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UWO women's team place third at the CIS wrestling Championships
Sunday, March 4, 2007
London, Ontario, CANADA - The University of Western Ontario ( UWO) men’s and women’s wrestling teams traveled to Saskatoon , Saskatchewan this weekend ( March 2-3, 2007 ) to compete in the Canadian University ( CIS ) wrestling championships. " Both teams performed exceptionally well in one of the toughest competitions of the year" said Ray Takahashi - UWO head wrestling coach. Sixteen Universities took part at the Championships.
Overall the UWO women’s team placed third in the team standings while the men finished 7th. Individually, Western rounded up a total of 4 medals. On the women’s side UWO wrestler Laura Skopelianos placed 3rd beating arch rival Liz Martindale of Brock University in the bronze medal match. This is the second time in two weeks that Skopelianos beat Martindale in a medal match round.
First year wrestler Jessica Belchos also placed 3rd beating Samantha Mckay of the University of Alberta. Team captain Jessica Fitzgerald beat OUA champion Stephanie Howorun of McMaster in extremely close match avenging her earlier loss at the OUA championships two weeks ago.
Additionally, 4 other women placed in the top six including Jill Mccallum (63 kg) 4th, Stephanie Szmiett (48 kg) 5th, Lauren Macdonald (82 kg) 5th, Katrina Huszarik (59 kg) 6th. Overall women’s team standings were led by the University of Calgary followed by Simon Fraser and in 3rd place University of Western Ontario.
On the men’s side Ivey MBA graduate student Steve Ko lead the way with a bronze medal performance at the 72 kg weight class, beating Matt Sparling from the University of Guelph. Steve lost a hard fought semi final match to Jarret Wall from the University of Alberta, which would have seen him compete in the gold medal match. Steve ended off his University wrestling career on a high note winning his first CIS medal.
All men placed in the top 6, finishing 4th Jeff Werden (54 kg), Josh Dawson (68 kg) 5th, Vi Nguyen-huu (82 kg) 6th, Ryan Stewart (90kg) 4th and Ian Patton (130 kg) 4th. The mens team crack the top ten placing 7th one point behind the University of Regina in a very tight men’s team standings which was won by the Brock University on a 3 way tie with Simonn Fraser University and University of Saskatoon. Brock University won due to wining more gold medals.
UWO - Women results:
Stephanie Szmiett - (48 kg) - 5th
Laura Skopelianos -(51 kg) - 3rd
Katrina Huszarik -(59 kg) - 6th
Jill Mccallum -(63 kg) - 4th
Jess Fitzgerald -(67 kg) - 3rd
Jessica Belchos -(72 kg) - 3rd
Lauren Macdonald -(82 kg) - 5th
UWO - Men’s results:
Jeff Werden -(54 kg) - 4th
Josh Dawson -(68 kg) - 5th
Steve Ko -(72 kg) - 3rd
Vi Nguyen-huu -(82 kg) - 6th
Ryan Stewart -(90 kg) - 4th
Ian Patton -(130 kg) - 4th
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HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING Photo's - Hawaii
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Female wrestler makes state history
But loss in championship match leaves her short of goal
By AARON GRAY, Staff Writer 3/4/07
Photo by Andy Carruthers — Maryland Gazette |
COLLEGE PARK - Arundel High School junior Nicole Woody took second place in the 103-pound weight class at the Class 4A-3A state wrestling tournament at the University of Maryland yesterday. It's the highest finish ever for a girl at the state tournament.
The 18-year-old Odenton resident was aiming to become just the second girl in the nation to win a state championship. Michaela Hutchison, of Skyview High School, won the Alaska state finals last year as a sophomore.
Woody, who will graduate a year early from Arundel in May, finished her prep career with a record of 69-19.
In the championship, she lost a 6-2 decision to River Hill's Scott Mantua. Woody scored a takedown midway through the second period to tie the match, 2-2, but Mantua answered with a reversal and a takedown in the final period to secure the win.
Woody, who started wrestling when she was 9, described the overall experience as a stellar career that ended on a sour note.
"I'll appreciate that it was the best finish for a girl later on," said Woody, who also lost to Mantua in the finals of the Arundel Holiday tournament, 9-6. "I'm a little disappointed right now because I didn't wrestle my best and that's what I wanted to do."
The ultimate goal escaped her, but Woody did become the first female to win a regional title when she blanked Centennial's Jack Western, 2-0, last week.
A third-period pin two weeks ago against South River's Curtis Taylor earned Woody the county championship title, another first for a girl.
"When I wrestled in the (state) semifinals, it wasn't perfect but I found a way to win," said Woody, who edged C.J. Savage of Tuscarora, 5-4 in overtime, to advance to the championship. "I don't know what happened during the finals, my head was just up in the clouds."
Woody hasn't made a final decision on her college plans but has shortened the list to either the University of Oklahoma City or Northern Michigan. She plans to wrestle for a women's program in college and will be training with the U.S. Olympic women's freestyle wrestling team in hopes of landing a spot in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
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Old Mill secures team’s eighth wrestling title
By AARON GRAY, Staff Writer 3/4/07
Arundel’s Nicole Woody (103) fell in the finals to River Hill’s Scott Mantua, 6-2, but she earned the highest finish ever for a female wrestler at the state tournament coming on the heels of her historic county and region championships.
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Day 2 (of 2): Brock men need tie-breaker to repeat, Calgary women dethrone SFU
3/3/07
SASKATOON (CIS) - It came down to the final matches, but the Brock Badgers men became nine-time CIS wrestling champions Saturday afternoon in Saskatoon. On the women's side, a winning steak came to an end, as the Calgary Dinos won convincingly over the four-time defending champion Simon Fraser Clan.
For all the info on the championships, visit: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/wrestling/2007
For the live results and webcast, visit: www.sasktelwebsite.net/jjohn1/cis/men/index.html
The Badgers were once again put on the map with another one of their wrestlers entering the CIS book.
Jamie Macari of St. Catharines, Ont. became the first wrestler in CIS history to finish his varsity career with five straight OUA and CIS individual titles. This landmark comes two years after former teammate Ryan Weicker became the first athlete to claim gold at five consecutive national championships. Weicker had five CIS individual titles and four OUA gold for his career.
?I thought I'd be overwhelmed by emotion in the final. I thought it would take me off guard, but I've been preparing for this for months mentally and it hasn't sunk in yet," said Macari after the 54kg gold-medal final. "It's not just one big win after five years; it's five wins over five years. This is the just the last step."
The Badgers successfully defended their CIS team title. In a three-way tie with Saskatchewan and SFU throughout most of Day 2, it was the Badgers and the Clan that pulled ahead with a two-point lead over the Huskies after the final match. The tie-breaker was determined by Brock having won two gold medals to SFU's one.
"I'm quite happy. I didn't think we could pull it off this year," said Richard DesChatelets, head coach of the Badgers. "We had great competitors from the University of Saskatchewan and Simon Fraser University... everything went our way for us to win. That's the bottom line, we got lucky."
The third place Saskatchewan Huskies won the most gold medals of the day, with three victories.
With a full complement of wrestlers, the top-ranked University of Calgary Dinos women won their first CIS title since 2001. The Dinos dominated the Championship, earning 62 points over second place SFU's 47. Even though the Dinos only won two gold medals out of their seven matches, they still won quite convincingly.
Dinos head coach Mitch Ostberg commented on the team win: "It's a very good feeling, because of the way the athletes performed. I work all year with the athletes, so am hoping they perform their best. They brought their best game to this event."
The second place SFU Clan won the most gold medals on the women's side, with three victories.
The 2007 CIS Wrestling major award winners will be announced at this evening's Jack Poole Championship Banquet.
2007 CIS wrestling championship team standings:
WOMEN
Place Team Points
1 University of Calgary 62
2 Simon Fraser University 47
3 University of Western Ontario 34
4 Brock University 32
5 University of Regina 31
6 Lakehead University 16
7 University of Saskatchewan 15
8 McMaster University 13
9 Memorial University of Newfoundland 13
10 University of Guelph 11
11 Concordia University 10
12 University of Alberta 9
13 University of New Brunswick 8
14 Queen's University 3
2007 CIS wrestling championship final results:
WOMEN
48kg
1. Hana Askren, Concordia
2. Brandy Ens, U of C
3. Ashley McKilligan, SFU
4. Rachael Holthaus, U of R
5. Stephanie Szmiett, Western
6. Emily-Joy Filmore, Brock
7. Raechel Bandurchin, Guelph
8. Lisa Martin, MUN
51kg
1. Gen Haley, U of C
2. Hajar Ashtiani, U of R
3. Laura Skopelianos, Western
4. Liz Martindale, Brock
5. Jenna Yamashita, U of A
6. Carla Bryant, MUN
7. Cara Yu, Guelph
55kg
1. Andrea Ross, U of C
2. Jesse Bondy, Brock
3. Miranda Dick, SFU
4. Caitlyn Goodfellow, McMaster
5. Kelli Rasmussen, U of R
6. Shannon Mullins, Queen's
7. Jenelle Pike, MUN
59kg
1. Michelle Fazzari, Brock
2. Amy Dyck, U of S
3. Heidi Erdle, UNB
4. Katharina Spotzi, SFU
5. Leah Dougherty, Lakehead
6. Katrina Huszarik, Western
7. Nat Galan, U of C
63kg
1. Stacie Anaka, SFU
2. Justine Bouchard, U of C
3. Tasha Eady, Lakehead
4. Jill McCallum, Western
5. Sarah Mercer, U of R
6. Gaya Arathmeiser, McMaster
7. Allison Rockwood, MUN
67kg
1. Ashley McManus, SFU
2. Stephanie Buchan, U of C
3. Jessica Fitzgerald, Western
4. Stef Howorun, McMaster
5. Kerri-Anne Everly, MUN
6. Megan Wilton, Guelph
7. Jane Packota, U of S
72kg
1. Ali Bernard, U of R
2. Leah Callahan, U of C
3. Jessica Belchos, Western
4. Samantha McKay, U of A
5. Stephanie De Vries, Guelph
6. Debra Jehu, Brock
72-82kg
1. Shayla Turcotte, SFU
2. Megan Goldsmith, U of C
3. Nicole Plummer, Lakehead
4. Beth Thompson, U of S
5. Lauren MacDonald, Western
6. Jenn Hanson, Brock
7. Sandi Ware, UNB
8. Francessa Walsh, MUN