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Girls wrestling catching on in Texas
By JEFF JENKINS
2/22/2001 Houston Chronicle
At 119 pounds, Amanda Noteware doesn't appear to be much of a threat.
But the moment the Lee senior steps on the wrestling mat, a transformation takes place.
"It's hard to explain," Noteware said. "When I'm wrestling, it brings out my aggressive side. I really like the physical part of it. I like the fact it requires me to be in shape. I like everything about it."
Noteware, a first-year wrestler, is ranked No. 2 in the state in her weight class with a 28-3 record. A qualifier for the UIL State Wrestling Championships on Saturday at the Austin Convention Center, Noteware is one of the increasing number of Houston-area girls who are taking up wrestling.
Since its inception as a UIL sport three years ago, wrestling has enjoyed steady growth. Even though numbers are on the rise, slightly more than a dozen schools offer girls' programs.
Among the schools with girls wrestling are Bryan, Furr, Katy, Katy Taylor, Klein, Klein Forest, Klein Oak, Lee, Mayde Creek, Oak Ridge, Reagan, Scarborough, The Woodlands and Waller.
However, the only one with a complete girls squad -- wrestlers in all 10 weight categories -- was Lee.
That depth enabled the Generals, who qualified five wrestlers for state, to compile a 12-0 record in dual meets this season.
"We beat the Katy and Klein schools and everyone else in Houston," said Lee coach John Vogt said. "It was a great first season for our girls, but we were the only one with a full team. That gave us an advantage."
Katy coach Tim Ripperger noted he was able to fill only eight of the 10 slots.
"We didn't have anyone at 185 and 215 pounds," said Ripperger, who led the Tigers to a seventh-place finish at state a year ago. "Sometimes, it's tough to fill the heavier weight classes."
Katy Taylor coach Todd Hart, whose Mustangs are favored to finish in the top 10 at state, said it can be a challenge keeping girls interested.
"We finished the year with only seven wrestlers," Hart said. "We always have a few who quit. It happens every year."
Ripperger has his own theory why girls wrestling is taking time to catch on.
"I think some girls have the impression that wrestling is easy, like P.E.," Ripperger said. "But after they try it, they discover it's a legitimate sport like volleyball or basketball. It's requires athleticism."
"You have to have strength, determination and guts," added Katy junior Linse Meadows, ranked No. 1 in the state at 128 pounds. "A lot of girls say they want to wrestle, but they won't come out for the team. It's not for everyone."
Old attitudes about wrestling not being feminine have deterred some girls from wrestling. But Hart believes the sport has a solid future.
"People need to remember we've only had girls wrestling in Texas for three years," Hart said. "It's still a relatively new sport."
Vogt commended the UIL for sanctioning wrestling and, in particular, making it separate for the girls.
"As far as I know, Texas and Hawaii are the only states with girls wrestling. Most states have girls competing against boys," Vogt said. "The fact girls have their own sport here in Texas is a big bonus. It's going to help the sport grow even more. It's just going to take a while."
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Going for four: Martinez going for unprecedented fourth state wrestling title
02/22/2001
By Rick Kretzschmar / Special Contributor to the Arlington Morning News
What Angela Martinez will attempt to do on Saturday is a big deal - at least that's what a lot of people around her are saying.
Martinez has had a national magazine article written about her in School Sports. She hears her name on announcements. She said she knows it's a big deal for her coach, David Mudgett.
But the hoopla surrounding Martinez's quest for a fourth state title in wrestling is something the Bowie senior accepts with reluctance. She said she would rather not have it, but it's all right.
What she is happy about is that it is promoting her team. She also is hoping she can promote something bigger.
"It's not the hype I like and not the glamour. It's something for other girls to look for," Martinez said. "It's good for them to look at me and see what they can do."
What those girls would do would vary, but it could be some time before another girl in Texas could do what Martinez will try to do. Martinez will be the first girl in Texas high school history to win four state wrestling titles, assuming she can do it on Saturday at the UIL State Wrestling Championships in Austin.
The pressure surrounding Martinez making history, however, is barely detectable. Martinez's workout partner at Bowie, Jessica Lopez, said if there is any pressure on Martinez, it is minuscule.
Martinez said there is not pressure, a view shared by her coach.
"She's taking it all in stride," Mudgett said. "I don't think she has felt pressure in three years."
A funny thing about three years ago, when Martinez won her first state title, was that she wanted a pressure situation, but there were no takers.
Martinez's first state title in 1998 was an unusual situation compared to her next two. At the time, the University Interscholastic League did not sanction wrestling, and it was just the second year of a girls state competition. Martinez showed up to compete at 102 pounds, but there was no girl to oppose her.
Martinez won a state title without competing.
"I don't talk much about that one. To me, it's more like I'm going for my third state title. I got a little plastic trophy then; I've got medals since," Martinez said. "But if there were any competitors, I came there prepared to win."
Martinez start wrestling at 102 pounds and has stayed there ever since. In six state-tournament matches, Martinez has won four by pin and one by technical fall. The only opponent Martinez beat by decision was Austin Lanier's Tabithia Ramsey, who is entering this year's state tournament undefeated (24-0) at 110 pounds.
In the home stretch last season, Martinez had to overcome the lack of a workout partner. In last season's Region II Tournament, Lopez injured her right elbow and couldn't practice with Martinez in the two weeks leading up to state. Lopez, since, has recovered and is a state qualifier this season at 119 pounds.
"She drilled on her own last season. It was pretty amazing," Lopez said. "It's completely different when you train on your own."
What also could be considered amazing is that Martinez has maintained her 102-pound weight for state meets her entire career, a difficult task for girls and boys. Martinez said it has been hard to maintain the last two years, but she has maintained a diet where she doesn't drink sodas at all. She does, however, eat a lot of vegetables.
During the regular season, Martinez competed at 110 pounds for more competition. Martinez was not as flawless at 110 pounds as she has been at 102 pounds, losing occasionally.
She holds an 0-4 record against former Sam Houston standout Cathy Cotter, who was a state champion and a two-time state runner-up at 110 pounds.
"For some reason, I was always intimidated when I wrestled Cotter, but it made me better," Martinez said. "I feel that if I wrestled her now, I can beat her."
It's unlikely that Martinez will ever wrestle Cotter again, including at the next level. While Cotter is not currently competing, Martinez said she has had interest from Neosho County Community College in Kansas, which has former area standouts J.J. Holmes, Randy Holmes and Charles Michael in its men's program.
But before college, Martinez should have a memorable day on Saturday. The finals begin at 5 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center.
If Martinez makes it to the finals, it will be a day of keeping emotions under wraps, at least until after the 102-pound title match.
"Were not making a huge deal about it now, but after she does it, we will make a huge deal about it," Mudgett said.
But what if Martinez does not win? Mudgett said a possible finals opponent, Stephanie Jenkins of El Paso Hanks, has looked good this season.
Martinez had an interesting response to the possibility of losing a match at state.
"I'll burn that bridge when I come to it," she said.
After realizing her mistake, meaning to say "cross that bridge," she corrected herself again, reflecting her competitive fire in the process.
"I haven't thought about losing, so I guess I would cross the bridge and burn it," Martinez said. "But if I perform my best, I don't think it would happen."
As for possibly making history, it wouldn't hit Martinez until afterward.
"It's not a big deal to me. If I look at it any other way, I'll get too nervous," Martinez said. "But if I accomplish this, all the sweat, all the time, it would pay off."
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Wrestling state qualifiers
2/21/2001
Area qualifiers for the University Interscholastic League Texas State Wrestling Championships to be held Friday and Saturday at the Austin Convention Center. Wrestlers are listed by weight class and school (alt. -- alternate):
GIRLS 95 -- Linda Guerrera, Lee; Melissa Terry, Katy; Ashley Wilson, Scarborough.
102 -- Camille Evans, Oak Ridge; Emily Medchill, The Woodlands; Cynthia Osueke, Lee; Gabriella Bruscianelli, Katy (alt).
110 -- Kristen Baldon, Katy Taylor; Chrystina Less, Waller; Reem Al-Hellou (alt); Cassie Spangler, Oak Ridge (alt).
119 -- Amanda Noteware, Lee; Amanda Smale, Oak Ridge; Kristen Williams, The Woodlands; Kendra Howe, Oak Ridge (alt).
128 -- Diane Mato, Katy Taylor; Linse Meadows, Katy; Denise Rivera, Reagan; Liz Mullins, Waller (alt).
138 -- Iris Cazares, Lee; Kim Dech, Mayde Creek; Valerie Hansen, Katy Taylor; Melissa Hillard, Reagan; Brandi Shaddick, The Woodlands (alt).
148 -- Emily Holleman, Katy Taylor; Marie Kristoff, Waller; Felicia Woodall, Katy (alt).
165 -- Ann Cevallos, Mayde Creek. 185 -- Desiree Garrison, Lee; Kate Moore, Katy Taylor.
215 -- Juana Larin, Lee.
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Blessen Earned Her State Berth
BY STU POSPISIL 2/19/2001
Lincoln - Explain, please, how anyone could resent Elaine Blessen's presence in the state wrestling tournament.
There was resistance, for sure. Blessen and her coaches at Malcolm noticed the glares, the sneering, even some of those little "inside voices" that just spewed forth.
Blessen is a legitimate wrestler. She was the best 103-pounder Columbus Lakeview had at season's end last year and, after her family moved closer to Lincoln for her father's medical needs, was the best 103-pounder Malcolm had.
She earned her way into the state tournament. No byes, no forfeits. In districts, she won two matches - head-to-head against boys - and went to state as a fourth-place qualifier. There were 223 boys who were at state as fourth-place finishers, and no one was questioning whether they belonged.
Blessen's state-tournament scorecard: Two losses by pin, no points scored in either match. She, however, wrestled exactly six minutes - 1:59 in her opening match, 4:01 in the consolation match.
She lasted longer on the mats than did some boys.
Too Many Classes
A hypothetical question about the Blessen situation. Could she have qualified if Nebraska had a more realistic classification system for high school sports?
Iowa high school wrestling, which is at least a generation ahead of Nebraska in development, sticks with its three-class concept. The Hawkeye State takes the largest 64 schools (range of 1,843 to 481) in 3-A, the next 96 (479-223) in 2-A and the remainder (244 eligible) in 1-A.
Nebraska would have 37 schools that would fall in 3-A. Next year, that group would include Class B perennial champion Omaha Skutt. And who doesn't think that the SkyHawks are better than any Class A school?
Class A wrestling, one you get past the superstars and the traditional powers, is pretty mediocre. Look no farther than the 23 qualifiers with losing records - Class B had only four - that were as poor as 5-21. What is this, an intramural meet for the state's largest schools?
This state refuses to budge from its fill-the-trophy-case mentality that has left us with two too many classes in volleyball and basketball and one too many in football (just combine C-1 and C-2, and soon) and given us four classes of cross country, three of girls golf and soon to come, three of softball. In Illinois, where there are 755 high schools and only two classes in all sports except football, it takes 300 schools offering a sport before a second class is added.
Want further proof that the state tournament is overly diluted? Consider this. Last year, 4,304 students - boys and girls - participated in wrestling. One of every five made it to state. In boys basketball, it's one in 16. Girls basketball is one in 12. Track is one in six, but that's another column to write.
Cutting back to three classes would make it one in six. Wrestling is still getting more than its fair share.
Next Stop: Omaha
The new Omaha arena can't be built fast enough to suit the state wrestling tournament, which has outgrown the Sports Center. The sight lines are poor, the floor area is cramped and the fan following has pushed the facility to its limits. The Sports Center doors remained open for the finals, unlike for the semifinals Friday night, but there were few open seats for the Parade of Champions.
Omaha will offer more seating, probably 14,000 permanent seats above the arena floor, and the larger, hockey rink-sized floor will allow mats to be positioned properly. At the Sports Center, the mats are closer together than recommended until the finals.
A guess here is that the meet could come to Omaha in 2004. But it might be 2005 if the Nebraska School Activities Association wants to see a completed facility before making its most significant move of a state-championship event since ping-ponging the Class A boys basketball state tournament between the old NU Coliseum and the Omaha Civic Auditorium in the 1960s.
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City's best wrestlers leave for state today
Paul MacKinnon 2/22/2001
Special to the Times
The city's top high school wrestling talent met up at the Eastwood High School cafeteria Wednesday afternoon. The get-together, wasn't for any meet or awards ceremony, but rather, one last local jam session before today's en masse flight to Austin for the state wrestling meet Feb. 23-24 at the Austin Convention Center.
Most of the 27 local grapplers making the trip east have been regulars at the daily after-school workouts since qualifying at the Region 1 meet Feb. 10 at Socorro.
"This energizes me," 2000 112-pound Ysleta state champion Fidel Gonzalez said. "You get tired of wrestling against your own team all the time."
Last year's 103-pound state champion, Eastwood 112-pound Alex Piñon, said he thoroughly enjoys matching up with the now 119-pound Gonzalez.
"I get to come out and wrestle with a state champion, one of the best in the nation," Piñon said. "(Gonzalez) is probably the best wrestler I'll ever go against."
But, Eastwood coach David Boatwright said the sessions are more about staying active than anything else.
"If these kids weren't here working out with us, they'd be off running somewhere," Boatwright said of a wrestler's never-ending battle of the bulge. "There'll be kids out running on the day of the meet just to make weight."
So, the workouts are more about the wrestlers staying sharp than developing any new and improved skills.
"They're going to use the same techniques they've used all year to get them where they are," Boatwright said. "It's not like (the coaches) are going to show them a secret hold or something."
All four Hanks High girls' state qualifiers made Wednesday's final dress rehearsal, including 95-pound state runner-up Vicky Morales.
"The girl (Morales) lost to at state, they call her Krunchy (Inthirath from Palo Duro), is the same one who beat her at regionals," Hanks girls' coach Diane Carter-John said. "So, (Morales) is going down there to redeem herself. She's on a mission."
Ysleta sophomore Enrique Rodriguez is the region's top qualifier at 103 pounds, while Hanks' Javier Bautista (135 pounds) and Jarrett Bolton (145) are the area's tops in their divisions. Irvin's Paul Hyska is tops at 130. Andress' Inez Valdez is ranked No. 1 at 171 while twin brother Aurelio (third at state in 1999, fourth in 2000 at 152) qualified just third from the region.
Burges' Steve Kaupas (fifth at 112 last year) also had a disappointing regional, needing a wrestleback to claim the fourth and final spot from Andress' Joel Gonzalez.
"I'll go in as an underdog, somewhat," Kaupas said. "I'll just do the same thing I did last year: work hard and not take anyone for granted."
Maybe Kaupas can lean on his newfound teammates for support.
"We're all from different teams," Eastwood 112-pound regional runner-up Danny Nelasco said. "But, in a way, we're all representing El Paso."
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Lady Texans hoping to stake claim as state's best wrestling program
02/23/2001
By Rick Kretzschmar / Special Contributor to the Arlington Morning News
Brandy Killingsworth said she tries not to think about her loss in the quarterfinals at last year's state wrestling tournament. However, it's hard when people keep brining it up to her.
In 1999, Killingsworth was a state champion as an individual and was part of Sam Houston's state championship team. That's where she's concentrating her thoughts as she prepares for Saturday's state meet.
"To me, you've already won a state championship. You're a defending state champion," Killingsworth said. "We want to bring it back the state to where it's supposed to be."
Positive thinking and good wrestling will help Sam Houston's cause when it attempts to recapture a team state title at the UIL State Wrestling Championships. The girls portion of the championships will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday in Austin's Convention Center. The finals start at 5 p.m.
For the Lady Texans, it's a return to the site of unusual and unfortunate event for them. Last season, Sam Houston was initially declared the team state champion, but after leaving, a scoring error was discovered and Amarillo Caprock was awarded the title with 90.5 points, to 88 for Sam Houston.
Sam Houston is sending six wrestlers to the state meet from its Region II championship to try to get the team title back. However, what faces the Lady Texans, Amarillo Palo Duro, puts the scoring glitch in the background. Palo Duro is nearly sending its entire team to state, with eight wrestlers out of 10 weight classes.
Besides numbers, the brackets are working against Sam Houston as none of its wrestlers will face a Palo Duro wrestler in the first round. Coach Ryan Menard said it would help if Palo Duro wrestlers were knocked to the consolation brackets.
This makes Sam Houston's strategy simple: win as much as possible and do not worry how the Palo Duro wrestlers perform.
"I think we need to get four to the finals and three to win championships," Menard said. "And a lot of help. We need a little from above."
While lacking Sam Houston's numbers, there are some quality wrestlers around Arlington who will also be there. Arlington High will send two Region II champions, Brandi Brown (110) and Nikki Ray (119). Martin's Randi Miller (165) has performed well this month with strong efforts against Garza.
An Arlington girl can also make history in Austin. Bowie's Angela Martinez (102) is going for her fourth state title. If she succeeds, she would be the first girl in Texas high school history to win four state championships.
Improved strategy could also help Sam Houston, after barely missing a state title with 88 points, to 90.5 for Amarillo Caprock. Garza and Latosha Gillon (215) were state runners-up last season.
Gillon appeared to be tired at the end of her match last season, but she said it was actually a tactical error that cost her a state title. Gillon will get a chance to make up for last season. Her first-round opponent is Caprock's Marie Hernandez who defeated her for the 2000 state title.
Gillon said every Sam Houston wrestler must do well at state but she will take their best effort.
"If we don't win, but if they give everything they have, I'll take what we get and run with it," Gillon said.
Gillon is a strong candidate to win a state title, along with Killingsworth, Garza and Ember Brettman (185).
But if Killingsworth's past thoughts are skipping a year, her future thoughts could skip a little individual glory.
"I want everyone to be on the victory platform with me," Killingsworth said. "I don't want to be there alone."
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Two roads; one destination
PD girls wrestling duo have different backgrounds, same goal
By STEVE BELVIN 2/22/2001
Globe-News Sports Writer
The UIL state wrestling championships are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the Austin Convention Center.
Two big reasons the Palo Duro Lady Dons wrestling team is ranked No. 1 in the state are Krunchy Inthirath and Casey Brittain. Neither wrestler has lost a match this year and both are headed back to the state tournament for the second consecutive year.
Inthirath is the defending state champion in the 95-pound weight division and Brittain is considered a top contender in the 165-pound weight class. Both will be trying to lead the Lady Dons to the yearly double - a state dual team wrestling title, which they won last month, and a state wrestling title. The Lady Dons will try for the state title Friday and Saturday at the Austin Convention Center.
Inthirath and Brittain took two various roads to compete in wrestling. Brittain had the support of her parents - Inthirath did not. Brittain's family attends as many of her competitions as possible, while Inthirath's family does not. In fact, for the most part of last year Inthirath parents didn't even know she was wrestling.
"In the Laotian culture girls aren't supposed to be in sports, "she said. "Girls are supposed to stay at home, make babies and clean house. It's only about education and keeping the family together. Girls aren't supposed to be aggressive. The male dominates in sports."
Since she was already an athletic trainer, it helped to keep the secret from her parents. While dad Thongsavanh and mom Somvang thought she was doing her athletic trainer duties, Krunchy, whose real name is Khouanchay, was making a name for herself in UIL wrestling.
It helped that her parents never came to any of her school activities, and there are many. She was vice president of her class her freshmen and sophomore years. She was president of her class last year and is this year's senior class president. She's also a four-year member of the Latin Club, student council and a PD leadership group. Not to mention she's an honor student.
After she posted a 22-4 record and won state, Inthirath, who moved to the United States with her family at age 4, came clean to her parents.
"I kept the medals away from them. I kept them in a box in the closet," she said. "One day I slowly started hinting. My dad was a big fan of wrestling. I told them I had been wrestling. They said no. They said that's not what Asian females are supposed to do. I said I'm sorry but it's my decision. So I just kept going against their decision. Then I showed them the medals, and they slowly started to approve. When I won state, they were proud of me and my dad started telling his friends."
This year she's posted an 11-0 record and then she had to use a bit of deception on her parents again. She tore a cartilage from her rib to her sternum, missing six weeks. She knew if she let her parents know, they would want her to quit. With the help of her trainers, and a free sports clinic, she kept the injury from her parents.
"The day it happened it hurt so bad. So when I went home I had to hold in all the pain. I went to a sports clinic and they gave me inflammatory medicine and that helped," said Inthirath.
Still her parents have never seen her wrestle. She has two older brothers and a 16-year-old sister, Noi, who's a member of the Palo Duro tennis team.
"The only person in my family to see me wrestle is my little sister and she really came to see a boy wrestle," she said, laughing. "My parents have never come to a match. They never come to any of our school activities. It's all about grades."
At the Region I meet, Inthirath won three close matches, something she's not accustomed to doing. Usually she wins handily..
"I was rusty. I've been away for a while. It made me realize how out of shape I was. It made me want to work out even harder. This has been kind of healing and recuperating week. I feel real confident," she said."
Terry and Pam Brittain have been to almost all of their daughter's matches the past two years. In fact, the only one they missed is the national tournament in Detroit last year. Dad said he had his doubts when Casey told him she was going out for wrestling.
"The first things I wanted to know is if it was girls going against girls or if she was going to be wrestling against the boys," he said. "At first I thought she was just kidding. Then we found out after a few matches. When she went all the way to nationals last year and got serious we knew she was serious."
Mother Pam was very pessimistic about her daughter wrestling.
"I told her I don't think so," said Mrs. Brittain. "It was kind of a shock. But she had always wanted to play football. She could never play football. But now it's kind of sad that it's fixing to be over."
Casey, 25-0 this year, is quickly closing in on her goal - a state championship. Last year she went into state with one loss. At state, she lost in the semifinals.
"It feels pretty good (going back to state)," she said. "I was pretty much undefeated going into state last year. Then lost in the semifinals, twisted my knee and couldn't wrestle for third place."
The wrestler that beat her last year at state was Maria Garza of Arlington Sam Houston. Garza, who finished second at state last year, will be back. Since last year's state meet, Brittain has beaten Garza twice.
"All this year people have been telling me that Maria Garza is the person to beat. It scares me, but it's all right," said Brittain. "This year is different from last year. This year I've done a lot better. A lot of people know about me. There's a bunch of pressure on me. But I feel real confident in myself. I want to redeem myself. Make my name permanent."
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Girls' wrestling state qualifiers
02/23/2001
2000-2001 UIL WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
(Feb. 23-24, Austin Convention Center, Austin)
Area state qualifiers
GIRLS
95
Kim Bui, Sam Houston (10-10)
102
Angela Martinez, Bowie (7-1)
110
Brandi Brown, Arlington (18-3)
119
Nikki Ray, Arlington (12-2)
Jessica Lopez, Bowie (5-3)
128
Liana Von Bose, Arlington (20-5)
138
Glory Dalton, Sam Houston (17-5)
148
Brandy Killingsworth, Sam Houston (21-3)
165
Maria Garza, Sam Houston (11-2)
Randi Miller, Martin (10-5)
185
Ember Brettman, Sam Houston (15-4)
Jennifer Miller, Martin (7-11)
215
Latosha Gillon, Sam Houston (14-2)
Tanya Von Bose, Arlington (9-12)