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2 individuals, 2 team grab special-achievement awards
By STEVE BELVIN 1/25/2001
Globe-News Sports Writer
Tori Adams could be considered the pioneer of girls wrestling. Mike Lopez set new standards in girls track at Pampa and the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo team and the West Texas A&M University men's bowling team gave the area two national champions.
All will be honored for Special Achievement Awards by the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony starting at 2 p.m. Feb. 4 in Amarillo College's Ordway Auditorium.
Adams, now a freshman at Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., started wrestling at age 8.
She ended her high school career with a 110-1 record. Her only loss was an exhibition match to Toccara Montgomery of Ohio. Later, Adams avenged the loss with a win over Montgomery in a tournament.
Inhigh school, wrestling in the 149-pound division, Adams won four state championships and led the Caprock Lady Longhorns to the 2000 state team championship. In addition, she won two national high school championships. Last year she finished fifth at the women's freestyle national tournament.
Currently she's preparing for her first collegiate competition at Missouri Valley College scheduled for Saturday in Marshall. She's recovering from a sternum injury and says she's ready to go.
"This is my first college competition and I'm ready and excited about it," said Adams. "I'm happy to be honored. When I started this (wrestling) I didn't plan on it being all this. I didn't plan on being called the pioneer of women's wrestling. I did it because I thought it would be fun. I developed a passion for it. To be looked on as the pioneer of women's wrestling is an honor for me."
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Judo Versus Wrestling
by Hayward Nishioka 1970
The wrestler -having quickly disposed of his first four judomen -stood before the fifth opponent, glaring like a wild animal about to pounce on his prey.
"Boo!" the crowds jeered! "That's not judo!" "Do judo, not wrestling!" shouted another.
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