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OCU women adding ‘another dimension to wrestling'

Oklahoma City University's Ashley Hudson, bottom, is thrown to the mat by Cumberlands' Sandy Do on Saturday at Oklahoma City University. By Sarah Phipps, The OklahomanSlideshow from the match

Oklahoma City University's brand new women's wrestling team may have lost its first dual 24-19 to the University of the Cumberlands, but the 147-pound Sword pinned Lauren Knight of the Cumberlands at 1:51, becoming the first female wrestler to win a dual match for OCU.

Sword's win was just part of the history made Saturday as OCU became the sixth women's wrestling program in the country.

OCU coach Archie Randall said there are about 2,000 high school aged girls wrestling in clubs and at schools across the country, and colleges are trying to catch up to the interest.

For OCU, it's another sport for an athletic department that has grown rapidly in recent years, adding rowing, volleyball and men's wrestling. Randall, a longtime coach at El Reno high school expects OCU's program to make its name on the Oklahoma wrestling scene.

"I don't think there's any doubt it will add another dimension to wrestling in Oklahoma,” Randall said. "We're already seeing more involvement on the high school level here and around the country. I've had 65 e-mails from high school girls since August wanting to know more about the program, some from Alaska and Hawaii.”

Randall said a changing society is one reason for the growth of women's wrestling on the high school and college level. In Oklahoma, Woodward's Joey Miller became the first high school girl to place at the state tournament in 2005. Several other girls wrestle at programs like El Reno and Northwest Classen.

"Women are more independent now,” Randall said. "They're interested in stepping up and competing and having careers. The get married and stay home with the kids lifestyle is a thing of the past. They want careers and part of that independence is competing in something that has traditionally been a men's sport.”

OCU sophomore Melissa Simmons welcomed the chance to be a part of a new program.

"Whenever you're doing something new it's always exciting,” Simmons said. "We're the first (in Oklahoma), but we also want to be number one. That's what brought us here.”

OCU's program has some ground to make up. Cumberlands, a school from Williamsburg, Ky., has been the top women's program in the college ranks.

Sword said she and her teammates welcome the challenges of being part of a new program.

"It's always a continual learning process,” said Sword, a Palm Beach, Florida native. "Every match you find something you need to work on. But it's a chance to show what we can do and show women's wrestling is a legitimate sport and we're real athletes, not girls just playing around.”

Cumberlands won the first five matches but OCU swept the last four including Sword's win. At 157, Simmons defeated Paige Rife 2-0, 2-1. At 176, Lacey Novinska defeated Christen Paysse, 1-4, 5-3, 4-2 and Carrie Clark edged Theresa Fennell, 1-1, 1-0, 3-0 at 209 pounds.

Nine of OCU's startling 11 are freshmen.

"We're really young and you can tell,” Randall said. "Cumberlands has a good program, but we're freshman. We'll be better by January and even better by March.”

Simmons is wrestling again after a two-year layoff and had trouble containing her excitement after the Stars' first dual. Even though the team lost, it served a purpose.

"We expected to win but we can get back at them at nationals,” Simmons said. "Losing will pick up the intensity in the room. We're not number one and that's where we want to be but that's part of the fun of getting better.”

Randall said he'll continue to tinker with the Stars' lineup leading up to the National Women's College Wrestling championships in March

"There's nothing that's not reversible,” Randall said. "It's just a matter of adjusting your lineup to get your best squad ready at the end, not the beginning.”

Cumberland stops Oklahoma City in Stars program debut

DATE: 11/10/2007 9:48:00 PM

Oklahoma City, OK

By Rich Tortorelli
Oklahoma City University

Oklahoma City University took the last four matches, but fell to defending national champion Cumberlands (Ky.) 24-19 in the first women’s college wrestling dual in school and state history.

The Stars fell behind 21-5 before Ashley Sword broke through with a pin at 67 kilograms. Sword won the first collegiate match in a dual for OCU.

Sword, a junior from West Palm Beach, Fla., took the first period by scoring the last points in that period. Sword broke down Breija Gallo-Macera with nine seconds remaining in the second period. Sword is ranked third in the nation at 67.

“I’m so excited,” Sword said. “Getting ready for the match, I tried to go through my moves in my head. As my blood started pumping, I got more into the flow.”

At 72, Melissa Simmons of OCU knocked off Paige Rife 2-0, 2-1. Then the Stars’ Lacey Novinska came from behind to win the 82-kilo match.

“I was proud of Lacey Novinska,” OCU coach Archie Randall said. “Carrie Clark wrestled against a girl who outweighed her.”

Novinska, a junior from Fennimore, Wis., dropped the first period, then won the second. In the third period, she trailed until she scored four points by exposing her opponent’s back and getting a takedown in the final 20 seconds.

At 95, Carrie Clark of the Stars forced a third period by winning the second period on an early pushout. In the third, she won 3-0 on a pushout and a two-point exposure of her opponent’s back for the victory and the final margin in the dual.

In a matchup of the top two-ranked wrestlers at 44, No. 1-ranked Melissa Girard of Cumberlands prevailed over Lene Wood 1-1, 2-2 by scoring the final points of each period.

“We figured we could do well in the final four weights,” Randall said. “What we were trying to do was get a win in the top half of the weights. Every match was close. Winning at the beginning of the season is not as important as winning in February and March.”



CUMBERLANDS 24

OKLAHOMA CITY 19

44: Melissa Girard, Cumberlands, dec. Lene Wood, 1-1, 2-2

48: Jackie Stiles, Cumberlands, dec. Nicole Woody, 8-1, 8-2

51: Jessica Medina, Cumberlands, pinned Jennifer Peabody, 9-0, 0:48

55: Sandy Do, Cumberlands, dec. Ashley Hudson, 3-2, 3-2

59: Rachael Hubbard, Cumberlands, dec. Samantha Phillips, 1-1, 1-4, 4-1

63: Othella Lucas, Cumberland, tech. fall Marina Piccolotti, 4-1, 6-0

67: Ashley Sword, OCU, pinned Lauren Knight, 2-2, 1:51

72: Melissa Simmons, OCU, dec. Paige Rife, 2-0, 2-1

82: Lacey Novinska, OCU, dec. Christen Paysse, 1-4, 5-3, 4-2

95: Carrie Clark, OCU, dec. Theresa Fennell, 1-1, 1-0, 3-0



Exhibition matches

44: Stephanie Waters, OCU, dec. Shuntil Snyder, 2-1, 6-0

48: Kayla Brooks, Cumberlands, dec. Helen Timmons, 7-4-7, 0-7, 7-2

51: Shannon Reeves, Cumberlands, pinned Julie Huang, 3-0, fall 1:06

51: Shannon Reeves, Cumberlands, dec. Jennifer Peabody, 3-0, 5-0

55: Erica Torres, OCU, tech. fall Antonesia Giles, 8-1, 8-1

55: Erica Torres, OCU, tech. fall Misha Furnis, 6-0, 7-1

55: Linda Debakey, Cumberlands, dec. Julie Huang, 0-1, 3-1, 2-1

55: Krystal Kiyuna, Cumberlands, pinned Emma Mercer, 1:09

59: Rachel Hubbard, Cumberlands, dec. Emma Mercer, 2-1, 2-0

59: Norma Rueba, Cumberlands, dec. Emma Mercer, 1-1, 5-0

63: Breija Gallo-Macera, Cumberlands, pinned Sheila McCabe, 1:35

63: Lauren Knight, Cumberlands, pinned Sheila McCabe, 1:40

63: Marina Piccolotti, OCU, pinned Breija Gallo-Macera, 4-8, 1:39

67: Briana Conway, OCU, dec. Lauren Knight, 5-0, 2-0

72: Melissa Simmons, OCU, pinned Sherolynn Eppinger, 3-2, 0:37

95: Karon Scott, OCU, dec. Theresa Fennell, 3-2, 3-3, 3-0

Ashley Sword pinned Breija Macera.

MATTHEW CARROLL
Peninsula Clarion 11/11/07

Coming off a surprising second-place finish at last weekend's North-South Tournament, the Skyview wrestling team was hoping to duplicate that success at their own tourney.

And they didn't quite do it.

Rather, the Panthers did even better.

With four champions, two second-place finishers and four third-placers, Skyview won the 13-team Skyview Invitational on Saturday with 233 points, well ahead of second place Homer (195) and third place Soldotna (180).

"It's always good to win your home tournament, home dual meets. We picked up a little slack from last week. It wasn't quite as strong a tournament, but there were a lot of competitors here," said Panthers coach Neldon Gardner. "The team looked good. Individuals looked really well. We're real happy with the progress we're making."

Claiming titles for Skyview was sophomore Bryce Wilson (103 pounds) and seniors Michaela Hutchison (119), Alex Janorschke (130) and Eddie Buffington (189).

"We just dominated," Buffington said. "We're all pretty pleased. We're still going to work harder. It's just never enough."

The surprise of the tournament had to be the Mariners, though, who had six grapplers reach the finals, five of whom emerged victorious.

"Actually, yeah." Homer's Billy Edge, who claimed the 171-pound crown, said of being surprised. "Because in the past, Homer's never really done that well ... But five out six, it was amazing."

Ben Daigle (125) got things rolling for Homer as he cruised to a 9-0 victory over Kenai's John Hughes, a familiar opponent.

"I've wrestled him for a long time, since like seventh grade. I just kind of went out there expecting to win, but it was a pretty tough match," Daigle said. "It was 9-0, but it wasn't easy. It was really tiring."

Mitch Wyatt (145) earned a title by forfeit and Tris Brymer then fought his way to a 12-4 major decision over Seward's Dylan Beck.

"I felt confident," Brymer said. "I probably tired out just a little bit."

Edge (171) was next in line for the Mariners and he defeated Tim O'Leary of Seldovia, 13-6, saying afterward he has high expectations for the state tournament.

"I'm hoping to win state," he said.

The most shocking champion, at least to his teammates, was junior Robby Brymer, Tris' brother, who edged Barrow's Joe Hirt, 4-1, for the 140-pound championship.

The win was important to Brymer, as Hirt had already defeated him twice this season.

But just making the finals was even more paramount.

"I was just really surprised because this is like the first time I've actually been to the finals in a big tournament like this," he said. "After that, then I just set my sights on the goal because I wanted to beat Joe Hirt because he's beaten me twice before. Both of those times I knew I should have won.

"It gives me a lot of confidence. I think I should do really well if I can just keep it up, keep up my good wrestling," Robby Brymer added. "It's little stuff. Most of the time I make little mistakes and that's what makes me lose the match. And when I really concentrate and focus, I can do really good."

His performance surprised even his brother.

"He shocked me, too," Tris said. "I was real surprised and happy for him. I was glad he got that win."

The lone Mariners' loss in the finals was Tom Appelhanz (135), who fell to Soldotna's Wes Mills, 7-4.

"I studied the lineups enough to know who has what and where. Homer is a team very similar to East High School, in that they have not great, big numbers or large numbers of kids, but they have quality kids. They've got some good, quality kids," Gardner said. "You take six or eight kids, they'll take you a long way in a bigger tournament or a state tournament.

"They have potential to do very well, top five, top six, maybe top three in the state tournament if they perform at that level."

Skyview's Wilson earned his title by knocking off Nikiski's Matt Parker, 12-4, and Hutchison won a 5-1 decision over Kenai's Chris Osbekoff.

"Last time I pinned him but he's getting way tougher. He's getting way better," Hutchison said. "I wrestled him last weekend at North-South and it was a completely different match."

Janorschke, who has yet to place in two trips to state, defeated Colony's Dan Gregory, 7-3, and hopes to use this as a springboard to success for the rest of the season.

"It helps a lot being able to do really well in tournaments like this," he said. "Some of the big names from around the state weren't here, but it's great that I could win, especially here for this one because it's at Skyview."

Buffington then earned a championship when Kenai's Wes Quade dislocated his elbow.

"I was feeling confident, but you never know. Things happen," he said. "I felt bad because I think I just ended his season. I've never done it before. I was just doing a simple duck under."

Also earning titles were Kenai's Quintun Pribbenow (112), who beat Skyview's Monica Hutchison, 8-4; Ninilchik's Austin Vanderford (160), who pinned Skyview's Patrick Sheridan in 1:49; Brandon O'Brikis (215), of Seward, who pinned SoHi's Matthew Strieby in 1:46; and Soldotna's Nathan Strieby (HWT), who pinned teammate Les Baker in overtime.

Skyview Invitational

At Skyview High School

Team scores: 1. Skyview, 233; 2. Homer, 195; 3. Soldotna, 180; 4. Colony, 108; 5. Kenai, 105.5; 6. Houston, 104; 7. Barrow, 94; 8. Seward, 87.5; 9. Kalskag 81; 10. Nikiski, 77; 11. Ninilchik, 52.5; 12. Seldovia, 35; 13. Cook Inlet Academy, 14.

Championship matches

103 Wilson, Sky, maj. dec. Parker, Nik, 12-4

112 Pribbenow, Ken, dec. Mo. Hutchison, Sky, 8-4

119 Mi. Hutchison, Sky, dec. Osbekoff, Ken, 5-1

125 Daigle, Hom, maj. dec. Hughes, Ken, 9-0

130 A. Janorschke, Sky, dec. Gregory, Col, 7-3

135 Mills, Sol, dec. Appelhanz, Hom, 7-4

140 R. Brymer, Hom, dec. Hirt, Bar, 4-1

145 M. Wyatt, Hom, won by forfeit

152 T. Brymer, Hom, maj. dec. Beck, Sew, 12-4

160 Vanderford, Nil, p. Sheridan, Sky, 1:49

171 B. Edge, Hom, dec. O'Leary, Sel, 13-6

189 Buffington, Sky, won by injury forfeit

215 O'Brikis, Sew, p. M. Strieby, Sol, 1:46

HWT N. Strieby, Sol, p. Baker, Sol, 6:57, OT

Third-place matches

103 Mielke, Col, p. Hanley, Sol, 4:05

112 Stephenson, Sky, p. Stangel, Nik, 4:22

119 Reierson, Sew, tech fall Harbik, Nik, 17-1

125 Such, Col, p. Powell, Sol, 2:18

130 Ekder, Hou, p. Russell, Bar, 2:22

135 Patterson, Bar, dec. Smith, Col, 2-0

140 Thomas, Sky, dec. Morris, Sol, 7-5

145 Burlison, Sol, dec. Filken, Col, 6-1

152 Trask, Col, dec. Buccholtz, Nik, 8-1

160 Weinfurter, Hom, maj. dec. George, Bar, 11-1

171 Mahan, Sky, p. Levi, Kal, 1:49

189 Chumley, Sol, p. Elsey, Sol, 2:19

215 Gonzales, Bar, dec. Crowley, Hou, 7-6

HWT Mraz, Sky, won by forfeit