womens wrestling news

PORT PERRY -- Port Perry High School's wrestling teams is wrapping up the most successful season in recent history.

The team consisted of 24 boys and girls who have trained four nights a week since the end of October. Highlights of the season to this point include the girls' team winning the Ajax Rams Invitational tournament, as well as the LOSSA team title and placing third overall at OFSAA with more than 100 teams entered. The boys' team, which is smaller than most other local high school programs, had an exceptional performance at LOSSA to tie for second out of 17 schools in the competition. In terms of combined team titles the Rebel wrestlers won their home tournament, the Northern Classic, where 21 teams were competing and placed 10th overall at OFSAA in the team standings.

Individual highlights include 10 wrestlers qualifying for the OFSAA wrestling championships with eight of these being LOSSA champions. These wrestlers included Brandon Vitez, Gene English and Kris Barchuk as LOSSA champions in the boys' division with Justin Bain being a silver medallist. Cassandra Fenech, Samantha Smith, Rebecca Simpson, Courtney Willett and Larissa D'Alleva were LOSSA champions in the girls' division with Jessica Reurekas being a silver medallist.

At the provincial cadet/juvenile championships hosted by Brock University, Cassandra Fenech captured a provincial gold medal while Rebecca Simpson earned a silver medal and Courtney Willett and Larissa D'Alleva came home with bronze medals.

At OFSAA, Courtney Willett became Port Perry High School's first ever OFSAA champion in wrestling, while Larissa D'Alleva earned a fourth place finish and was one of three wrestlers (selected from the 850 participants at the event) nominated by the organizational committee as a future prospect to watch in the sport of wrestling.

During March Break, Gene English and Chris Stewart represented the Central Ontario region at the Ontario Winter Games, a competition that invites the best 12 cadet wrestlers, in each weight class, from all Over Ontario to compete to see who is best.

Last but not least, three of the wrestlers will be returning to the National stage to compete at the Canadian Cadet/Juvenile Wrestling Championships which will take place in Saskatoon from April 10-13. These three wrestlers include, Rebecca Simpson, Courtney Willett and Larissa D'Alleva.

A very successful season to date -- but even more promising will be next year for the high school program as 22 of the 24 wrestlers return.

Wrestling: Hogan girls get set for nationals

Article Launched: 03/11/2008 06:50:41 AM PDT

Representing the Vallejo Sports Club, three Hogan High wrestlers fared well at the USA Wrestling California State Girls Folkstyle Championships over the weekend.

Monica Gonzalez, who won the unofficial 154-pound girls high school state title last month, continued her mean streak from the regular season, pinning all three of her opponents. Alice Hoover also went 3-0 - including a win by pinfall against Byannca Marquez of Northview - while Samantha Hoover split her matches and went 1-1.

The tournament served as a tune-up for the USA Wrestling Girls High School Nationals, which begins Saturday in Oklahoma City.

All-star games are set

Article Launched: 03/10/2008 10:40:51 PM PDT

Tatiana Padilla, a 17-year-old resident of LaVerne, is rapidly adding to her resume as the best high school female wrestler in the country. At the recent Pan Am Games, she took gold in the 59 KG/130-pound class and she will compete in upcoming national tournaments in Oklahoma City and Detroit.

Padilla was the ASICS Girls High School Wrestler of the Year in 2007, with a record-tying three junior national titles. She also won a silver medal at the Junior World Championships in China was second at the Women's World Team Trials last year, taking the No. 2 spot on Women's Team USA at 59 kg/130 pounds.

Padilla wrestled for the West Covina Northview High School wrestling team. However, because of her freestyle schedule, she did not compete in postseason events.

"I am on independent study, and I have a personal teacher," Padilla said of her high school studies. "It is a great experience (to be in Colorado Springs, U.S. Olympic Training Center) and train with world-class athletes.

The 59 kg/130 pounds is a non-Olympic weight, but Padilla plans to drop down to 55 kg/121 pounds for the U.S. Nationals and the Olympic Trials. ...

Elizabeth Wiley USA Wrestling
03/11/2008

MINSK, BELARUS – Alaina Berube (Escanaba, Mich./New York AC) placed first at 63 kg/138.75 lbs., Randi Miller (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) was a close second at the Alexander Medved International, March 9, in Minsk, Belarus, and Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) earned at bronze medal at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.

"I was pleased that our team secured three more medals,” said U.S. Coach Levi Weikel-Magden. “Our girls found themselves in a few tight spots and had to fight hard to get out of them. We didn't win all the battles, but our girls showed some grit after a long tour.”

Berube and Miller met in the championship match with Berube eventually outlasting Miller to take the title.

“It was a nice tournament win for Berube,” said Weikel-Magden. “She is still young, but she seems to be maturing fast as a competitor under coach Kevin Black's guidance. For the girls that lost, I will be making sure that they know what they need to adjust before Nationals. This is what tours are about: finding our weaknesses so we can get better.”

Marano overcame a fall in her second round match to beat Dina Ivanova of Azerbaijan in her third match for the bronze medal.

At 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Nick Preston (Morgantown, W.V./Sunkist Kids) was the only men’s freestyle wrestler in action for the U.S. at day three of the tournament. After getting a pin in the first round, he failed to place.

A total of six U.S. wrestlers medaled over the course of the tournament. In addition to the three receiving medal March 9, Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) earned a gold medal at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. March 7, and Travis Paulson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) and Sharon Jacobsen (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) both placed third in competition on March 8.

ALEXANDER MEDVED INTERNATIONAL
At Minsk, Belarus, March 9

Men's freestyle medalists:

96 kg/211.5 lbs.
Gold – Yuri Belonovski (Russia)
Silver – Nurzhan Kataev (Kazakhstan)
Bronze – Saidhasan Abubakirov (Russia)
Bronze – Berdukhi Bavashelishvili (Georgia)

120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Gold – Rares Chintoah (Romania)
Silver – Fatih Cakiroglu (Turkey)
Bronze – Recep Kara (Turkey)
Bronze – Aidyn Polatchi (Turkey)

Women's freestyle medalists:

63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold – Alaina Berube (USA)
Silver – Randi Miller (USA)
Bronze – Oksana Shalikova (Ukraine)
Bronze – Ekaterina Dombrovskaya (Ukraine)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold – Irina Bogdanova (Russia)
Silver – Volha Ihnatsiuk (Belarus)
Bronze – Lise Legrand (France)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Gold – Ekaterina Bukina (Russia)
Silver – Iryna Tsyrkevich (Belarus)
Bronze – Kristie Marano (USA)
Bronze – Marina Gastl (Austria)

U.S. men’s results

120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Nick Preston, Morgantown, W.V. (Sunkist Kids), dnp
WIN Peter Pecha (Slovakia), Pin
LOSS Rares Chintoah (Romania), 0-5, 0-5
LOSS Sergei Priadun (Ukraine), 0-7, 0-4

U.S. women’s results

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Alaina Berube, Escanaba, Mich. (New York AC), 1st
WIN Oksana Shlikova (Ukraine), 1-0, 6-0
WIN Michala Spoustova (Czech Republic), 3-0, 6-0
WIN Randi Miller (USA), 4-0, 0-2, 5-1

63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC), 2nd
WIN Laura Skuinya (Latvia), 1-1, 1-0
WIN Ekaterina Dombrovskaya (Ukraine), 0-6, 2-2, 3-0
WIN Olesya Zamula (Azerbaijan), 0-1, 3-2, 4-0
LOSS Alaina Berube (USA), 0-4, 2-0, 1-5

72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Kristie Marano, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC), 3rd
WIN Nina Sklenkova (Czech Republic), 4-0, 3-0
LOSS Ekaterina Bukina (Russia), 4-2, 3-0 pin
WIN Dina Ivanova (Azerbaijan), 0-2, 1-0, 4-0

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
03/11/2008

Four-time World champion Tricia Saunders, a coach of the historic 2004 U.S. Olympic women’s wrestling team, will conduct a free women’s wrestling technique clinic on Saturday, March 15 at 12:00 noon.

The clinic is sponsored by Body Bar Systems, a USA Wrestling’s Women’s National Team sponsor. It will be held at the Freede Center at Oklahoma City University, as part of USA Wrestling’s Girls Folkstyle Nationals held there during the weekend

Saunders is considered one of the pioneers in the development of women's wrestling, and one of the greatest athletes in the sport history. She won four World titles and a World silver medal during her storied career. In over a decade of wrestling, she never lost a match to an American opponent.

Body Bar Systems is a leading fitness equipment manufacturer with 20 years experience in the fitness industry. Best known for its original Body Bar®, which serves as the foundation product for the company, Body Bar Systems also has a strong focus on fitness education. The Body Bar is a well established brand name in the U.S. and an essential tool in the health industry. Body Bar Systems has sponsored USA Wrestling’s Women’s program for three years.

ADVISORY

Who: Body Bar Systems, a premier fitness company specializing in products and educational tools for fitness enthusiasts of all ages and abilities, and World Champion, Olympic Team Coach, and Hall of Fame wrestler Trish Saunders.
What: Trish Saunders will conduct a free women’s wrestling technique clinic sponsored by Body Bar Systems, a USA Wrestling Women’s National Team sponsor.
Where/When: March 15, noon to 1 pm, the Freede Center, Oklahoma City University, 2501 North Blackwelder, Oklahoma City.
For More Information: Call Archie Randall at 405-208-5379 or log on to www.themat.com or http://www.ocusports.com.

About Body Bar Systems, Inc.
Founded in 1987, Body Bar Systems provides the infinite workouts and solid educational tools that fitness enthusiasts of all ages and abilities still choose after almost 21 years - because they work. The company has created a strong presence through the original weighted fitness bar, The Body Bar®, and the extensive “Master Your Body” DVD series of workout programs. Body Bar Systems is committed to enhancing the fitness and well being of the world by providing quality products and education with passion, integrity, and fun. Body Bar Systems is a member of the IHRSA network. Body Bar Systems is a sponsor of the USA Women’s Wrestling team.www.bodybar.com 1-800-500-2030.

Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
03/11/2008

This week, when USA Wrestling host its national championships focused exclusively on folkstyle wrestling for young women, a number of athletes will have the opportunity to become USA Wrestling “double champions.”

The USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle National Championships will be held at the Freede Center on the campus of Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma City, Okla., March 14-16.

Champions in the high school, middle school and elementary school divisions will have a chance to become one of the first USA Wrestling Girls double champions.

A double champion is an athlete who wins a USA Wrestling national title in folkstyle and freestyle during the same year.

The freestyle portion of the double champion honor will be held at the Body Bar Women’s Nationals, set for Colorado Springs, Colo., May 16-17. Age divisions at the Body Bar Women’s Nationals will include Kids, FILA Cadets and FILA Juniors.

Do you have what it takes to be a Girls double champion? Attend the events in Oklahoma City and Colorado Springs and test yourself against the nation’s best.

The USA Wrestling Girls Folkstyle Nationals in Oklahoma City will be held using National Federation of State High School Association rules. Awards will be given to the top eight individual in each weight class in elementary school, middle school and high school divisions. Team awards will be presented to the top three state programs.

The event will be held alongside the annual Women’s College Freestyle Nationals, providing the young wrestlers in attendance a chance to be seen by college coaches. A College/Club Fair is being organized, where young athletes can receive information on the women’s college wrestling programs.

“This is a big step forward for the USA Wrestling women’s program,” said event director Archie Randall. “What is exciting to me is that we will be able to showcase our college women’s wrestling programs, while showcasing all of women’s wrestling in general. To have grade school, middle school, high school and college women athletes in the same venue at the same time is a tremendous opportunity. We can now truly promote women’s wrestling.”

For information, contact Event Director Archie Randall at 405-834-2796.

Click here to download event flier for Girls Folkstyle Nationals