward coach Greg Johnson. “Derek Branson didn’t have any business finishing. He was mad at me because I didn’t let him finish. Joey tried to go to school today because she wanted to wrestle, but the doctors wouldn’t let her.’’
The forfeits, Enid coach Shane Kerr said, did take some pressure off his younger wrestlers. He especially was pleased with Dodds and Singer.
“We got our bonus points where we needed to,’’ Kerr said. “Clint has been working hard in the room and he went out and got a good fall. For Lane Singer to bump up for 160 to 189 and get a fall, that’s huge.’’
Kerr said he felt for the Boomers.
“Coach Johnson has them in shape, but any time you have that many starters out, it’s makes it tough,’’ Kerr said. “That can be an 18-point swing.’’
Freshman 119-pounder Clinton Barker was prepared to wrestle Miller after making weight. Kerr had said Monday Barker might have trouble making the weight.
“We would have wrestled her — maybe,’’ Kerr said.
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2 Girls Wrestle In Jackson, Minn. H.S. Match
CBS Broadcasting Inc 1/10/07
(AP) Jackson, Minn. It may have been a first in Minnesota high school varsity wrestling, a girl facing another girl in a wrestling match.
It happened Tuesday night in Jackson, in southwestern Minnesota.
The dual meet between Class 2A second-ranked Jackson County Central and Fulda/Murray County Central started with each team having a girl wrestling at 103 pounds.
"As far as the Minnesota State High School League can tell, it was the first time two girls competed against each other at the varsity level," league spokesman Howard Voigt said.
Fulda/Murray County Central eighth-grader Elissa Reinsma pulled away from JCC freshman Natalie Rutt in the third period to win 7-2.
Rutt had scored a takedown early in the third period to make it 4-2, but Reinsma registered an escape and a takedown later for the win.
JCC won the dual meeting 29-27, giving Huskies coach Randy Baker his 297th career victory.
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Girl vs. girl high school dual wrestling meet in Jackson, Minn.
KARE-11 1/11/07
It may have been a first in Minnesota high school varsity wrestling, a girl facing another girl in a wrestling match.
It happened Tuesday night in Jackson, in southwestern Minnesota.
The dual meet between Class 2A second-ranked Jackson County Central and Fulda/Murray County Central started with each team having a girl wrestling at 103 pounds.
"As far as the Minnesota State High School League can tell, it was the first time two girls competed against each other at the varsity level," league spokesman Howard Voigt said.
Fulda/Murray County Central eighth-grader Elissa Reinsma pulled away from JCC freshman Natalie Rutt in the third period to win 7-2.
Rutt had scored a takedown early in the third period to make it 4-2, but Reinsma registered an escape and a takedown later for the win.
JCC won the dual meeting 29-27, giving Huskies coach Randy Baker his 297th career victory.
Breaking into the Band of Brothers
By Jennifer Small
Published on 1/11/2007
In seventh grade, Gabby Caruso and a few other girls decided to give wrestling a try. Gabby, now a freshman, was the only one who stuck with it and is the only girl on East Haven's wrestling team.
“We get along and it's like a big family where I'm the only sister,” Gabby says. “The guys had to adapt to having a girl on the team, but they respect me and I respect them—they treat me like I'm one of them.”
Besides changing before practices and meets, the team acts as any other team would. Once everyone is dressed and ready, Gabby meets up with the team in the locker room to get ready for the match.
Gabby wrestles at 189, though she is hoping to compete at 160 or 171 by the end of the season. After seeing some success at the middle school level, coming onto the high school scene was a bit of an adjustment.
“This year, it's gotten harder,” says Gabby. “At the high school level, the guys are bigger. A lot of the kids are bigger, but I go in there and do what I have to do and whether I win or lose, I get back up and shake his hand.”
Gabby has also had to deal with looks from her opponents when they realize they are going to wrestle against a girl.
“Sometimes you could tell in his [my opponent's] face, he's thinking 'Oh it's a girl, this will be easy,' but sometimes I put up a good fight,” says Gabby. “What they think doesn't matter, you just have to go out there and wrestle with your whole heart.”
When Gabby decided to wrestle, her dad signed the papers and wished her well. Even though her mother had passed away years before she started wrestling, Gabby knew she would've approved of the decision.
“She was kind of a tomboy so I know she would've been right by my side, signing the papers and on the sideline screaming and cheering,” says Gabby.
Though her dad supported her wrestling career, her grandparents who she lives with weren't so sure about it. It wasn't until after her dad passed away in June 2006 that her grandmother came to love the sport.
“She came to one of my meets and she fell in love with it,” Gabby says.
Though many people may have given up on their dreams after losing both of their parents at a young age, it has only given Gabby more drive and inspiration to succeed.
“My parents are the main thing that keeps me going because I know they'd never want me to give up so I just keep pushing myself,” says Gabby. “Of course, I would love to have them back, but if I had the choice, I wouldn't take them back because losing them has made me who I am now.”
The hard work and determination Gabby displays extends past the wrestling mat as she is an honors student and the freshman class president. Gabby plans on keeping her grades up and going to school to be a lawyer.
Besides being influenced by her parents and grandparents, Gabby has also found support and inspiration in her teammates and her coaches.
“A lot of the kids on the team push me. Frank [Funaro] really helps me a lot—he's a big aspect of what keeps me going,” says Gabby. “All of my teammates and coaches are great and really push me to do well.”
Though Gabby is the first female wrestler, she doesn't look at her participation as something that is gender-based. The team has also accepted Gabby with open arms, though they do make some adjustments for her.
“It's not even the fact that I'm the only girl any more, now wrestling's my sport,” says Gabby. “They call themselves a big band of brothers—and Gabby. I just love them all. They're a big band of goofy brothers.”
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By Staff Shore News
Published on 1/11/2007
After HK's wrestling meet on Jan. 3 against Bacon Academy, captain Darcey Hughes took a moment to comment on her performance, “I got pinned, unfortunately. I wrestled in the 140-weight class, even though I meet weight for the 135-weight class. That makes things more difficult, but I'll go wherever the team needs me.”
This selfless attitude is one of the reasons that Coach Geoffrey Korper and his assistants chose Darcey as one of the team's four captains.
“This is our second year as a varsity program so there are still holes to fill in the line-up,” Korper says. “Darcey bounces around weight classes so we don't have to forfeit matches. She balances out our captains' roles, bringing a very organized and methodic approach to the entire team experience. She looks at more than just what's on the mat.”
This may be explained by how Darcey was introduced to the sport. Last year, she found an interest in wrestling and decided to manage the team. Halfway through the season, she stopped ignoring her urge to wrestle and joined the team as an athlete while maintaining her duties as a manager. This season she still aids Christina Pudeler, the head manager, with anything from scorekeeping to ordering uniforms.
Darcey's primary place is now on the mat though. She discovered a passion for wrestling that is about more than winning and losing.
“I love wrestling and that's what's most important to me about any sport—you have to enjoy it,” she says. “Wrestling is fantastic because it's a team sport based on individuals' performances. It's just you and your opponent on the mat, so you learn a lot about yourself and what your capable of, what your limitations are.”
Though female wrestlers are not uncommon today—there are three girls on HK's team—Darcey is still a captain of what is primarily a male sport.
“Recently, the team has been passing around a book called No Excuses by Kyle Maynard. It is an autobiography. Kyle has no arms or legs, but he is a champion wrestler and weightlifter,” says Darcey. “After reading that, it confirmed that I could succeed just as well as anybody else no matter what. A pin is a pin, whether you're a boy or girl.”
Though a pin is a pin, there are variances in some moves between the sexes.
“There are a few moves that girls and boys have to do differently because of differences in build,” says Darcey. “Our coaches are great at altering moves for the girls on the team, though. One advantage we have is better natural flexibility. Tonight against Bacon, I was able to slip out of three separate half-nelsons, which is a tough hold to get out of.”
Darcey has come to love wrestling above all her extra-curricular activities. Once heavily involved with drama, she has replaced the stage with the wrestling mats, which was a “hands down” decision according to her. A junior at HK, she has an entire season ahead of her and will return next year as an experienced senior.
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