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Women wrestlers mix it up at old GFH gym
By SCOTT MANSCH 3/1/02
Tribune Assistant Sports Editor
Justin Abdou grew up in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, but he was right at home in the old Great Falls High gymnasium Friday night.
"I spent a lot of time wrestling in Great Falls when I was a kid," he said. "I know a lot of nice people here."
Abdou, a former four-time NAIA national wrestling champion and member of the Canadian Olympic mat team, was an interested spectator Friday as a "national" tournament for women's wrestlers began at the old gym. The tournament is unsanctioned, but certainly not without talented athletes.
"I see this getting bigger, at least I certainly hope so," said Abdou, an assistant men's and women's mat coach at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia.
Abdou is a proponent of the women's sport, but it wasn't always that way.
"I was apprehensive about it, coming from a male-dominated sport," he said. "But the girls on our team are very hard-working kids and very coachable kids. I think the sport is really evolving, and getting better all the time."
Athletes like Carol Huynh, a a junior at Simon Fraser, prove Abdou's point. Huynh displayed uncommon quickness Friday night while winning three matches at 48 kg.
"She's amazing," said Abdou. "Easily one of the best wrestlers here. I think you'll see her at the Olympics in 2004."
Huynh, 21, is an accomplished wrestler who has competed in places like Bulgaria, Japan, Sweden, Austria, Romania and France.
Now you can add Great Falls, Montana, to that list. She and her Simon Fraser teammates piled into a bus for the 14-hour trip from Burnaby to the Electric City.
"They made the trip to show support for the sport," said Abdou. "I wish more women's teams had decided to come."
About 35 women competed Friday in the national tournament, the first of its kind for women's wrestlers in North America
"It's going to get big and it's going to get big fast," Huynh said. "It's here and I think it's here to stay."
The women's tournament concludes this afternoon from 1:30 to 5 at Bison Fieldhouse.
THURSDAY'S RESULTS
48 kg
Round Robin
Kristen Fujioka (Pacific) won by tech. fall over Monica Harris (Missouri Valley), 10-0; Heather Ball (Simon Fraser) dec. Rachel Bernardes (Missouri Valley), 6-1; Rachel Bernardes (Missouri Valley) dec. Monica Harris (Missouri Valley), 6-3; Carol Huynh (Simon Fraser) won by tech. fall over Heather Ball (Simon Fraser), 11-0; Kiersten Fujioka (Pacific) dec. Rachel Bernardes (Missouri Valley), 4-0; Carol Huynh (Simon Fraser) won by tech. fall over Monica Harris (Missouri Valley), 13-0; Carol Huynh (Simon Fraser) won by tech. fall over Kristen Fujioka (Pacific), 10-0; Heather Ball (Simon Fraser) dec. Monica Harris (Missouri Valley), 4-2
51 kg
Round Robin
Lyndsey Belisle (UBC) won by tech. fall over Sarah White (Simon Fraser), 12-0; Kathleen Takeda (Simon Fraser) won by tech. fall over Becky Cisneros; (Missouri Valley), 10-0; Lyndsey Belisle (UBC) pin Kathleen Takeda (Simon Fraser), 3:47; Sarah White (Simon Fraser) dec. Katie Kunimoto (Pacific), 7-2; Lyndsey Belisle (UBC) pin Becky Cisneros (Missouri Valley), 1:20; Kathleen Takeda (Simon Fraser) pin Katie Kunimoto (Pacific), 2:10; Katie Kumimoto (Pacific) pin Becky Cisneros (Missouri Valley), 0:32; Sarah White (Simon Fraser) dec. Kathleen Takeda (Simon Fraser), 12-8
55 kg
Quarterfinals
Dayna Martin (Douglas) dec. Jane Yeoh (Simon Fraser), 5-4; Shannon Briganshaw (Simon Fraser) dec. Bior Guigni (Menlo), 3-0; Angela Mah (Simon Fraser) dec. Desi Lockhart (Pacific), 7-1
Consolation quarterfinals
Desi Lockhart (Pacific) dec. Bior Guigni (Menlo), 3-1
Semifinals
Malissa Sherwood (Missouri Valley) pin Dayna Martin (Douglas), 0:18; Angela Mah (Simon Fraser) dec. Shannon Briganshaw (Simon Fraser), 4-1
Consolation semifinals
Shannon Briganshaw (Simon Fraser) dec. Jane Yeoh (Simon Fraser), 3-1, ot, 6:33; Dayna Martin (Douglas) dec. Desi Lockhart (Pacific), 13-10
59 kg
Round Robin
Tonya Evinger (Missouri Valley) won by tech. fall over Kiersten Hyatt (Missouri Valley), 10-0; Tela O'Donnell (Pacific) dec. Jessica Peterson (Douglas), 4-3; Tela O'Donnell (Pacific) dec. Kiersten Hyatt (Missouri Valley), 9-0; Tonya Evinger (Missouri Valley) pin Jessica Peterson (Douglas), 2:56; Kiersten Hyatt (Missouri Valley) dec. Jessica Peterson (Douglas), 9-6
63 kg
Round Robin
Jill Campeau (Douglas) dec. Jennica Day (Simon Fraser), 5-1; Emily Richardson (Simon Fraser) dec. Leigh Jaynes (Missouri Valley), 8-7; Emily Richardson (Douglas) pin Jennica Day (Simon Fraser); Tori Adams (Missouri Valley) dec. Leigh Jaynes (Missouri Valley), 9-1; Jill Campeau (Douglas) dec. Emily Richardson (Douglas), 11-10; Tori Adams (Missouri Valley) pin Jennica Day (Simon Fraser), 4:01; Leigh Jaynes (Missouri Valley) dec. Jennica Day (Simon Fraser), 4-3; Tori Adams (Missouri Valley) dec. Jill Campeau (Douglas), 6-1
67 kg
Round Robin
Molly Keith (Missouri Valley) pin Lyndsay Hamilton (Douglas), 7-2; Ashlea McManus (Simon Fraser) dec. Lyndsay Hamilton (Douglas), 11-7
72 kg
Round Robin
Shannon Samler (Simon Fraser) pin Donnell Bradley (Missouri Valley), 2:33; Kaci Lyle (Pacific) won by tech. fall over Donnell Bradley (Missouri Valley), 11-1, 4:31
77 kg
Bye until Friday
Exhibition matches (67/72/77 kg)
Kaci Lyle (Pacific) won by tech. fall over Molly Keith (Missouri Valley), 11-1; Hillary Leith (Missouri Valley) dec. Donnell Bradley (Misouri Valley), 6-3; Shannon Samler (Simon Fraser) won by tech. fall over Christy Wark (Simon Fraser), 11-0; Shannon Samler (Simon Fraser) won by tech. fall over Hillary Leith (Missouri Valley), 11-0; Donnell Bradley (Missouri Valley) pin Christy Wark (Simon Fraser), 5:47
FRIDAY'S MATCHES
2 p.m., Bison Fieldhouse
48 kg--Carol Huynh (Simon Fraser) vs. Rachel Bernardes (Missouri Valley)
48 kg--Kristen Fujioka (Pacific) vs. Heather Ball (Simon Fraser)
51 kg--Lyndsay Belisle (UBC) vs. Katie Kunimoto (Pacific)
51 kg--Becky Cisneros (Missouri Valley) vs. Sarah White (Simon Fraser)
55 kg--1st place: Malissa Sherwood (Missouri Valley) vs. Angela Mah (Simon Fraser)
55 kg-- 3rd place: Shannon Briganshaw (Simon Fraser) vs. Dayna Martin (Douglas)
55 kg--5th place: Jane Yeoh (Simon Fraser) vs. Desi Lockhart (Pacific)
59 kg--1st place: Tela O'Donnell (Pacific) vs. Tonya Evinger (Missouri Valley)
63 kg--Leigh Jaynes (Missouri Valley) vs. Jill Campeau (Douglas)
63 kg--Emily Richardson (Douglas) vs. Tori Adams (Missouri Valley)
67 kg--1st place: Ashlea McManus (Simon Fraser) vs. Molly Keith (Missouri Valley)
72 kg--1st place: Shannon Samler (Simon Fraser) vs. Kaci Lyle (Pacific)
77 kg--1st place: Hillary Leith (Missouri Valley) vs. Christy Wark (Simon Fraser)
(Note: Medals will be determined at all eight weight classes based upon results on Friday.)
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