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State is wrestling over girls wrestling
UNION-TRIBUNE
February 26, 2007
It wasn't that long ago that starting a girls golf team on a local high school campus seemed analogous to mining for ice cubes in Death Valley.
Seven years – and plenty of growing pains – later, after its inclusion as an official San Diego Section sport, girls golf is growing locally, allowing girls to appreciate a high school sport long believed to be just for the boys.
Could a future like this be in the cards for girls wrestling?
Imperial's Priscilla Caldera and Hoover's Ana'i Novoa hope so.
This pioneering pair – both high school wrestlers competing regularly against boys – raised the profile of girls in the growing sport when they finished first and second in their respective weight classes at last weekend's Section Division Finals.
Caldera became the first female to win a section title against all-male competition in the state when she captured the Division IV crown in the 103-pound weight class.
Weighing in at 105, Novoa was runner-up for the Division II championship.
They're not alone, either. Earlier this month, a sophomore in Alaska became the first U.S. girl to win a state wrestling crown against boys, following efforts by others to place at state in Wisconsin, Missouri, Oregon and Maryland.
“Girls wrestling is a sport that is definitely on the horizon as far as being integrated and accepted,” said Jim Hall, the section's Masters tournament director. “It's a great participation sport, and what it teaches you in the big picture is off the charts.”
Five universities currently field varsity women's wrestling programs, while two others have clubs and still another group trains at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University.
Women's wrestling also made its debut at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
But has the time come for girls to go out on their own in high schools throughout California?
The State CIF will take a look at the potential of sanctioning girls wrestling this week at the State Wrestling Tournament.
If there's something to be learned from girls golf, which in 2000 split off from the boys team to become its own sport, the answer may be soon, but not quite yet.
Caldera and Novoa believe the sanctioning of separate girls teams would open the door to more girls trying out the sport.
However, they are also realistic. On Imperial's campus, Caldera and only one other girl currently wrestle.
Novoa is facing even bigger odds. On her campus of nearly 2,800, she remains the only girl wrestler.
For the past two years, the State CIF has supported separate Northern and Southern California Regional Tournaments to gauge interest.
The first two years of the Regionals failed to result in a significant rise in participation numbers.
Novoa is also concerned about the level of competitive depth on an all-girls team.
“I like the sport and try my best to be the best at the sport,” Novoa said. “But if we have to practice separate from the guys, it would be hard to get any better.”
Many of the section's top golfers felt the same way when girls golf was first introduced as a sport in the section.
They were even willing to forfeit their chance at a berth in the girls state championship to continue competing against boys.
Giving golfers that option made sense, and may be a good step forward for girls wrestling, too.
“People will actually notice there's more to wrestling than just boys, that there's a lot of good girls out there,” Caldera said. “(A state championship) would help people notice that, and give us more credibility.”
Would a state championship solve all of the issues that face girls wrestling? No. Officials at the school, section and state levels will have to address numerous issues from weight management to winning over a long-established male-dominated wrestling community.
“I want to break the stereotype that this is just a boys sport,” Caldera said. “This sport is very genderized. I want that to change. I want it to become a sport everyone can do and not be scared.”
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2/26/07
Other nominees
Lindsey Brooks, Klein — The senior won her third consecutive state wrestling championship at 148 pounds. She completed her career with 102 consecutive wins and 28 straight tournament victories since 2004. Brooks finished the year 40-0 and holds the career wins record for female Texas wrestlers with a 162-6 record.
Angie Murray, Cy-Fair — The junior was the state wrestling champion at 119 pounds. She finished with a 32-0 mark after being a state runner-up as a sophomore.
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Joshua Cooley, The Examiner
Feb 26, 2007
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BALTIMORE - Ned Sparks, the longtime executive director of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, remembers a time when female wrestling was unheard of. Then, sometime in the 1980s — he can’t place exactly where, when or who — a Maryland high school girl started wrestling.
A father of four daughters, Sparks recalled his own reaction: “No way.”
“Some people thought it was something scandalous,” he said.
My, how times have changed.
Last year, 51 girls wrestled in Maryland, according to MPSSAA records, and 70 did so in 2004-05. Nationally, female wrestling has been growing since 1990-91, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations, which reported 132 participants nationwide that year. By 2004-05, the last year statistics were available, participation had increased to 4,334 girls. (In contrast, 243,009 boys wrestled in 2004-05.)
Texas and Hawaii offer girls wrestling as a varsity sport with all-girls state championships, and other states such as California, Michigan and Washington are starting to support it more. In 2004, women’s wrestling became an Olympic event in the Athens Games.
Female wrestlers aren’t just multiplying — they’re winning. Last year, Michaela Hutchison of Skyview High in Alaska made national headlines when she became the first U.S. girl to beat a boy in a state championship (at 103 pounds).
But the sport still has a steep climb to respectability, in both numbers and perception. Currently, only five U.S. colleges offer it as a varsity sport. And if you view the issue in any major wrestling Web site’s chat room, you’ll see that chauvinism is still alive and well in the wrestling community.
“After the Olympics, there was a little bit of a surge, but not as much as USA Wrestling or the U.S. Olympic Committee would have liked,” said Shannyn Gillespie, the women’s wrestling coach at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University.
In Maryland, female wrestling is far from becoming a sanctioned varsity sport. Judging by last year’s figures, there’s far fewer than one female wrestler per public high school (186) in the state.
“The numbers can’t justify that,” Sparks said.
That’s fine with Nicole Woody. Arundel High’s star 103-pounder would rather wrestle boys. She said she’d never want to compete in places like Texas or Hawaii.
“Honestly, I don’t think they’re good wrestlers,” she said. “The coaches tend to say, ‘They’re girls. Be gentle on them.’ I totally don’t agree with that.”
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What’s a nice girl like you doing in this sport?
Joshua Cooley, The Examiner
Feb 26, 2007
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BALTIMORE - Ever since the Olympians of Ancient Greece began hurling each other down in dusty arenas, we have marveled at the visceral, sweaty undertaking of wrestling with pride and awe. It feels so good — so manly, if we’re completely honest — to vanquish a foe with cunning and power.
That said, you’d be surprised at what one of the Baltimore area’s top 103-pound wrestlers likes to do on the weekends.
“My nieces come over, and we play with Barbies all the time,” Arundel High’s Nicole Woody said. “My room is decorated with pink roses. I love to dance — oh my gosh, if there’s a dance around, I am there. I love to dance, have sleepovers, braid hair — the whole thing.”
Overinflated balloon of testosterone, meet pink pin of social evolution.
‘Nicole is a pioneer’
Women’s wrestling isn’t new, but its popularity — and success against boys — is on the rise. At the vanguard of this movement is an 18-year-old from Odenton.
Woody has broken barriers at the Maryland high school level and owns an expanding trophy case of national and international championships. She’s also in a prime position to compete for a spot in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and/or the 2012 London Games.
“All you have to do is watch one of her matches,” Arundel Athletic Director Bernie Walter said. “She’s a feminine young woman who’s an outstanding wrestler.”
Woody started wrestling at age 9 at the suggestion of her mother — yes, her mother. Mary Woody, whose family has deep wrestling roots, was thrilled with the discipline the sport taught her older son William, a Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“They excel in whatever they do,” Mary said of wrestlers. “I just knew that if it was good for him, it was good for her.”
Nicole was a natural. In her first dual match, she pinned her opponent in 10 seconds.
“And he quit,” Mary said, with a hint of pride. “She’s done that to a couple kids.”
Before long, Woody started wrestling year-round and climbing up the ranks. In 2002, she won the U.S. Girls’ Wrestling Association National Belt Folkstyle championship, which preceded three more USGWA national titles.
Currently the USGWA’s top-ranked 100-pounder, she is hoping to become the first girl to win four titles at the annual Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D., this summer. Last August, she was the only American to win a title (97 pounds) at the Junior World Championships in Guatemala City. She has also competed in Austria, Canada and Russia.
But that’s all against girls during the high school offseason. Woody prefers in-season male competition.
“Because of wrestling [boys] and the intensity with the coaches,” she said, “they make practice harder and work me harder.”
With a career varsity record of 66-18 that has come almost exclusively against boys, Woody enters this weekend’s state championships as a legitimate contender at the lowest weight class. And after arriving at Arundel three years ago as a previously home-schooled 16-year-old freshman, she’ll graduate with honors this spring.
“She works harder than any boy we’ve got in the room,” Arundel coach Bill Royer said. “She travels more than any boy we’ve got in the room. It’s not a male-female issue. She’s a wrestler, she wants to be a champion, and she’s succeeding in that.”
Woody is making a habit of making history. In 2005, she and former Western Tech wrestler Jade Hendricks became the first Maryland public school girls to qualify for the state tournament (Woody went 0-2). Last season, she joined Helen Maroulis of Montgomery County’s Magruder as the first females to win a state match. On Feb. 17, she became the first girl to win an Anne Arundel County title after pinning South River’s Curtis Taylor with 18 seconds left in the 103-pound final. And on Saturday, she became the state’s first female regional champion after beating Centennial’s Jack Western, 2-0, in the 4A/3A East Region final.
“Nicole has a lot of respect throughout the state. My impression of her is higher after that match,” South River coach John Klessinger said of the county final.
She has been featured in Sports Illustrated twice, Time Magazine, USA Today and Wrestling USA Magazine.
“Nicole is a pioneer at this sport,” Royer said. “My daughter wants to wrestle now. She follows Nicole around. It’s neat what she’s doing and the interest she draws to the sport.”
‘Those days should be over’
“Hopefully they will have their own teams until then the whole thing is a circus. Another stupid example of title 9 in action. How wonderful to read the paper and see our sport represented by women. … it’s just a freak show.” — “DY” from Perry Hall, on the MarylandWrestling.org message board
At last check, Sports Illustrated’s Jan. 22 article on Woody had prompted nearly 4,400 combined views on forums at MarylandWrestling.org and TheMat.com. Women’s wrestling is a hot issue, and a brief visit to these chat rooms reveals the sharp, often hostile divide of public opinion over the blurring of wrestling’s once-rigid gender lines. Woody has plenty of supporters, but there are others, it seems, who’d like her to swap her singlet and arm bars for a tutu and pirouettes.
Woody, though, is not a crusader for womanhood. She’s not out to prove anything. She’s just a girl whose personality long ago embraced both femininity and physical competition.
“I just always liked working hard, and then when you come out [of competition], you just feel so much better about yourself,” she said.
Local reaction to her has been mixed. Every so often, she runs into teams that forfeit a match rather than send a boy out to face her. Is it a not-so-subtle statement from a sexist coach? Is he simply trying to shield his boy from the perceived shame of losing to a girl? Either way, Royer has had enough.
“This embarrassment thing has got to end somewhere,” he said. “It’s not just her. Some teams, it doesn’t matter who the girl is, they won’t wrestle her. It’s just their principle. Those days should be over.”
Two years ago, the media attention surrounding Woody and the jealousy it spawned among some teammates and parents forced Royer to call a clear-the-air team meeting. One of boys eventually transferred schools. Since then, the situation within the team “hasn’t been great, but it’s been OK,” Royer said.
Having a female teammate “can be good, and it can be bad,” Arundel 140-pound junior Jordan Hernandez said. “The good thing is, you think it’s going to be easy, but the bad thing could be if you get beat by her, you feel really horrible. She’s cool and everything. … I give her mad props for going to states as a girl.”
Some of Woody’s own relatives object to her wrestling, according to her mother. Still, Woody presses on, unflinchingly. She said she has never felt ostracized by her teammates. Disrespectful opponents are easier to deal with.
“I can’t remember specifically, but I remember getting upset about something last year and then beating the crap out of somebody,” she said, laughing.
A ‘hopeful’ Olympian
Nicole Woody, U.S. Olympian? That’s a distinct possibility.
She has received a scholarship offer from the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University, one of four Olympic training centers in the country. If she accepts, she would be a full-time student at the university and a full-time USOEC athlete.
“She has been to several training center camps, and we’ve seen her compete against the best women and girl wrestlers in the country,” USOEC women’s wrestling coach Shannyn Gillespie said. “Her work ethic is real high, and her resume helps out.”
Woody is also intrigued by Oklahoma City University, which just announced it will start the nation’s fifth collegiate women’s wrestling program in 2007-08. But first, she is planning to take a year off from school to train for the 2008 Olympics. Beijing is no pipe dream.
“Hopeful, yes,” she said. “Hopeful is the word.”
But you know what Woody is really looking forward to? One night later this spring — when the weather is warmer and senioritis is in the air — she’s going to paint the town red.
“I love to dress up,” she said. “My friends — we have all these homecoming dresses that we’ve only worn once. So we’re going to rent a limo on a Friday night, dress up and all go out to eat.”
What a girly thing to do.
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Ukee Wrestler Medals At B.C. Championship
Published Date: 2007/2/26 0:20:00
By Westcoaster.ca Staff
One Ucluelet wrestler medaled and two others placed fourth and fifth at the B.C. High School Wrestling Championships in Surrey this weekend.
“It was a good tournament,” said Mike Rhodes, physical education teacher at Ucluelet secondary school. “We were pleased.”
Rhodes said Sidney Morrison, a Grade 11 girl, won bronze in the 64-kilogram category, and Noranda Sigmund, a Grade 11 girl, placed fifth in the 64-kg category.
Rhodes said Joel Cohen, a Grade 12 boy, took fourth place in the 90-kg category – becoming the first Ucluelet boy to place in B.C.’s top six.
In total, USS took 10 wrestlers to the tournament.
Rhodes said Morrison and Sigmund wrestled well until the semi-finals Friday, when they lost their matches. They came back, however, and placed third and fifth.
Cohen, said Rhodes, lost an early match, but came back to take fourth place.
Laura Wilson, whose father lives in Tofino, won gold for GP Vanier secondary school, located in Courtenay.
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'Iolani girls edge Kamehameha; Punahou boys repeat
Advertiser Staff 2/26/07
'Iolani edged defending champion Kamehameha, 142 points to 140, to win the Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls wrestling championship Saturday night at Punahou's Hemmeter Field House.
The Raiders were led by 108-pounder Carla Watase, who won her fourth league crown. 'Iolani had three other individual champions in Keiko Akamine (103 pounds), Megan Morisada (114) and Lindsey Tufono (155).
The Raiders also had one runner-up (Jessica Greenough, 125), one third-place finisher (Caitlin Mizoshiri, 98) and one in fourth place (Megan Oshiro, 140).
Kamehameha's Hoku Nohara also won her fourth ILH individual crown, defeating 'Iolani's Oliva Fatongia at 220 pounds in a rematch of last year's state final.
Punahou finished third in the team standings with 104 points.
Also on Saturday, Punahou won its second straight ILH boys title, collecting 175 points to outdistance runner-up Kamehameha (154.5).
The Buffanblu had four individual champions — Reid Oshiro (119 pounds), Arnold Toriumi (125), Daniel Chow (140) and Josh Plechaty (145). They also had two runners-up, Bryson Fukushima (112) and Rudie Schaefer (160), and six third-place finishers: Jordan Ng (103), Maika Nagata (130), Chris Shimizu (135), Charlie Egesdal (171), Wes Okazaki (189) and Sani Fuimaono (285).
Punahou also had two wrestlers who finished in fourth: Kenny White (152) and Matt Sasaki (215).
GIRLS
Team standings: 1. 'Iolani 142; 2. Kamehameha 140; 3. Punahou 104; 4. Pac-Five 95; 5. Hawai'i Baptist 28; 6. Sacred Hearts 20; 7. St. Francis 14; 8. Word of Life 12; 9t. Honolulu Waldorf 10; 9t. Mid-Pacific 10; 11. 'Iolani B 8; 12. Kamehameha B 2.
98 POUNDS
1. Macy Yonamine (KS); 2. Kelsie-Ann Mita (Mid-Pacific); 3. Caitlin Mizoshiri ('Iol); 4. Erin Uehara (Punahou); 5. Kari Watase ('Iol B).
103 POUNDS
1. Keiko Akamine ('Iol); 2. Kaety Enos (HBA); 3. Sunny Gandauli (SF); 4. Megan Ohtani (Pun).
108 POUNDS
1. Carla Watase ('Iol); 2. Tani Mashima (KS); 3. Ashley Furuta ('Iol B); 4. Alyssa Akiyama (KS B); 5. Lindsey Kido (Pun).
114 POUNDS
1. Megan Morisada ('Iol); 2. Reiko Campos (KS); 3. Easter-Lily Smith (SHA); 4. Brittany Atiburcio (Maryknoll).
120 POUNDS
1. Raena Campos (KS); 2. Risha Mishima (HBA); 3. Shelby Asato (Pun); 4. Nohelani Toci (KS B); 5. Cynthia Hosoda (SHA).
125 POUNDS
1. Kiana Parilla (KS); 2. Jessica Greenough ('Iol); 3. Natasha Bunin (Honolulu Waldorf); 4. Teale Nakashima (Punahou B); 5. Raquel Guss (Pun).
130 POUNDS
1. Jt Ojerio (Pun); 2. Alice Chow ('Iol); 3. Kelia Parilla (KS); 4. Grace Ong (Pun); 5. Denise Nakamura (SF).
140 POUNDS
1. Kara Takasaki (Pun); 2. Melody Aoki (WOLA); 3. Ana Snyder (SF); 4. Megan Oshiro ('Iol).
155 POUNDS
1. Lindsey Tufono ('Iol); 2. Ilima-Lei Macfarlane (Pun); 3. Taisha Santiago (KS); 4. Jessica Caires (SHA).
175 POUNDS
1. Rebecca Jong (Pun); 2. Tiana Ogata (SHA); 3. Fransina Savusa (Pun); 4. Marika Ikehara (KS).
220 POUNDS
1. Hoku Nohara (KS); 2. Oliva Fatongia ('Iol).
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WRESTLING (updated): Downing wins silver on final day of Kiev International in Ukraine
2/25/07
Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) captured a silver medal at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. in the women’s division on the final day of the Kiev International on Feb. 25.
Downing was the only U.S. medalist for the day. The competition on Sunday featured six weight classes, three in women’s freestyle and three in men’s freestyle.
Downing, a 2005 World bronze medalist, won her first three matches during the day. She opened with a victory over Auriele Gerlac of France, then stopped Maryana Kyvatkovska of Ukraine. In the semifinals, Downing had a clutch victory over 2002 World champion Kateryna Burmistrova of Ukraine.
Downing was defeated in the championship finals by 2006 World bronze medalist Monika Rogien of Poland.
“Katie looked good today,” said National Women’s Coach Terry Steiner. “She beat Burmistrova of Ukraine in the semifinals, a former World champion. In the first period of the finals, she was driven out of bounds by Rogien. The second period was also like that. Katie could have won the match. She missed a couple of opportunities to get behind for for takedowns. She wrestled solid, but she has some things to work on.”
Two U.S. wrestlers placed fifth in their divisions after losing bronze-medal matches: Jenny Wong (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and Leigh Jaynes (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs.
Wong, a 2003 World bronze medalist, opened with a win over Trusova of Russia, but lost to eventual champion Zamira Rakhmanova of Russia in the semifinals. Wong was beaten in the bronze-medal round by Francine De Paola of Italy.
Jaynes had a 2-2 record for the day. After an opening victory, Jaynes dropped her second match to Mariya Smolyakova of Russia. After beating Elmira Mursalova of Russia in her first wrestleback bout, Jaynes fell in the bronze-medal round to Ludmila Kristya of Moldova.
The men’s weight divisions contested on Sunday were 60 kg/132 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs. and 96 kg/211.5 lbs.
All four U.S. freestyle wrestlers who competed on Sunday were defeated in their opening match and were eliminated when their opponents failed to qualify for the finals.
With Downing’s silver medal, the USA captured five medals during the weekend. Claiming silver medals on Saturday were Marcie Van Dusen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Navy) and Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC). Winning a bronze medal on Saturday was Randi Miller (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC).
KIEV INTERNATIONAL
at Kiev, Ukraine, Feb. 25, 2007
Women’s medalists
51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Gold – Zamira Rakhmanova (Russia)
Silver – Marina Markevich (Belarus)
Bronze – Alena Adashinskaya (Russia)
Bronze – Francine De Paola (Italy)
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold – Larisa Kanayeva (Russia)
Silver – Mariya Smolyakova (Russia)
Bronze – Ludmila Kristya (Moldova)
Bronze – Kateryna Yakushkevich (Belarus)
67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold – Monika Rogien (Poland)
Silver – Katie Downing (USA)
Bronze – Anna Shamova (Russia)
Bronze – Kateryna Burmistrova (Ukraine)
U.S. performances
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Jenny Wong, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 5th
WIN Trusova (Russia)
LOSS Zamira Rakhmanova (Russia)
LOSS Francine De Paola (Italy)
59 kg/130 lbs. – Leigh Jaynes, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 5th
WIN Yevheniya Kurkudyuk (Ukraine)
LOSS Mariya Smolyakova (Russia)
WIN Elmira Mursalova (Russia)
LOSS Ludmila Kristya (Moldova)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Katie Downing, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 2nd
WIN Auriele Gerlac (France)
WIN Maryana Kvyatkovska (Ukraine)
WIN Kateryna Burmistrova (Ukraine)
LOSS Monika Rogien (Poland)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkov, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Northern Elite), 8th
WIN Kristin Buettner (Germany)
LOSS Anna Shamova (Russia)
Men’s freestyle medalists
60 kg/132 lbs.
Gold – Vasyl Fedoryshin (Ukraine)
Silver – Maksim Matus (Ukraine)
Bronze – Avil Ibragimov (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Yevgen Khavilov (Ukraine)
74 kg/163 lbs.
Gold – Ali Denylkhanov (Russia)
Silver – Gela Saginashvili (Georgia)
Bronze – Derdier Kelehsaev (Russia)
Bronze – Besarion Bikoev (Russia)
96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Georgiy Tibilov (Ukraine)
Silver – Vasyl Tesmineiskyy (Ukraine)
Bronze – Eldar Atakshiev (Azerbaijan)
Bronze – Yevhen Dukhin (Ukraine)
U.S. performances
60 kg/132 lbs. – Angel Cejudo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), dnp
LOSS Mars Ernazarov (Kazakhstan)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Donny Pritzlaff, Madison, Wis. (New York AC), dnp
LOSS Dmytro Komissar (Ukraine)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Ramico Blackmon, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), dnp
LOSS Mihail Ganev (Bulgaria)
96 kg/211.5 lbs. - Damion Hahn, Ithaca, N.Y. (Minnesota Storm), dnp
LOSS Andrey Vishar (Ukraine)
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Sports in Brief | Olympic champion survives plane crashCompiled
By The Inquirer Staff 2/26/07
Olympic wrestling champion Rulon Gardner and two other men were rescued by a fisherman on Lake Powell in Utah yesterday after surviving a small plane crash near Good Hope Bay the day before.
Gardner was a passenger in the Cirrus SR 22 along with pilot Randy Brooks and his brother, Leslie Brooks, according to a Garfield County news release. The plane was flying low when it struck the water, and all three men were able to get out of the plane before it sank.
The three men swam for more than an hour in 44-degree water before reaching shore and then spent the night without shelter, according to the release. None suffered life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
Gardner, 35, pulled one of the most stunning upsets in Olympic history at the 2000 Games, winning the gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling by ending Alexander Karelin's 13-year international winning streak. He also won a bronze medal in 2004.
In 2002, Gardner became stranded while snowmobiling in the Wyoming wilderness and lost one of his toes to frostbite.
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Goodrich girl qualifies for state wrestling finals
GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Monday, February 26, 2007
JOURNAL SPORTS WRITER
Goodrich's C.C. Weber became just the sixth Michigan girl ever to qualify for the state wrestling meet.
The sophomore 103-pounder finished second at the Division 3 regional at Brooklyn Columbia Central. The top four finishers in each weight class advanced to state tournament March 8-10 at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Weber pinned Erie-Mason's Jesse Stirn in 25 seconds in her opening match before knocking off Onsted's Mike Merfert 17-7. Weber fell 5-0 to Dundee's Derek Borsvold in the title match. She is 40-7 with 16 pins.
Weber is attempting to become just the second girl to medal at the state tournament by finishing in the top eight. Martin's Amy Barridge was seventh in 2004. The area's only other female state qualifier was Davison's Keristen LaBelle in 2000.
Weber was one of seven Martians who advanced, including two champions. Weber's brother Mark, a two-time state champion, won his second regional title in three years, taking a 5-1 decision from Yale's Andrew Schutt in the 125-pound final. He is 54-1 this season.
Grant Overcashier edged Dundee's Garrett Stevens 2-0 in the title match at 130. He's 52-2. Kyle March reached the 189-pound final before falling to Napoleon's Jason Weatherspoon 13-5. Kirk Britton dropped an 11-4 decision to Dundee's Pete Rendina in the title match at 119.
Kyler Elsworth nipped Hillsdale's Devin Standahl 8-6 for third place at 171 while David Garr fell to Madison Heights Lamphere's Don Gorman 8-4 in the third-place match at 112.
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Gray Hopes To Wrestle Her Way Into History Books
Marcia Neville
Reporting 2/26/07
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(CBS4) LITTLETON, Colo. Adeline Gray is a teenager with big goals; she wants to be the first girl to score a point during the state wrestling tournament.
Gray is the first girl to wrestle for Chatfield High School. She made the varsity team as a freshman when she was at Bear Creek High School.
Of course, she has plenty of experience. "I won the state title as a 6 year old," said Gray. "I decided to stick with it after that."
Her high school career is off to a respectable start; she went 18-7 this year before getting season-ending surgery on her thumb. She's already a four-time national girls wrestling champion.
But even those credentials don't shield her from all the criticism. The comments she hears include ones from people saying she should not be wrestling because she is a girl.
Click here to read the rest of the story.
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