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Your Newspaper: Readers are heard
BY LARRY KING 2/10/02
WORLD-HERALD EXECUTIVE EDITOR
For a newspaper editor, the world often divides into two groups of people: those who want to get something into the newspaper and those who want to keep something out.
That's an over-generalization, of course. Most people don't want anything more of their newspaper than information, explanation and enlightenment told truthfully and accurately with a little entertainment along the way.
People who call, write or e-mail an editor usually have a request. Sometimes a demand. Occasionally a plea. Here are some recent examples.
A group of Omahans who run a local pageant for young women was unhappy that results of the annual competition, along with the pictures of the winners, were not published. They were especially unhappy because the results of other pageants had been printed earlier in the year.
"We are not sure why you have such an adamant dislike for our program," they wrote.
Even in years when we publish their results, they said, "You reluctantly give us a small article ... and in most cases it was found on some obscure place on or next to the obituary page."
Well, no one here dislikes the pageant. We made a mistake this year and the results didn't get into the paper. We want to print such information. We promised the group we would take care not to leave out its results in the future.
As to where the article would run? We don't think there are any obscure places in the news columns. Each inch is precious to us. And let's face it, the obituaries and the surrounding stories are among the most read items in the newspaper.
The World-Herald wants news about things happening in Omaha and across Nebraska and western Iowa. We welcome your news tips, but we can't guarantee when stories will get into the paper or where they might appear. We receive hundreds of news releases, calls and e-mails each day about area events or projects that compete for community attention.
Another call came from a woman who, with her husband, had just purchased a new house. She wanted the purchase left out of the weekly listings of home sales in our Sunday Real Estate section. That's a common request.
"It's no one's business how much we paid for our house," she said.
Yes, it is.
You and your neighbors should know who is buying property in your neighborhood, how much that property is selling for, what is being built that might affect overall property values and whether everyone is paying a fair share of taxes.
Public information keeps people honest and informed about what is going on in their community. When a newspaper publishes public records such as real estate transfers and building permits, it is providing a service by making available information that anyone could acquire by making a trip to county offices.
Then there was the high school wrestling coach who, with the subtlety of a bear hug, called The World-Herald "a chauvinistic rag." He was not happy that we had written about a girl wrestler for Millard West who was the first young woman in the state to wrestle in a Class A meet.
If The World-Herald wanted gender equality in coverage, he said, it wouldn't have covered her at all, "just like ... for all the other high school wrestlers in the area." An obvious exaggeration when one considers the coverage we gave to the district meets this weekend and plan to give the state wrestling meets next weekend.
But his point was that wrestling does not get the same attention as some other high school sports. That much is true. As with all things we cover, we must make judgments about what the largest number of people want or need to read. That's the challenge of being a general circulation newspaper with a broad geographic coverage area.
But be assured that we do listen, both when the calls and letters are polite and when they aren't.
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Montwood junior rallies, wins regional wrestling title
Pablo Villa 2/13/02
Special to the Times
Mark Lambie / El Paso Times
Socorro High's Mario Diaz struggled to avoid being pinned by Amarillo
Palo Duro's Trey Gerber Saturday during the 145-pound regional championship
match.
Diana Esquivel said at the beginning of the season she had one goal --
she wanted to win regionals.
The Montwood junior won the 110-pound championship at the Region 1
wrestling tournament Saturday at Socorro. A trip to the state tournament alters
her plans.
"It's been a good year," Esquivel said. "I have no idea what I'm going
to do now."
She will indeed be going through another two weeks of practice in
preparation for the biggest competition of her life.
"She knew what she had to do to become a champion," Montwood coach Leo
Garcia said. "She's an excellent worker and I have to get her prepared
to become a state champion."
Esquivel went through an arduous task to attain her crown, beating
Amarillo Caprock's Yette Madrid, a state qualifier last year, to set up a
finals showdown with Amarillo Palo Duro's Brittany Owens. Owens had an upper
hand early in the match, running the score to 9-4 in her favor in the first
period. Esquivel escaped an Owens' lock and proceeded to flip the Lady
Don in an acrobatic takedown. The Ram would turn the match around, leading
12-10 in the final period, before pinning Owens, with 31 seconds left.
"I wanted it more than she did," Esquivel said. "And I won regionals,
it's a relief. I'm looking forward to state."
The loss cost Palo Duro, last year's girls state champions, critical
points in the tournament. The Lady Dons, who netted 142.5 points, finished
second behind Caprock, which had 151. Amarillo Tascosa was third with 120
points.
--------------------------------
Wrestlers get another chance at regionals
Pablo Villa 2/8/02
Special to the Times
The wait ends today for Kim Quiñonez.
The Hanks standout has seen a year pass since her greatest wrestling
disappointment.
Quiñonez remembers the hour preceding the Region 1 Wrestling Tournament
last
year and what the scale showed. She was two-tenths of a pound
overweight.
Just two-tenths separated her from participating in her biggest parlay.
She
saw the tournament from the confines of the bleachers. She saw
Hereford's
Astrid Gomez take the 110-pound title. And she has seen the year pass
excruciatingly.
"She was very disappointed," Hanks coach Anthony Carter. "She feels she
has
something to prove. I think she will have a lot of eyes on her."
And she will. But at tonight's Region 1 tournament at Socorro, the eyes
will
be looking for something else. Quiñonez is seeded No. 2 in the
128-pound
class. She will look to prove her merit in a tournament that missed her
last
year.
"I know I have a lot of pressure," Quiñonez said last week after
winning her
second district title in the 128-pound class. "Everyone wants me to win
state like my sister (Katherine) did. I'm going to be ready."
The junior was three pounds under last week, and said she'll easily
make
weight and avoid another great disappointment.
She will be one of many grapplers on hand to earn the right to a trip
to the
state finals in Austin.
The tournament will be at Socorro High for the second consecutive year.
District champions and top finishers from Districts1 to 8-5A will
engage in
competition. Region 1 features Amarillo Palo Duro, a team that won the
girls' state title last year. Amarillo Caprock and Hereford, which tied
for
fourth place at state last year, will also be in El Paso. The
tournament is
slated for a 10 a.m. start in the Pit in Socorro's gymnasium.
Wrestlers and coaches have geared up for the event all week. Not having
to
leave El Paso gives the city's wrestlers an advantage.
"It's good for us," Montwood coach Leo Garcia said. "We don't have to
sit on
a bus for eight hours. We get that extra day of practice. It should get
us a
little better prepared."
Garcia expects big things from his girls' team, which has come on late
this
season, winning its first district title in school history last week.
"They are tough," Garcia said. "They've been working hard all year
long."
Garcia will also see if one of his boys can overcome a setback. At last
week's District 4-5A competition, Gabe Beltran was defeated by
Socorro's
Mario Diaz in overtime for the 145-pound title. The pair made for the
tournament's most exciting match, and will likely meet again in the
regional
round.
"He had a tough loss," Garcia said. "I've already told him that he gets
another chance at it (today)."
--------------------------------------------
Lady Longhorns win title
EL PASO - Although held without a championship in any of the 10 divisions, the Caprock Lady Longhorns won the Region I girls' wrestling title on Saturday, narrowly defeating Palo Duro at the Socorro gymnasium.
Caprock compiled 151 points compared to 142 for the Lady Dons. Tascosa finished third with 120 points.
El Paso Hanks won the boys' division with 144.5 points, ahead of second-place Tascosa with 114 points. Randall's Brandon Chancler was named the most outstanding wrestler after capturing the individual title at 160 pounds.
Palo Duro took the most individual titles in the girls' division, with Stormy Grear (95 pounds), Laura Lindsey (119) and Theresa Fennell (185) all claiming individual crowns. Lindsey won a state championship last season as the Lady Dons won both the state and national titles.
Hereford and Tascosa also placed a pair of individual champions during Saturday's finals. Astrid Gomez (128) and Julie Aquino (Hvy.) paced the way for a sixth-place finish for the Lady Whitefaces, while Houston Shepherd (138) and Tasia Benefield (148) won titles for the Lady Rebels.
---------------------------------
Five Eagle wrestlers headed to state
2/12/02
]SAN ANTONIO — Four Ellison girls and one boy are headed to the state
wrestling meet Feb. 22-23 in Austin after qualifying at the Region IV
meet last weekend at the Blossom Athletic Center's Littleton Gym.
Mary Chabot, Angela Whitley and Kisha Wilson all went 4-0 at the
regional meet. Kyle Moore and Latisha Keahey were 3-1.
The Ellison girls were regional runners-up with 114 points. San Antonio
Lee won the meet with 135 points.
Copperas Cove 128-pounder Charlene Smith finished second to make her
trip to the state meet.
Moore won an 8-1 decision over La Joya's Johnathan Garza in the
180-pound division, then edged Phlips Kownslar of Houston Westside 10-9, and
defending region champ Ted Marley of San Antonio Churchill 5-4. He lost his
finale to Crockett's Cody Bumpas 10-2.
Joe Sheffield finished 2-2 in the tournament in the 215-pound division
after losing his final match 2-1 to Pharr-San Juan-Alamo's Jose Navarro.
Killeen's Andy Cotter (125) took a 9-8 win over Efrain Rodriguez of La
Joya, and will advance to state.
At 189 pounds, Copperas Cove's Gary Tomblin fell 2-1 to Sam Hogg of San
Antonio Churchill, but still advanced to state with his fourth-place
finish.
Granger's 145-pounder, Daniel Morriss, won his weight class, while
180-pounder Brady Nix also moved on, finishing fourth.
The top four boys and top two girls in each weight class went on to the
state meet at the Austin Convention Center.
Killeen tied for 11th in the boys' meet with 34 points. Cove tied for
20th with 18. Harker Heights was 24th with 13. Ellison and Shoemaker tied
for 26th with 11.
Shoemaker's girls finished 11th with 13 points. Harker Heights was 13th
with 11 points. Cove finished 16th with 7.5 points.
----------------------------------
Wrestlers head for regional meet
BY JUAN MARSHALL
Herald Staff Writer 2/8/02
SAN ANTONIO — Killeen, fresh off a District 25 boys' team title, will
head five schools competing at the Region IV wrestling meet at the Blossom
Athletic Center today and Saturday.
The Roos sent a district-best eight into the Region IV tournament.
Harker eights sent six, Copperas Cove and Shoemaker each had five, and
Ellison sent four.
The top two wrestlers in each weight class advanced. If the
second-place restler had not faced the third-place wrestler, those two met in a
wrestle-back match, with the winner going on to regionals.
Also this weekend, the girls get back into the action. Because of a
smaller number of participants, all the girls were permitted to walk through
district into regionals.
Ellison's girls are expected to have a strong showing after winning
their second straight district title.
Killeen's best shot for a wrestler to advance to state may be
130-pounder Craig Campbell.
He was named the top lightweight wrestler at the district meet in
Granger last weekend, and is ranked eighth in the state by texaswrestler.com,
and is undefeated for the season.
Other individual district title winners for Killeen were the brother
combination of Andy and Brian Cotter, at 125 and 140 pounds
respectively.
The five other Roos going to regionals are Richard Kennedy (145),
Sandrell Graves (152), Sean Rowell (171), Adam Mickleson (215) and Xavier
Saulter (275).
Heights had three winners as well, with Mitch Driver (119), Brandon
Suttles (135) and Keith Jenkins (160) taking titles.
Other Knights making regionals were Chris Fajkus (103), Richard Orona
(125) and Tino Vanegas (130).
Shoemaker had the most individual winners at the district meet, with
Steve Perrault (112), Darekus McCrae (171), Daryl Cannie (189) and Jeremy
Pati (275) picking up wins. Joining them in San Antonio is Stephen Allen at
119 pounds.
Copperas Cove's David Hayes (103) and Andrew Baker (152) were district
champs. Second-place wrestlers for Cove included Michael Campanero
(112), Matt Krakowiak (135) and Gary Tomblin (189).
Ellison's Joseph Sheffield dominated at 215 in the district meet,
giving the Eagles their lone win. Teammates Octavia Lowe (140), Ronald Murray
(160) and Kyle Moore (180) will be at the meet as well.
Granger's two district champs will be on hand — 145-pounder Daniel
Morriss, and 180-pounder Brady Nix, the top upper-weight wrestler at the
district meet.
Ellison's strong girls team is Kim Tyler (102), Latisha Keahey (110),
Alana Chase (119), Ebony Bradley (128), Kanetta Rider (138), Mary Chabot
(148), Angela Whitley (165), and Kisha Wilson (185).
The Lady Eagles began the season as the top-ranked team in the state,
with Wilson ranked at the top of her weight class.
Whitley is now the No. 1 wrestler in her weight class, while Wilson is
currently second.
Tyler is currently rated fourth, and Keahey is fifth.
Copperas Cove's top girls' wrestler is 128-pounder Charlene Smith. She
is joined by Gina Setley (110), Patrice Clarke (138), and Jessica Tosado
(215).
Malaree Bartoszek (102), Micaela Murphy (110), Erica Morales (128),
Sophia Bauer (185), and Rosea Grady (215) will represent Shoemaker.
Harker Heights has Jessica Godbold (95), Jennifer Trevino (102) Desire
Trevino (110), Hanna Ferguson (138), and Nikki Haney (138).
Killeen's girls include Tanya Carranza (102), Laura Marley (119),
Andrea Johnson (128), and Sherray Washington (138).
-------------------------------------------
2/10/2002 Houston Chronicle)
ALLEN - Katy Taylor's Patrick Huff and Oak Ridge's Michael Martinez won
state wrestling titles last year, and both gave evidence they figure to
be in the state title hunt again.
Huff and Martinez were among nine Houston-area wrestlers to win titles
in the boys division of the Region III University Interscholastic League
wrestling tournament at Allen High School.
In the girls division, Katy, with five state qualifiers and two
regional champions, unseated Katy Taylor as the Region III champion.
Huff, the 103-pound boys state champion last season, is wrestling at
112 division this season. He was one of four Katy Taylor wrestlers to reach
the final. Huff and teammate Goeffrey Messer at 125 pounds captured
regional titles to help Katy Taylor finish tied for third with The Woodlands in
the team standings.
Rockwall, the defending state champion, won the boys regional with
233.5 points, followed by Richardson Lake Highlands with 143.5 points. Klein
finished fifth with 114.5 points.
A third-period reversal helped Huff edge Rockwall's James Byrd 7- 6 in
the title match. With the victory, he improved to 39-1 this season.
"He was tough," Huff said. "I really had to work for it in the third
period."
Martinez, the defending state champion at heavyweight, outlasted Katy's
Joe Moore 4-2 in the championship match to improve to 15-1 this season.
"I feel like I'm a better wrestler this year," Martinez said. "I'm more
experienced. I know the moves better."
Rockwall was the runaway team winner with four regional champions among
its nine state qualifiers, but the Houston-area schools in Region III
acquitted themselves well by winning more than half of the individual
championship matches.
The Woodlands qualified five for state, including regional champions in
103-pound Danny Ruiz and 130-pound Brad Medchill. In his title match,
Ruiz beat Plano's Raymond Wilcox 9-7 in overtime when he registered a
takedown to get the win.
Only the top four finishers in the regional boys competition qualify
for the state meet, which will be held at the Austin Convention Center on Feb.
22-23.
Others from the area to win regional titles in the boys division were
Waller's Nate Soknich at 135, Klein's Pierre Poledore at 140, Katy's
James Aston at 171 and Cinco Ranch's Matt Tiffin at 180.
"We get a lot of back talk about how weak the Houston area is in
wrestling," Katy Taylor coach Todd Hart said. "We don't think our area is weak, and
we proved that."
The Woodlands coach Patrick Dunn agreed.
"We're finally catching up," he said. "It takes a while, but some of
those Dallas-area schools have had wrestling for 20 years."
The Houston-area schools dominated the girls competition.
Katy's 128-pound Linse Meadows, who is unbeaten, was named the girls
most outstanding wrestler for the tournament. Teammate Melissa Terry at 95
pounds also claimed a regional title.
Only the top two finishers in the girls competition qualify for the
state competition.
"This was a dream for us," said Katy coach Tim Ripperger. "Except for
Linse, who is a senior, most of these girls started with us as freshmen and
are sophomores now. This is a dream we had all year long. It was our goal."
