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Arctic Winter Games Details
By Angela Denning-Barnes
Apr 2, 2002, 4:20pm
Bethel sophomore Tracy Faulkner didn't know what Inuit-style wrestling was until her name was called to compete in a match at this year's Arctic Winter Games in Greenland March 17-23.
"I didn't know I was going to wrestle that day," Faulkner said. "My coach told me that I just had to lock arms and use my upper body."
Steadying herself on her knees, keeping her hands locked behind her opponents' back and without using her hips for strength, Tracy took down all comers to bring home the gold medal, which was in the shape of an ulu.
Like Inuit wrestling, neither Faulkner or her cousin and fellow classmate, Chelsea Hoffman, had ever practiced free-style wrestling before the games. Free-style allows wrestlers to lock hands and gain points for rolling their opponents with their legs.
The girls’ inexperience didn't matter once they stepped onto the mat. Hoffman and Faulkner both won silver medals for individual matches and bronze for team points.
"I thought it was going to be folk-style wrestling," Hoffman said. "It had me nervous because I didn't really know what I was going to do. We weren't even practicing free-style and everybody else had years of experience."
Wrestler Velson Kuqo came home with two silver and a bronze. John Chugulak represented Bethel in the Native Olympic competitions at the games.
Chugulak was not able to participate in his favorite event, the one-arm reach, because it was not offered for juniors at the Arctic Games. But he did participate in several other events including the one-foot, two foot, sledge jump, kneel jump, and the Alaska high kick.
"I had fun, but it was pretty hard over there," Chugulak said.
Faulkner and Hoffman wrestled this year on the Bethel Regional High's team and were the first girls to complete a full season. Being the only girl members worked out to their advantage in the end.
"We're used to wrestling boys," Hoffman said. "Wrestling boys is way harder than wrestling girls, so that kind of prepared us to go and beat up girls."
Being the mother of a female wrestler isn't easy, according to Fern Faulkner. Fern Faulkner didn't want to see her daughter, who weighs only 140 pounds, go up against a 200-pound opponent. She was afraid Tracy would get hurt. But Faulkner didn't waste any time proving her strength.
"I took her straight to her back," Faulkner said. "I was really surprised at how easy it was. I thought she was going to be tougher than she was."
The wrestlers were guided through the games by a coach from Homer, whom they had only talked to over the phone.
"It was my first time out of Alaska and it was kind of scary at first and I got homesick," Hoffman said. "But Tracy and I kept each other company."
When the 300 or so athletes stepped from the airplane in Anchorage, they were met by cheering fans. The Bethel athletes were happy to be heading home.
"She (Tracy) was just glowing when she got off the plane," Fern Faulkner said. "I told her she should wear her medals and be proud."
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Elizabethton proves tough on home mat
By Ivan Sanders
STAR CORRESPONDENT
It's not often that a wrestling match focuses on a single match with a proven grappler and a wrestler getting ready to make a debut performance -- unless that wrestler making a debut is a female.
That was the case at Treadway Gym on Thursday night, as the Cyclones took two matches on the mat from Chuckey-Doak and David Crockett in a tri-meet.
The Cyclones opened their evening against Chuckey-Doak, with the Cyclones taking the victory 42-27. The most intriguing matchup pitted Daniel Sochalski, who is having an outstanding junior campaign, against Brandi Hensley, wrestling her first match ever.
"I know there are not a lot of girls that wrestle," said Hensley after her matchup. "I know these guys baby me in practice, but I really do want to win and make it to state."
Sochalski, who sports a 27-6 record, is ranked in the elite wrestlers at the 103 weight class in this region. It still was difficult to enter a match with the same focus as Sochalski is accustomed to.
"It's a no-win situation to wrestle a girl because you are suppose to win and if you lose then people give you a hard time because you lost to a girl," stated Sochalski. "You have to be careful what you do, and just wrestle with the techniques you learn in practice."
By the way, Sochalski pinned Hensley at the 1:45 mark of the first period.
In other action, John Ross dropped a tough decision to Christopher Olson 4-0 in the 119 class. Olson finished second at the GIT Tourney this past weekend behind last year's state champ.
Andy Ross, John's brother, notched another victory with a pin of Matt Ricker in the 130 class with two seconds left in period one.
Patrick Jenkins and Bryan Bradshaw each recorded victories with a pinfall of their opponents. Jenkins defeated Chris Babb in the 135 class, while Bradshaw put Matt McCombs shoulders to the mat with :25 left in the first period in the 189 class.
Buddy Puckett, in the 215 class, and Michael Eggers, in the 160 class, both wrestled tough matches before going down by pinfall.
In the second match of the night, the Cyclones defeated David Crockett 48-24, with only four out of 14 weight classes in battle.
Andy Ross picked up win number two of the evening, pinning Timmy Blankenship at the 1:10 mark of period one in the 130 class.
Josh Fair saw his only action of the evening, be it a short stint, pinning Kenny Engram with 56 seconds left in the first for a victory in the 152 class.
Bradshaw went against a taller opponent in David Garner of the Pioneers in the 189 class. Garner would collect a pinfall at 1:12 of the second period.
Puckett squared off against Ben Rodefer of Crockett at 215, losing by pinfall with :37 left in period one.
"Obviously, even though we had numerous forfeits on both sides, I am pleased with the performance of the guys tonight," stated head coach Bill Potter of the Cyclones. "The matches we did wrestle, I thought were wrestled like they were suppose to be."
Potter was asked about having a female wrestle: "I know there is a tough girl wrestler from Cumberland County who qualified for state last year, and she is tough. I do think it is a distraction to the guys because they wrestle differently than they are accustomed to."
Potter feels his team is about the point it was anticipated to be at this stage of the season.
"We are 10-9 on the season, and I figure we can finish out .500 on the year," stated Potter. "We still have several wrestlers who can go on and qualify for the state level this year."
The Cyclones pack their equipment for another road trip to Knoxville this Saturday to participate in a tournament at South Doyle against some quality opponents including Seymour and Chattanooga-Notre Dame.
The Cyclones have done well in road tournaments, including last weeks GIT tournament in Greeneville against top teams from Tennessee and Kentucky.
"We placed three wrestlers and could have had five if it had not been for some questionable officiating," stated Potter about the GIT.
The season record of the Cyclone grapplers, including Thursday's action looks like this:
103: Daniel Sochalski 27-6
119: John Ross 17-15
130: Andy Ross 24-9
135: Patrick Jenkins 25-13
145: Mitch Cornett 12-18
152: Josh Fair 30-5
160: Michael Eggers 7-18
171: Derrick Adkins 1-1
189: Bryan Bradshaw 12-17
215: Buddy Puckett 5-13
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2002 ISWA Women's Freestyle Open
Tournament Results
PEE-WEE
45 1 CARLI WARNER TIPTON INDIANA
BANTAM
55 1 KRISTIAN MILLER ANGOLA INDIANA
60 1 ANDREA MILLER OSSIAN INDIANA
70 1 HEATHER MILLER OSSIAN INDIANA
MIDGET
60 1 HANNA MARTIN EL RENO OKLAHOMA
60 2 DOLORES LEHMAN MUNCIE INDIANA
65 1 ANGELICA NEVINS NASHVILLE INDIANA
75 1 JODI WILLIS INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
87 1 ALEX THOMPSON FRANKFORT INDIANA
103 1 ALEXANDRIA STONE ELKHART INDIANA
103 2 JONELL RANDLE DELPHI INDIANA
NOVICE 85 1 KAYLEAH BRADY LOWELL INDIANA
85 2 VICTORIA WILLIAMS INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
112 1 TRISHA JENKINS LAKE ORION MICHIGAN
112 2 BRITTNEY ATWOOD DELPHI INDIANA
SCHOOLGIRL
97 1 KYLEE BOARDMAN SOUTH WHITLEY INDIANA
97 2 NICOLE FEASEL-PAULEY WILLARD OHIO
114 1 NATASHA STOUT PORTLAND INDIANA
136 1 CAITLIN DURBIN GREENSBURG INDIANA
CADET
114 1 AMY WOENKHAUS FT. WAYNE INDIANA
123 1 MARIAH EBERHART MISHAWAKA INDIANA
132 1 STEPHANIE SMOOT MITCHELL INDIANA
154 1 ANNA JENKINS LAKE ORION MICHIGAN
.JUNIOR
110 1 RACHEL MONROE SULLIVAN INDIANA
138.75 1 MICHELLE ALMOND INDIANAPOLIS INDIANA
------------------------------------
USGWA 2002-2003 Pre-Season
High School Rankings
100 lbs.
1st - Rachael Holthaus, Little Falls, Minnesota / Little Falls HS / Sophomore
2nd - Maika Watanabe, Napa, California / Vintage HS / Senior
3rd - Aquilla Hills, Bristol, Pennsylvania / Harry Truman HS / Senior
4th - Peggy Whitaker, Rotterdam Junction, New York / Schalmont HS / Junior
5th - Chelsea Arnhold, Marion, Kansas / Marion HS / Sophomore
6th - Kelli Rasmussen, Winnebago, Minnesota / Blue Earth HS / Freshman
7th - Roxanne Soesbe, Clarion, Iowa / Clarion-Goldfield HS / Junior
8th - Venus Bravo, Honolulu, Hawaii / Moanalua HS / Senior
105 lbs.
1st - Sara Fulp-Allen, El Granada, California / Half Moon Bay HS / Senior
2nd - Caitlyn Chase, Naperville, Illinois / Carol Stream Glenbard North HS / Freshman
3rd - Madison Bangert, Midland, Michigan / H.H. Dow HS / Sophomore
4th - Sharlee Solis, Castro Valley, California / Castro Valley HS / Sophomore
5th - Sara Muster, Akron, Ohio / Coventry HS / Sophomore
6th - Jenna Emmons, Stanton, Michigan / Central Montcalm HS / Junior
7th - Jenny Schridde, Great Bend, Kansas / Great Bend HS / Sophomore
8th - Maria Charles, Newark, Delaware / Hodgson VoTech HS / Senior
110 lbs.
1st - Na'Tasha Umemoto, Portland, Oregon / David Douglas HS / Sophomore
2nd - Rachel Groft, Abbottstown, Pennsylvania / New Oxford HS / Junior
3rd - Caylene Valdez, Honolulu, Hawaii / Moanalua HS / Senior
4th - Elizabeth Torres, Kahuku, Hawaii / Kahuku HS / Senior
5th - Chelsea Rountree, Crestwood, Kentucky / South Oldham HS / Junior
6th - Chelsea Hoffman, Bethel, Alaska / Bethel HS / Sophomore
7th - Candice Pellerin, Kissimmee, Florida / Gateway HS / Junior
8th - Ashley Simmons, Richmond, Missouri / Richmond HS / Junior
114 lbs.
1st - Yesenia De Le Mora, Spring Valley, California / Granite Hills HS / Senior
2nd - Jessica Myrice, Toledo, Ohio / Sylvania Southview HS / Junior
3rd - Lydia Stevens, Jefferson, New Hampshire / White Mountains Regional HS / Sophomore
4th - Casey Strouse, South Boardman, Michigan / Fife Lake Forest Area HS / Junior
5th - Renee Brady, Harvard, Illinois / Harvard HS / Sophomore
6th - Courtney Martell, New Haven, Vermont / Mt. Abraham HS / Junior
7th - Jenny Flores, Adrian, Michigan / Adrian HS / Senior
8th - Jessica Fox, Monmouth, Maine / Monmouth Academy / Senior
118 lbs.
1st - Deanna Rix, South Berwick, Maine / Marshwood HS / Sophomore
2nd - Jen Chu, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / Germantown Friends School / Senior
3rd - Jessica Pierce, Parish, New York / Altmar-Parish-Williamstown HS / Sophomore
4th - Ashley Bice, Clinton, Iowa / Clinton HS / Sophomore
5th - Krisha Childers, Goodard, Kansas / Goodard HS / Sophomore
6th - April Dick, Monticello, Illinois / Monticello HS / Junior
7th - Teresa Ayala, Mt.Sinai, New York / Mt.Sinai HS / Senior
8th - Megan Abentroth, Georgia, Vermont / St. Albans Bellows Free Academy / Freshman
122 lbs.
1st - Shawn Swartzlender, Burns, Oregon / Burns HS / Junior
2nd - Hilary Lucarelli, Ishpeming, Michigan / Westwood HS / Senior
3rd - Iris Mucha, Anchorage, Alaska / West Anchorage HS / Senior
4th - Kim Chu, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / Germantown Friends School / Senior
5th - Dana Kearney, Land O'Lakes, Florida / Land O'Lakes HS / Senior
6th - April Pabilona, Hayward, California / Tennyson HS / Senior
7th - Skye Woodman, Canton, Massachusetts / Canton HS / Senior
8th - Kayte Susse, High Springs, Florida / Gainesville HS / Senior
126 lbs.
1st - Samantha Collett, Millersburg, Ohio / West Holmes HS / Senior
2nd - Amanda Barley, Sunbury, Pennsylvania / Skikellamy HS / Junior
3rd - Ashley Dow, Waterbury, Vermont / Harwood Union HS / Junior
4th - Adriana Cervantes, Petaluma, California / Casa Grande HS / Senior
5th - Leilani Relator, Kahuku, Hawaii / Kahuku HS / Junior
6th - Vanessa Butanda, Covina, California / Northview HS / Junior
7th - Britany Wisdom, Bonne Terre, Missouri / North County HS / Junior
8th - Trystyn Seaman, Wixom, Michigan / Walled Lake Western HS / Senior
130 lbs.
1st - Wendy Casey, Binghamton, New York / Binghamton HS / Senior
2nd - Madeleine Briones, San Leandro, California / San Leandro HS / Senior
3rd - Stefanie Shaw, Waterford, Connecticut / Waterford HS / Sophomore
4th - Othella Lucas, San Diego, California / Crawford HS / Senior
5th - Alisha Zahn, Minneapolis, Minnesota / Roosevelt HS / Sophomore
6th - Alisha Kriesel, Isanti, Minnesota / St. Francis HS / Senior
7th - Teri Lopez, Katy, Texas / Katy HS / Junior
8th - Rose Shaner, Kalkaska, Michigan / Kalkaska HS / Senior
134 lbs.
1st - Brandy Rosenbrock, Warren, Michigan / Eastpointe East Detroit HS / Senior
2nd - Vanessa Oswalt, Mt. Vernon, Ohio / Mt. Vernon HS / Sophomore
3rd - Chelynne Pringle, Hugo, Minnesota / Forest Lake HS / Sophomore
4th - Julie Duarte, Baldwin Park, California / Sierra Vista HS / Senior
5th - Diane Mato, Katy, Texas / Taylor HS / Senior
6th - Meg Cox, Kellogg, Idaho / Kellogg HS / Senior
7th - Danielle Daubert, Ocala, Florida / Forest HS / Senior
8th - Angel Grounds, Grovertown, Indiana / Knox HS / Junior
138 lbs.
1st - Dawn Schneiderwent, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin / Oconomowoc HS / Senior
2nd - Bethany Jezierski, Port Huron, Michigan / Port Huron HS / Senior
3rd - Natasha Douglas, Wasilla, Alaska / Wasilla HS / Junior
4th - Jenna Strickler, Lake Zurich, Illinois / Lake Zurich HS / Sophomore
5th - Melinda Campbell, Saginaw, Michigan / Heritage HS / Senior
6th - Liz Strouse, Clare, Michigan / Clare HS / Senior
7th - Vanessa Naluai, Honolulu, Hawaii / Kaiser HS / Senior
8th - Amber Eberspeaker, Greenville, Michigan / Greenville HS / Junior
144 lbs.
1st - Ali Bernard, New Ulm, Minnesota / New Ulm HS / Junior
2nd - Anna Jenkins, Lake Orion, Michigan / Lake Orion HS / Sophomore
3rd - Kuuiini Johnson, Aiea, Hawaii / Moanalua HS / Senior
4th - Sheri Hilliard, Lakota, North Dakota / Lakota HS / Senior
5th - Tracy Faulkner, Bethel, Alaska / Bethel HS / Sophomore
6th - Megan Nevill, Clare, Michigan / Clare HS / Senior
7th - Samantha Stolarz, Towson, Maryland / Towson HS / Senior
8th - Rebecca Schultz, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin / Sun Prairie HS / Senior
152 lbs.
1st - Heather Martin, Wellington, Ohio / LaGrange Keystone HS / Junior
2nd - Amy Volz, Los Alamos, New Mexico / Los Alamos HS / Junior
3rd - Casey Johnson, Spencer, Iowa / Spencer HS / Senior
4th - Toni Copeland, McDonough, New York / McDonough HS / Freshman
5th - Brooke Bonte, Beresford, South Dakota / Beresford HS / Junior
6th - Anela Iseka, Honolulu, Hawaii / Kahuku HS / Junior
7th - Irene Proulx, San Diego, California / University City HS / Senior
8th - Kelly Lustig, Novi, Michigan / Walled Lake Western HS / Senior
165 lbs.
1st - Samantha Lang, Tualatin, Oregon / Tualatin HS / Junior
2nd - Nickia Jensen, Eden Prairie, Minnesota / Eden Prairie HS / Junior
3rd - Jill Pierce, Parish, New York / Altmar-Parish-Williamstown HS / Senior
4th - Colette Curtis, Gardner, Kansas / Gardner HS / Sophomore
5th - Samantha Goodale, Ames, Iowa / Gilbert HS / Senior
6th - Jacquelyn Dollaway, Walden, New York / Montgomery Valley Central HS / Junior
7th - Cori Oram, Rustburg, Virginia / Rustburg HS / Junior
8th - Hope Huizar, Vassar, Michigan / Vassar HS / Junior
165+lbs.
1st - Laura DiCesare, Monroe, Michigan / Monroe HS / Senior
2nd - Lizz Sanders, Newton, Iowa / Newton HS / Sophomore
3rd - Michael Kaufman, Flinton, Pennsylvania / Glendale HS / Junior
4th - Misty Stalley, San Mateo, California / Aragon HS / Senior
5th - Candy Bezanson, Orange Lake, Florida / Ocala Forest HS / Junior
6th - Jillan Lambson, Sandusky, Michigan / Sandusky HS / Senior
7th - Cassie Pemberton, Manhattan, Kansas / Manhattan HS / Junior
8th - Dallas Monreal-Berner, Niles, Illinois / Skokie Niles Township West HS / Freshman
