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By David Lassen (Contact)
Tuesday,
January 1, 2008
There are plenty of examples of high school teams with brothers or sisters as
teammates, or with parents coaching their children.
But this is a family matter of a different kind: the Camarillo High wrestling
team includes an aunt and her nephew.
As teammates.
"They're both wrestling varsity, and that's got to be a very unusual
situation in the whole country," says Scorpions wrestling coach Ron Wilson.
"Could be the only one ever, I don't know."
Let's just say it doesn't happen every day.
Before your head spins around too much trying to figure out the genealogy of
the situation, here's how it works: Camarillo senior Deyvonne Mondragon's older
sister Ericka — a number of years older, obviously — is the mother of freshman
Leo Anaya. Mondragon wrestles in the 132-pound weight class. Anaya wrestles at
215.
There, that was simple enough, wasn't it?
Still, it takes some getting used to — if you know about it, which most
people don't.
"Nobody really knows I'm his aunt," says Mondragon. "They all think we're
cousins. Everybody thinks we're cousins, but no."
Wilson knows better, now.
"When she was first telling me, she said her nephew," he recalls, "and I
said, Your nephew? You mean your cousin?' And she said no."
That the two are teammates is fitting, because Mondragon started wrestling
because of Anaya — who had taken up the sport as a third-grader because his
father, Leo, had also been a high school wrestler.
"I would always go to his tournaments," says Mondragon. "I would always tag
along, and then my brother-in-law, he asked one time if my little brother would
wrestle. And I was just joking around and I told him I would wrestle. And he was
like, Well, we're going to go to practice one of these days.' "I didn't think he
was serious, but he showed up and told me we had to go to practice. So that's
when I started."
And so, as a seventh-grader, she took up the sport, joining the same
Ventura Bengals wrestling club as
Leo.More and more girls are wrestling, but it's still unusual enough that
Mondragon said people looked at her a little oddly because of her interest.
"Especially at first," she says, "because" — and here she takes a long pause
before continuing, "they beat me really bad, because I didn't know anything.
"But slowly, I started learning. It was tougher than other sports I played,
and it was a challenge. And I saw myself slowly progressing, so I wanted to stay
with it."
She did through her first two years of high school, but took a break last
year to play soccer.
"I missed it," she says now. "It's a different sport. I liked it more.
"It's a weird sport because it's individual, but it's also like a team.
That's what I really liked about it."
And now, she likes having her nephew on the team.
"It's fun," she says. "It's like old times, when he would go to a tournament,
and I would go because we both wrestled in the same tournament."
Both wrestlers have their challenges.
Anaya, at 215 pounds, usually finds himself pitted against older, more
experience wrestlers.
"They're a lot stronger," he says, saying he's learning "how much I need to
work, and push myself to beat them."
Says Wilson, "That's a big weight class for a freshman wrestling on the
varsity, so he's taken some lumps, but he's learning, and he's getting better
every week. He'll definitely be a great wrestler by the time he's finished."
Mondragon, at 132, wrestles both in the traditional wrestling structure —
meaning she's going against boys — and in girls' tournaments.
"She placed in the girls' state tournament as a sophomore," says Wilson. "She
does pretty good. The only problem she has wrestling boys sometime is the guy's
strength. That's usually what it comes down to, male strength versus female
strength. She's just as competitive, though. She really works hard."
He recalls a dual meet against Thousand Oaks when Mondragon was wrestling in
the final match of the night, which would decide the team outcome. "She almost
pinned the Thousand Oaks wrestler," he says, "which would have been pretty
exciting."
Anaya says he gets nervous when Mondragon wrestles.
"I know when she wrestles girls, she has a better chance of beating them," he
says. "She wrestles, sometimes, these monster guys — they're just, like, wow.
But she still gives them competition."
Mondragon, though, she says gets more nervous wrestling girls.
"I'm on the boys' team," she says, "so I'm used to wrestling boys. But I'm
not used to wrestling girls."
She is used to having her nephew as a teammate, though, and it seems to work
for both of them.
"She'll sometimes remind me when practice is," Anaya says, "or if I forget
something, I'll just ask her."
And the support has been particularly useful during the holidays, when food
and inactivity can be a challenge.
"We go running, like after practice or something," she says.
"Extra work after practice," he agrees.
"And," she says, "we take care of each other — like, Don't eat that.' " After
all, that's what family does.
Even if the relationship between those family members is not one you'll often
see on a high school team.
Teams left powerless
The dual between two of Houston's top squads didn't happen on Saturday.
Westside wrestlers, with state contenders at 160, 171, 180 and 285 pounds,
drove to Cinco Ranch on Saturday morning for the anticipated quad meet with the
defending state champion Cougars, Katy and Cy Ridge.
A power outage affecting the campus left the gyms unlit, however, and the
coaches decided to forego the wrestling action.
Wrestling fans wanted to see this matchup because Cinco Ranch also favors the
upper weights with state medalists at 180 and 285 pounds for its victories. The
Cougars also have multiple tournament champions at 189 and 215 pounds.
The key matchups between Westside's Travis Winzeler and Cinco Ranch's state
bronze medalist Will Morris at 180 pounds and heavyweights J.T. Woodard of
Westside and Cougar John Gioffre will have to wait.
Cinco Ranch
The Cougars will host the State Dual Tournament at the Merrill Center in Katy
on Jan. 19 with the top teams traveling from across Texas to this non-UIL
sanctioned championship.
The tournament last year at the Merrill Center featured Highland Park edging
Arlington Bowie in the finals while Cy-Fair squeezed past Canyon Randall for
third place in wild team action.
This major event will preceded the Klein Oak-hosted Dual Tournament State
Qualifier on Jan. 12.
Cy Ridge
The Rams will host their second tournament of the season in a two-day event
at the Berry Center on Friday and Saturday.
The event traditionally includes nearly 30 teams on eight mats and great
competition in the boys' and girls' divisions. Action will begin Friday at 6
p.m. and Saturday at 9 a.m.
Katy
The Lone Star Duals will draw several of Houston's better teams on Friday and
Saturday in Arlington. While all boys' competition will be dual team scoring,
the girls will compete in individual action by weight.
The Friday-Saturday event will include four-time defending state champion
Amarillo Caprock and Houston powerhouse Katy. The regional standouts are not
likely to meet until Saturday's semifinal or final action on the girls' side
however if everyone participates.
"Caprock has been known not to bring their girls to this event. But this
gives us chance to see other teams around state. Caprock and Arlington are a
perfect example," Katy coach Vinnie Lowe said.
Lady Tigers Julie Stayton at 138 pounds, Alana Jimenez at 165 and Maricia
Shelvin at 215 are all ranked first or second in Region III, according to
InsideTexasWrestling.com.
Caprock enters the individual tournament with three top-ranked Region I girls
who may be competing: Daffney Barbosa at 138 pounds, Tara Myles at 165 and
Britnee Barbosa at 215.
The Lone Star Duals includes 24 boys' teams, including Katy and Klein Oak,
and 24 girls' teams, including Waller, which is led by Amanda Kelso at 128
pounds and Whitney Disotelle at 138.
By Brittany Brevik, Herald Staff Writer
Published
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Katie Gavere observed many of her older brother Mike's
wrestling matches when she was younger.
“It just looked really fun, so I thought I'd try it,” she said. “And I liked
it.”
Katie, an eighth-grader at Valley Middle School, is a 103-pound wrestler for
Grand Forks Central, while Mike wrestles at 215 pounds.
“If you ever watch her matches, he's right there on the mat side, probably
doing as much yelling as the coaches,” Central coach Matt Berglund said. “He's
the stereotypical protective big brother, but Katie can stand up for herself.
She's very tough.”
Big brother helped season her as a wrestler.
“I kind of beat on her a little bit,” Mike admitted. “I help her practice
moves and push her so she gets into shape faster.”
Their mother said the two horse around and practice at home.
“She started learning from him,” Tara Gavere said. “He shows her different
stuff at home, and before her matches he gives her pointers.”
Early start
Katie had an early and successful start to her wrestling career, placing
first at the Grand Forks Taste of Wrestling tournament as a fifth-grader.
She also had a strong start to this season, winning her first varsity match
over Devils Lake's Jesse Aho by a score of 9-5. Katie placed fifth at the Valley
City tournament Dec. 15, winning one match and losing two close ones. Her
varsity record for the season is 3-6.
She also won the South Middle School tournament in early December, pinning
two opponents and winning another match by decision.
Katie said wrestling at the high school level is different in terms of
competition and the size and experience of wrestlers.
“She's a tough girl,” Berglund said. “She's not a tomboy though - she's not
cutting her hair.”
Katie holds her own on the mat, but she does admit to getting frustrated at
times. However, she said “good team members” and “great coaches” keep her in it.
“My team is always there for me,” she said.
Some have refused to wrestle Katie. More recently, that has lessened, due in
part to her being elevated to varsity.
“She works hard just like everyone else, so she should have the right to
wrestle,” Mike said.
Growing popularity
Berglund said that seeing female wrestlers is getting more commonplace.
“Now that (girls wrestling) is an Olympic sport and more and more high school
programs are adding wrestling - like in Texas, where they have a girls state
tournament - it's just really a growing sport,” he said.
Women's wrestling became an Olympic sport in 2004. Nationally, many states
are holding girls state tournaments in conjunction with the boys tournaments.
There also are tournaments with separate girls freestyle divisions, such as the
Cadet-Junior National Championships held in Fargo.
“Really the long-term goal for her is to compete in the national tournament
in Fargo,” Berglund said. “We think she could compete at the national level.”
Although she is a rarity in North Dakota high school wrestling, Katie isn't
the only female wrestling for a Grand Forks team. Ashley Zeitvogel, a freshman,
wrestles at 125 for Red River.
Zeitvogel, who got her start in sixth grade intramural wrestling, says it is
a challenge - but that's why she stays in it.
“Guys have a little different body build than girls,” she said. “I have to be
quicker than them and use more technique.”
Said Berglund: “The big thing with girls is the heavier they get in the
weight classes, the tougher it is to compete with upper body strength against
boys.”
Like Katie, Ashley is just one of the “guys” on the Red River team. Her
coaches said she fits in well with the team, and sometimes likes to rub it in a
little bit.
Red River coach Bruce Moe said he has seen a little reluctance from teams and
wrestlers who have gone up against Zeitvogel.
“It's one of those situations where the guys are thinking, ‘If I beat her up,
I look like a jerk, and if I don't . . .,' but that's just the way it's going to
be,” Moe said.
The girls appear at ease when they step on to the mat and shake hands with
their opponent. It's not male vs. female; it's just two wrestlers, like any
other match.
Berglund said it best:
“I think they all respect (Katie) because she is a good wrestler. It doesn't
matter if you're a boy or a girl; if you come to practice every day and work as
hard as she does, you earn respect in a tough sport.”
Wrestling report
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Starks takes Reno title
Eric Starks captured the 171-pound division at the Sierra Nevada Classic in
Reno, Nev., helping Battle Ground placed 19th out of 96 teams.
Starks won six matches over two days at the Reno Livestock Center, including
a 2-1 victory over a fellow Washingtonian - Jake Swartz of Auburn - in the
championship match.
Starks recorded pins in his first four matches before beating Drew Toney of
St. Francis (Calif.) with 12-4 major decision in the semifinals.
The Tigers finished with 87.5 points. Los Gatos of Santa Barbara, Calif.,
placed first at 148.5. Auburn, one of three other Washington teams to compete in
the event, placed fourth at 135.5.
Travis Becker posted five wins at 215 pounds for Battle Ground. After winning
his opening match, he fell in the second round before running off four wins in
the consolation bracket.
Other Battle Ground wrestlers to post victories in Reno were Anthony Jarra
(2-2) at 112, Taylor Hall (1-2) at 125, Jake Smith (3-2) at 140, Tyler Edwards
(1-2) at 152, Johnathon Cobabe (1-2) at 160, Matt Crockett (2-2) at 189 and Zane
Shaut (2-2) at 275.
Washougal takes third
Washougal's Kyle Schlauch scored a 15-13 win over Tyler Elliott of Oak Harbor
in the championship match of the 189-pound division at the Eastmont Cats Classic
in Wenatchee on Saturday.
Washougal had four wrestlers place second in their weight class to help the
Panthers place third in the team standings. Eastmont won the tournament with 187
points, followed by Ellensburg (153) and Washougal (129).
Other Panther runners-up were Bradley Haase (112), Daniel McElhaney (125),
Colton King (130) and Nick Biron (215). Reuben Davison (135) and Trenton Shelby
(289) were fourth in their divisions.
Washougal will stay home this weekend to host the annual Washougal
Invitational.
Skyview, Battle Ground, Union, Hockinson, Mark Morris, Ridgefield and La
Center are other Southwest Washington teams scheduled to compete in the
tournament on Saturday.
Statewide girls rankings
Girls wrestlers have earned their own ranking at
washingtonwrestlingreport.com .
Among Clark County wrestlers ranked in the top 5 in the state at their weight
class are Columbia River's Sarah Rowen (112), Termae Rowshan of Camas (125),
Christine Cox of La Center (135), Kayla Keeler of Hockinson (135), Chelssea
Eakins of Washougal (145) and Kylee Bishop of Washougal (160).
Washougal is listed as one of the top-ranked teams in the state.
TOP 5 GIRLS
Update 12/26/07
Article published on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008
By DEREK CLARKSTON
Mirror Writer
It was an extremely busy and productive sports scene in Kodiak during 2007.
While the national sports scene was caught up in gavel-to-gavel coverage,
Kodiak was blessed with two state champion teams and multiple individual state
champions.
It was hard-pressed to compile a list of the top 10 sports stories of 2007,
but I pared down the list and came up with these:
10. Michelle Canete and Chloe Ivanoff wrestle to state titles.
The two Kodiak wrestlers became the first Kodiak female wrestlers to capture
state titles in the state tournament sponsored by USGWA in early February.
Canete captured the 100-to 107-pound class, while Ivanoff won the 108-to
119-pound class.
Two weeks earlier, Canete became the first female wrestler to qualify for the
boys state tournament when she placed fifth at the Northern Lights Conference
Tournament at 103 pounds. She went 1-2 at the state meet.
By Mark Foyer--[ markf@hmbreview.com
]
As a freshman, Shannon Sterling watched her pal Rebecka Joshua win an
array of wrestling matches.
As a sophomore, Sterling is doing more than just watching her friend.
The two of them can be seen nearly every day at the wrestling room,
working on moves.
Sterling, who is also a cheerleader, has quickly made a mark in the
world of high school girls' wrestling.
"She wanted to try the sport last year," Joshua said.
"She came to open mats before practice started this year. She was
really good. She has a lot of energy and a lot of drive."
Sterling's first go-around in the sport has been an eye-opener.
"I didn't think it would be so rough and intimidating,"
Sterling said. "I am going to stay with the sport. I am very
determined to win some matches."
That determination has impressed the Half Moon Bay coaches.
"She is one of the most competitive wrestlers I have ever
seen," frosh-soph coach Gabe Gammon said. "She reminds me a
lot of (1998 Half Moon Bay graduate) P.J. Davis. He never stopped when
he was on the mat. She's just like that."
Sterling will be both a cheerleader and a wrestler for the rest of the
year.
Telling her parents of her desire to wrestle wasn't as challenging as
she thought. Her father, Mike, was in favor of it.
"In a way, it helps promote self-defense," he said. "If
she's ever in a bad situation, she will know what to do."
Mother Brenda was a little more apprehensive, but she is very supportive
of her youngest daughter - including her daughter's participation in a
most challenging sport.
Brenda Sterling noticed the difference in her daughter's demeanor after
a cheerleading practice as opposed to a wrestling practice.
"After cheerleading practice, she was always peppy," Brenda
Sterling said. "But after wrestling practice, she would be
dragging. She would be extremely tired and hungry."
Sterling also had to tell her cheerleading teammates of her desire.
"I couldn't believe that little cheerleader Shannon was doing
it," said cheerleading teammate Callie White. "I thought the
sport would be too tough for someone of her size."
White and the rest of the cheerleaders saw Sterling wrestling on Dec. 7.
"She did great," White said. "She was very aggressive.
Everyone was impressed with her."
The two friends used to wrestle just for the heck of it. But they can't
anymore.
"We just get too aggressive," Sterling said.
Sterling was 1-4 at her first tournament in Vallejo.
"In her first match, she was winded 20 seconds into the
match," Brenda Sterling said. "I was wondering if she would
make it through the match."
Not only did she finish that match, she finished all of her matches.
"For someone who had been wrestling for two weeks, she did quite
well," Joshua said.
One week after that tournament, she finished fourth at the Peninsula
Tournament, hosted by Half Moon Bay.
"I wish I had a team filled with young ladies like her who have her
determination and tenacity," girls' coach Joan Fulp said.
"She's a real competitor."
Sterling admits she has a lot to learn. The sport still challenges her.
"The toughest part is remembering how to do the moves
correctly," Sterling said.
She has made a lot of fans along the way, starting with her parents.
"Going from cheerleading to wrestling is very courageous,"
Mike Sterling said. "I am so proud of her. I hope she sticks with
the sport."
Sterling said she intends to stay with the sport through at least her
senior year of high school. Many expect special things to happen.
"She has a lot of raw talent," coach John Rhodes said.
"She is a good all-around athlete."
Her mom knows that Sterling could make a name for herself in the sport.
"Everyone thinks she's pretty strong," Brenda Sterling said.
"She goes into every match with a lot of fire."
The person most impressed is Joshua, Sterling's best friend.
"She is better than me when I first started," Joshua said.
"If she sticks with it for the next two years, I think she will be
great. I think she can be a league champion."
Shannon Sterling is balancing her time between cheerleading and wrestling.
