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Article Launched: 04/22/2007 08:20:00 AM PDT

Monica Gonzalez kept racking up accolades, taking first place at 160 pounds and win most valuable girls wrestler at the West Coast National Wrestling meet held at the Solano County Fairgrounds on Saturday.
Christine Alcantara and Alice Hoover each took home first-place finishes in the women's division at 98 and 108 pounds, respectively. Brianna Grant garnered second place at 108 pounds, while Sami Hoover took second at 118. Lexi Hoover finished second at 70 pounds for girls 12-and-under.

On the boys side, Matt Gibson kept rolling through the opposition, taking home first place and 189 and 215 pounds for Valleo PAL Wrestling. Boomer Tuico and Dimitrius Berry each finished second at 115 pound and 215 pounds, respectively.

Ray Hoover finished second at 135 pounds, while Michael Haman took second place in the 175 pound weight class for boys 14-and-under. R.J. Hoover captured first place at 60 pounds for boys 12-and-under and Aleczander Hoover took second at 50 pounds for boys six-and-under.

Springstowne Middle School had first place finishes by Alyssa Wong and Dayanay Libran, while Chris Dollete, Camille Bordon, Michalla Foster and Samantha Mercado finished second.

Carl Lastrella won the outstanding coach award.

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Medina named Outstanding Wrestler, and the Cumberlands has three champions at the Body Bar University Nationals

Michelle Thilges USA Wrestling
04/22/2007

COLORADO SPRNGS, COLO. - All Othella Lucas could think during the finals of the University Nationals against Shyla Iokia was the country of El Salvador. The University of Cumberlands wrestler knew if she beat Iokia of the USOEC, she would earn ythe right to compete in the Pan American Championships in El Salvador.

“I had just cheered on my teammate Jessica Medina and after she won we were yelling El Salvador,” said Lucas, who won at 59 kg/130 lbs. “I had to win because I couldn’t let her have all the fun without me in El Salvador.”

Lucas won this tournament last year and took sixth at this year’s U.S. Senior Nationals. Lucas wrestled Iokia in the semifinals of last year’s University Nationals tournament.

“I can tell she has been training really hard. She wanted this as much as I did,” Lucas said.

The University of the Cumberlands had three champions: Lucas, Jessica Medina at 51 kg/112 lbs., and Alaina Berube at 63 kg/138.5 lbs.

Berube, who also won last year’s University Nationals, used a headlock to get the pin against Vanessa Oswalt, of Gator WC, at 1:59 in the first period. Berube also won against Oswalt at the U.S. Senior Nationals in early April and took third there.

Medina defeated 2007 FILA Junior National champion Whitney Conder of the USOEC, 2-0, 1-1. Medina was named Outstanding Wrestler and is the 2006 FILA Junior champion.

“Last year meant a lot winning the FILA Junior Nationals. This year I stepped up to another level and won. I’m glad I finished strong,” Medina said.

Kip Flanik, Women’s Coach for the University of the Cumberlands, said he was excited for the wins today.

“This is what we train for, to be the best in the world. This is what we teach at the university, that they can be student athletes,” said Flanik. “You can do both and still excel.”

Elena Pirozhkova, who received her U.S. citizenship recently and wrestled at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., said she didn’t know what to expect coming into her first University Nationals.

“I have never wrestled on a college team. I wrestled some of these girls at (the Senior) Nationals,” she said.

Although she didn’t know what to expect, Pirozhkova took first place. She pinned two out of four of her opponents. Pirozhkova pinned Ashlee Evans-Smith of Menlo College in 1:11. In her second match Pirozhkova pinned Lauren Knight of the University of the Cumberlands in 55 seconds.

Brandy Rosenbrock, of the Michigan Wrestling Club, pinned her opponent, Dany Hedin of the USOEC at 1:03 in the second period at 55 kg/121 lbs. Hedin was last year’s FILA Junior champion and is a two-time Junior World medalist. Rosenbrock was fourth at the 2007 U.S. Nationals.

“She’s (Hedin) is really good,” said Rosenbrock. “We are really good friends. I know she has wide shoulders and I just wrenched her shoulders.”

Sara Fulp-Allen of Menlo College added 2007 University Nationals champion at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. to her resume this weekend. She was 4th in this year’s U.S. Senior Nationals.

Fulp-Allen won a five-athlete roundrobin, including a win over runner-up Sadie Kaneda of the USOEC. Fulp-Allen won by technical fall against Krista Camarill of Missouri Valley College and Vanessa Nordstrom, also of Missouri Valley College. She also pinned Amantha Hordagoda of Spartan WC in 0:43.

“I have been in a really good mood this weekend. It has been go, go, go,” she said. “It has been a different state of mind. It is more physical than mental. I thought a lot more in Vegas.”

Fulp-Allen will be graduating from Menlo College in a couple weeks with a degree in international business. She plans to move out to the U.S. Olympic Training Center after graduation.

In her second national competition since knee surgery, Ashley Sword, of Colorado, took home the gold at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Sword, who has moved up from 67 kg/147.5 lbs, said the tournament went well for her. She was a University Nationals champion in 2005.

“Everybody is really good at the University level. It is fun for me,” she said. “Nationals was tough coming off the knee surgery, but I have been getting better.”

Megan Goldsmith of Dinos captured a gold medal by defeating Amy Havens of Missouri Valley College in the best-of-three championship. Goldsmith won 6-0, 5-0 in the first match and pinned Havens in 39 seconds of the second period during the second match. Goldsmith also won the title at 77 kg/169.5 lbs. last year.

All winners are eligible to represent the U.S. at the Pan American Championships in El Slavador, May 16-20. In addition, the top two placewinners in each weight class qualify for the U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev., June 8-10.

In addition to the U.S. Nationals, there were two True Second Place Matches.

If the tournament runner-up and third place finishers did not face each other, a True Second Place bout is held. The winner becomes the alternate at the weight class for the Junior World Team. The FILA Junior Nationals results do not change.

True Second Place Matches
69 kg/138.5 lbs. – Vanessa Oswalt (Gator WC) pin Sheila McCabe (San Diego Hot Beaches), 1:11

55 kg/121 lbs. – Dany Hedin (USOEC) win by forfeit against Cherae Pascua (University of the Cumberlands)

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Sluberski, Lopez repeat as Body Bar FILA Cadet Women's National champions

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
04/22/2007

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – A pair of 2006 Body Bar FILA Cadet National champions were able to repeat as titlists at the Body Bar FILA Cadet National Championships at the U.S. Olympic Training Center on Sunday, April 22.

The returning champions who were able to repeat this year were Carlene Sluberski of New York at 40 kg/88 lbs. and Samantha Lopez of California at 49 kg/108 lbs.

Sluberski defeated Nesmarie Rodriguez Tirado of Puerto Rico in a best-of-three series in two straight matches, both by pin. She scored a second period 7-0, 0:42 pin in the first match, and a 1:27 first period fall in the second match.

Lopez had a 2-1 record for the day, winning both of her matches by pin. She lost a match to Michelle Jimenez of California in the second round, but was able to win the title because Jimenez also lost a match to Priscilla Caldera of California. Lopez pinned Caldera in her final match. Lopez had the most points in the roundrobin, which was the tiebreaking procedure.

“I lost a match today. I felt I wrestled well in my first match. In my second match, I wasn’t there. I got scored on twice on the stepout. But then I pinned the girl who beat her, so I won. It was weird,” she said.

It was the third year in a row that Lopez has won a gold medal at the Body Bar Nationals. She has won two straight FILA Cadet National titles, and in 2005 was a champion in the Girls Nationals in the Grade 7-8 division. Lopez, a high school sophomore, was a placewinner last year at the ASICS Junior Nationals, and seeks to return this summer to win a Junior National title.

“I came here to do what I had to do. I didn’t win them all, but I wrestled well, and I competed very well in my last match,” she said.

The Outstanding Wrestler was Veronica Carlson of Illinois, who was the champion at 65 kg/143.25 lbs. She defeated Adeline Gray of Colorado in the championship finals, 0-1, 1-0, 1-0.

Carlson was second in yesterday’s Body Bar FILA Junior Nationals, and was third in last year’s FILA Cadet Nationals. At the 2006 ASICS Vaughan Junior Nationals, Carlson was second and Gray was third at the 138 pound division.

“I got a lot of matches this weekend. I feel I did very well. A few matches I got caught off guard, but I came back and won those. In the one match I lost here, I was choked out. I really pushed it hard today,” said Carlson.

Winning two national titles this weekend by capturing the FILA Cadet Nationals today as well as the FILA Junior Nationals yesterday was Erin Clodgo of Michigan at 70 kg/154.25 lbs. Clodgo won a four-athlete roundrobin, winning all three matches, two by pin. Laura Gourley of Oregon, the defending FILA Cadet National champion at this division, placed third in the tournament.

Clodgo is a student at Marquette High School who is a member of the USOEC program at Northern Michigan Univ. She is originally from Vermont.

Victoria Anthony of California, who was second at the FILA Cadet Nationals and Junior Nationals in 2006, was the champion at 46 kg/101.25 lbs. Anthony won a five-athlete roundrobin, winning all four of her matches, including a 1-4, 1-0, 2-3 win over runner-up Sarah Anderson of New York.

Winning by pin in the championship finals was Helen Maroulis of Maryland, who pinned Allison Ragan of Illinois in the 52 kg/114.5 lbs. finals in 1:14. Maroulis had two pins and two technical falls during the tournament. She was third in the 2007 FILA Cadet Nationals.

Other individual champions included Hanna Martin of Oklahoma at 94.7 pounds, Jessica Peasley of California at 56 kg/123.25 lbs., Shelby Shirley of Ohio at 60 kg/132.25 lbs. and Paloma Basulto of California at 100 kg/220 lbs.

Peasley was third at the 2006 FILA Cadet Nationals and Shirley was fourth at the 2007 FILA Cadet Nationals.

Claiming titles uncontested were Dayanara Rivera Suirez of Puerto Rico at 78 kg/170 lbs. and Heather Miracle of Wisconsin at 84 kg/185 lbs.

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BODY BAR FEATURE: Whitbeck makes first World Team with strong FILA Junior performance

04/22/2007

Amy Whitbeck of Duanesburg, N.Y. has been making news within wrestling for many years. After many placements on the national level in age-group women’s wrestling, Whitbeck has now earned the right to represent her nation at the World Championships for the first time.

On Saturday, Whitbeck won the Body Bar FILA Junior National Championships at 44 kg/97 lbs., earning a spot on the U.S. World Team that will compete at the 2007 Junior World Championships in Beijing, China.

“I felt pretty good out there,” said Whitbeck after her victory. “I am very excited about going to the World Championships.”

Whitbeck has been very successful in previous USA Wrestling events, getting more experience each year. Last year, she was a FILA Cadet Nationals champion and placed third at the Junior National Championships in Fargo, N.D.

She has also garnered tremendous attention for her high school wrestling achievements competing against boys. For the second straight year, Whitbeck qualified for the New York State High School Championships. Last year, she was the first girl to compete in the state meet against boys. This year, as a junior, Whitbeck had a 2-2 record in the tournament, and was a match away from the medal rounds.

Whitbeck said she was not satisfied with her performance at the state meet, because a wrestler she beat at the Sectional tournament ended up placing at state and she did not. Her toughness and high expectations are among the reasons Whitbeck has been so successful in wrestling.

“It is a combination of things,” said Jack Prest, New York’s Women’s Junior Nationals coach and one of Whitbeck’s coaches here this weekend. “She is from a rural area. She is on a farm with animals. She is an excellent barrel racer, and is very competitive in sports outside of wrestling. She is also an Olympic lifter. She competes at so many things. All of this plays into her wrestling.”

Whitbeck made a decision to drop some weight and compete in the lowest division at the Body Bar FILA Junior National Championships, wrestling at the 44 kg/97 lbs. weight class on Saturday, after competing at 103 pounds during the high school season.

“I decided to go down in weight,” said Whitbeck. “I stuck with the decision. It has been awhile to get here.”

In 2006, Nicole Woody of Maryland won the FILA Junior Nationals and went on to win a Junior World gold medal. This year, Woody moved up to 48 kg/105.5 lbs. this year.

Whitbeck took full advantage of her opportunity at the FILA Junior Nationals. She won four matches, capturing every period of her competition. Among her victories was a 1-0, 3-0 decision over runner-up Michelle Quiles (Sheridan, N.Y./Fredonia).

“I was real concerned how she would react to her weight control, but she got stronger with every match,” said Prest. “Each and every time, she was more confident. She wrestled her usual type of matches, where she is in control and hits her shots.”

Whitbeck shared the credit for her success with a number of people who have helped her to improve.

“My high school coaches and my club coaches, and (USA Wrestling Women’s Developmental) Coach Izzy (Izboinikov have all helped me,” said Whitbeck.

Whitbeck’s high school coach is the legendary Joe Bena, who was also a high school coach for 1984 Olympic champion Jeff Blatnick and 1988 Olympian Andy Seras, when he was coaching at Niskayuna High School. Not at Duanesburg, Bena is working with another potential Olympian, although this time in women’s freestyle.

“It is something I want to do in the future, but I want to stay in the present right now,” said Whitbeck of her Olympic aspirations.

Her present now consists of a trip to Junior World Championships in China this summer, as well as her senior year in high school in the fall. You can expect to hear more about Amy Whitbeck…