News Page
-------------------------------------------------
U.S. wrestlers dominate FILA Manitoba Open in Canada, winning 11 individual gold medals
2/1/2004
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
Wrestlers from the United States dominated the women’s and men’s freestyle divisions at the FILA Manitoba Open in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Jan. 30-31.
U.S. women won six of the seven gold medals, while U.S. men won five of the seven gold medals.
Capturing gold medals in the women’s division were Patricia Miranda (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Malinda Ripley (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Tela O’Donnell (Colorado Springs, Colo./Dave Schultz WC) at 55kg/121 lbs., Erin Tomeo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 59 kg/130 lbs., Sara McMann (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Stephany Lee (Honolulu, Hawaii, Missouri Valley College) at 72 kg/158.5 lbs.
Capturing the gold medals in the men’s division were Teague Moore (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 55 kg/121 lbs.. Mike Zadick (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC) at 60 kg/132 lbs., Cael Sanderson (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 84 kg/185 lbs., Wes Hand (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. and Kerry McCoy (Bethlehem, Pa./New York AC) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs.
Host Canada won two gold medals, one in each the men’s and women’s divisions, and an athlete from Finland won the other men’s gold medal.
In the women’s division, McMann wrestled two-time World champion Kristie Marano (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) twice during the tournament, splitting the two bouts.
Marano won the first match during the pool competition by a 6-4 score, and she went on to win the pool. Because there were three pools, McMann qualified for a repechage wrestle-off, which she won, which placed her into the semifinals. McMann and Marano both qualified for the finals, where McMann claimed a 7-3 decision for the gold-medal.
O’Donnell had a tremendous tournament to claim her title. She had to beat a pair of past World medalists in her pool, Ida Therese Karlsson of Sweden and Jenny Wong of the United States. In the semifinals, she pinned Canadian star Jennifer Ryz in 5:38. In the gold-medal finals, she beat Karlsson again, this time by a 7-2 margin.
A truly dominating performance was turned in by Miranda, with four technical falls and a pin, dominating every match.
On the men’s side, the two 2003 U.S. World Team members in the field won their competition handily, Sanderson and McCoy. Sanderson scored four technical falls and a pin. McCoy had three technical falls and an injury default win.
In four weight classes, U.S. wrestlers met in the championship finals. In two of these weight classes, the United States swept all three medals in the division, women’s 48 kg/105.5 lbs. and men’s 84 kg/185 lbs.
U.S. silver medalists were Marano, Katie Kunimoto (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs. on the women’s side and Andy Hrovat (Ann Arbor, Mich./New York AC) at 84 kg/185 lbs., and Mo Lawal (Stillwater, Okla./Gator WC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. on the men’s side.
U.S. bronze medalists among women were Sara Fulp-Allen (Atherton, Calif./Menlo College) at 48 kg/105.5 lbs., Brooke Bogren (Carbondale, Kan./Missouri Valley) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Kelly Branham (Apache Junction, Ariz./Missouri Valley) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs. Winning U.S. bronze medals in the men’s division were Danny Felix (Charlottesville,Va./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Markus Mollica (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 84 kg/185 lbs.
1/31/2004
Winnipeg, Canada
Entered by Gary Abbott
Team Scoring
Results By Weight
48 kg/105.5 lbs.
Gold - Patricia Miranda (USA)
Silver - Katie Kunimoto (USA)
Bronze - Sara Fulp-Allen (USA)
4th - Julie Gonzalez (USA)
5th - Maria Sanchez (Mexico)
6th - Kyla Bremner (Australia)
7th - Brandy Ens (Canada)
8th - Guadelupe Perez Descareno (Mexico)
9th - Lisa Morin (Canada)
10th - Amber McCrystal (Canada)
Gold - Miranda tech. fall Kunimoto, 10-0
Bronze - Fulp-Allen pin Gonzalez
Semifinals - Miranda tech. fall Fulp-Allen, 12-1; Kunimoto dec. Gonzales, 3-1
51 kg/112.25 lbs.
Gold - Malinda Ripley (USA)
Silver - Belinda Chow (Canada)
Bronze - Karin Gransted (Sweden)
4th - Debbi Sakai (USA)
5th - Tabithia Ramsey (USA)
6th - Maika Watanabe (USA)
7th - Sarah Melena (Canada)
Gold - Ripley dec. Chou, 13-4
Bronze - Granstad dec. Sakai, 5-4
55 kg/121 lbs.
Gold - Tela O’Donnell (USA)
Silver - Ida Therese Karlsson (Sweden)
Bronze - Jennifer Ryz (Canada)
4th - Marcie Van Dusen (USA)
5th - Magdelena Moelos (Mexico)
6th - Sarah Peasley (USA)
7th - Jenny Wong (USA)
8th - Katie Ross (USA)
9th - Shelby Wells (Canada)
10th - Adriana Cervantes (USA)
Gold - O’Donnell dec. Karlsson, 7-2
Bronze - Ryz dec. Van Dusen, 5-4
Semifinals - O’Donnell pin Ryz, 5:38; Karlsson dec. Van Dusen, 4-3
59 kg/130 lbs.
Gold - Erin Tomeo (USA)
Silver - Ellen Macro (Canada)
Bronze - Brooke Bogren (USA)
4th - Kiersten Hyatt (USA)
5th - Amy Dyck (Canada)
6th - Laura Chabot (Canada)
7th - K. Large (Canada)
8th - Heather Laube (Canada)]
9th - Tara Brown (Canada)
Gold - Tomeo dec. Macro, 11-5
Bronze - Bogren dec. Hyatt, 6-0
Semifinals - Tomeo tech. fall Hyatt, 12-0, 5:11; Macro dec. Bogren, 5-2
63 kg/138.75 lbs.
Gold - Sara McMann (USA)
Silver - Kristie Marano
Bronze - Lene Aanes (Norway)
4th - Helen Hennick (Canada)
5th - Jacqueline Gonzalez (Mexico)
6th - Helena Allandi (Sweden)
7th - Tori Adams (USA)
8th - Ranae Faaborg (USA)
9th - Gaby Portillo (USA)
Gold - McMann dec. Marano, 7-3
Bronze - Aanes tech. fall Hennick, 10-0
Semifinals - Marano dec. Aanes, 3-3, ot; McMann tech. fall Hennick, 11-1
67 kg/147.5 lbs.
Gold - Stefanie Howorun (Canada)
Silver - Theresa Bakker (Canada)
Bronze - Kelly Branham (USA)
4th - Carla Binning (Canada)
5th - Meghan Hobman (Canada)
72 kg/158 lbs.
Gold - Stephany Lee (USA)
Silver - Erin Church (Canada)
Gold - Lee pin Church, 2:00
------------------------------------
By Times-Herald staff report 2/1/04
The Hogan High School girls wrestling team pulled a major upset Saturday, taking the team title at the first-ever section tournament by one point over favored Vallejo, 102-101 at Stockton's Edison High School.
The Spartans' section two crown was not without dispute, as a sudden-death match involving Vallejo's Ashley Sage was prematurely halted by a referee.
Tied 7-7, Sage and Highlands' Justine Navarette went into overtime, where the first point recorded would determine the victor. Sage forced Navarette onto her back, and - despite the fact that other matches were still being played - the referee stopped the match.
"What he's supposed to do is let her continue to wrestle to get pinning points," Vallejo assistant coach Elizabeth Domagas said, "but he stopped it."
Instead, the match stopped with Vallejo collecting just eight points towards its team total.
Hogan's Reenie Belamide (116 pound weight class) defeated Vallejo's Elizabeth Bustamonte to win her second tournament title in as many weeks.
"She's pretty tough; I didn't know what to expect," Belamide said. "She put up a good match with me."
She will be joined by Ann Libranda (second, 105), Jessica Ortiz (third, 105), Jessica Robles (fourth, 100), Marissa Gonzales (fourth, 110), Erin Russell (fourth, 144) and Nikki Arenal (fifth, 128) at the state final, to be held Feb. 6-7 at Bottari Gym.
Joining those Spartans will be seven Apache wrestlers - Bustamonte, Sage, Anita Xiong (second, 98), Raemy Chong (fifth, 98), Eunice Tjon (second, 108), Jaime Sage (second, 120) and Lauren Knight (fourth, 120).
Hogan had not outscored Vallejo in three tries this season.
"Today we came in at full strength, and we just pulled it out at the end," coach Mike Bryant said. "It's a big win, especially when you consider this is the first regional tournament."
Two Bethel wrestlers qualified, Maribeth Grim (third, 100) and Ashley Bayongan (fifth, 100).
----------------------------------------------
Girls wrestling getting a grip
For some, sport is unfeminine, but it is growing in Texas high schools
By MILENKO MARTINOVICH / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News 2/1/04
If Deseree Cazares competed in sports such as basketball, soccer or
volleyball, the recruiting letters would come in bundles. The South
Grand Prairie senior's athletic feats would make her a minor celebrity at
school.
Instead, Cazares, a wrestler, roams her school in near obscurity. To
bring attention to her sport, she has become a walking billboard.
"A lot of people at school don't even know we have a girls wrestling
team," said Cazares, who went 32-9 last season and advanced to the state
tournament. "That's why we wear T-shirts that say on the back, 'Yes,
girls do wrestle.' "
Although wrestling has a long way to go to match the interest and
popularity of established girls sports, it has made progress. Participation has
more than tripled since girls wrestling was approved by the UIL in 1997 and
began in the 1998-99 season. According to UIL assistant athletic director
Mark Cousins, 48 teams participated in girls wrestling in the 1998-99
season. Cousins said 150 schools have registered for girls wrestling for the
2003-04 season.
"The wrestling is so much better from where we were six years ago,"
Frisco coach Chuck Brown said. "And it's going to continue to get better."
The biggest hurdle girls wrestling has had to overcome has been its
image. For some, the sport is unfeminine. For others, it's second-class talent
compared to the boys.
"The only time a lot of people see girls wrestling is in the WWE,"
Brown said. "It's not like that at all."
Amarillo Tascosa's Donna Welch, one of the few female assistant
wrestling coaches in the state, has heard the stereotypes. It's an issue that
hits close to home for Welch, whose father disapproves of girls wrestling.
Welch, however, sees the sport's value.
"I've seen it change a girl's life," Welch said. "These girls want to
be a part of something, part of a team. It carries over to the classroom
because hey don't want to be ineligible and miss competing."
Another option
Cazares, who is in her third year of wrestling at South Grand Prairie,
said she has never heard negative comments about girls wrestling. Cazares
fell in love with wrestling almost immediately and didn't consider playing
other sports in high school.
Frisco senior Katherine Barreda was a late arrival to wrestling.
Barreda had played soccer since she was 4 but realized making the varsity at Frisco
was going to be difficult. Barreda tried wrestling and flourished,
advancing to the state tournament last season.
Welch said wrestling is an untapped avenue for female athletes. There
is no height requirement, no need for a great vertical jump. A slow 40-yard
dash time won't keep a girl off the mat. The only requirements are courage
and a good work ethic.
"For girls that are maybe too big to play soccer or too small to play
basketball, wrestling provides that outlet," Welch said.
The most notable local beneficiary of girls wrestling is former Hurst
L.D. Bell standout Suekoilya Shelly. Wrestling was not on Shelly's radar
until her sister urged her to try out. Shelly went from a novice to champion.
Shelly went 21-0 last season and won a state title in the 138-pound
division. She is on scholarship at Cumberland College (Ky.), the No.
1-ranked women's team in the nation. Six Texans make up almost
one-fourth of Cumberland's roster, which includes South Grand Prairie's Daisy Callado
and Frisco's Allison Hooper.
Frisco senior Jamie Odom would like to follow in Hooper's footsteps,
but she had to do some convincing. Odom remembers her mother's reaction when
she wanted to wrestle.
"She didn't like it at all," Odom said. "But once she saw it, it wasn't
that bad. It's a lot of fun, and it's a great way to get in shape. You just
have to be willing to work hard."
Olympics exposure
It has taken time for girls wrestling to become popular in the
Dallas-Fort Worth area. Arlington Sam Houston won the UIL's first state title in
1999, but Amarillo schools have dominated since. Palo Duro has won two state
titles, and Tascosa and Caprock have each won once.
Brown, Frisco's coach, said this summer is pivotal to the sport's
growth because female wrestling will make its debut in the Olympics. Brown
hopes the exposure triggers a surge in participation and popularity.
"I think it's going to be an explosion after the summer," Brown said.
"Just like when the women's soccer team won the World Cup, it took off. We're
hoping for the same kind of effect."
Although there is still much room for growth, Texas is conducive to
girls wrestling. Texas and Hawaii are the only two states that offer separate
sanctioned divisions for girls.
In December, Frisco hosted the Texas Ladies Classic, a girls tournament
that brought together the state's best high school talent. The meet also
featured the nation's top collegiate teams and an exhibition by wrestlers from
the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
"That was amazing," said Odom, the Frisco wrestler. "Normally at meets
the girls are stuck in the corner with the crappy mat and the crappy
referee. This time, we had the best mat with the best referee. You knew you
mattered."
Welch said one change she would like to see is the addition of two more
weight classes to bring the total to 12. Boys have 15 weight classes.
Bishop Dunne coach Stephen Guerrero would like to see more private schools get
involved. Guerrero isn't aware of another private school in the state
that has girls wrestling.
But the most important change is out of their control. Brown and Welch
said if Texas colleges and universities began wrestling programs, more high
school wrestlers would be attracted to the sport. It would also awaken
parents to scholarship possibilities for their daughters.
"It would show that you don't have to always play the established
sports like volleyball or soccer," Cazares said.
GAINING POPULARITY
The number of teams competing in girls wrestling has increased every
year since the UIL's first season in 1998-99:
Season Teams
1998-99 48
1999-2000 77
2000-01 115
2001-02 121
2002-03 138
2003-04 150
-------------------------------------------------------
Osceola repeats in girls wrestling
Despite increased competition, the team coasted to a second unofficial state title.
By Shannon Shelton | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted February 1, 2004
KISSIMMEE -- Vanity Vazquez's victory at the girls wrestling state tournament Saturday meant more to her than a second consecutive state medal for her dresser or a repeat team title for her Osceola High team.
She was competing for the growth of girls wrestling programs in the state of Florida. The sport is not sanctioned by the Florida High School Athletics Association.
"They're getting better," Vazquez said about her competition in the 103-pound weight class. "Hopefully this will bring girls wrestling up."
Although the Osceola junior still barreled through the competition and pinned her first two opponents to advance to the final, coaches at the event had similar observations.
Meet director and Osceola Coach Jim Bird said 135 girls from 43 schools from Niceville to Southwest Miami participated, giving the meet its biggest turnout in its four years of existence. The stands were far from empty, with about 300 in attendance.
Vero Beach Coach Sam Cassara also noticed how the increased number of wrestlers allowed many girls to complete more matches, particularly in the lower weight classes. "Three years ago, it was over after one or two rounds," he said.
In some weight classes, competitors had up to four matches in the championship bracket or five in the consolation round, although girls wrestling at 215 and 275 only completed a semifinal and a final.
One thing that didn't change was Osceola's dominance. The defending champions effectively wrapped up the title after the semifinal round, qualifying eight of their 13 total wrestlers for the final round. Ten of the 13 made the semifinals.
Osceola had 223 points to second-place St. Cloud's 132.5. Vazquez's teammate, Osceola senior Candice Pellerin, was a repeat champion, taking a third consecutive state title with her victory at 112.
Since girls wrestling isn't an FHSAA-sanctioned sport, Saturday's state meet was considered an unofficial championship. But that didn't take away from the intensity.
"If people don't think that girls can get with it, they need to get out here and see them wrestle," said St. Cloud Coach Lee Sill, a longtime boys wrestling coach who's been helping the girls program for two years. "Girls can definitely get with it."