Judson's Celeste Contreras (top) tries to pin Houston Lee's Roxy Serpas in a 148-pound match at the Region IV Wrestling Tournament.
News Page
2/15/2004
Blake Timm/Pacific Univ.
FOREST GROVE - It came down to the final dual of the day, but in the end the No. 1 team in North America got the better of the No. 1 team in the United States in the 2004 Women's International Collegiate Duals, Saturday at the Pacific Athletic Center.
Simon Fraser took home the championship plaque Saturday by handing Cumberland their first loss of the tourney in an exciting 21-11 dual. The Clan, who had lost their first dual of the season the day before to Missouri Valley, used two pins to pace the victory.
The Clan, Patriots and Vikings finished with 3-1 records in the tournament, with the Clan winning based on criteria. Pacific finished fourth with a 1-3 record and Douglas finished fifth at 0-5.
Wins for both teams in the fourth round set up the drama for the fifth round showdown. SFU established themselves early with wins in the first two weights, including a second round pin by Kathleen Takeda at 105.5. Suekoila Shelly gave Cumberland their first win with a 3-1 decision of Jessica Peterson at 121, but the Clan rolled to win four of the last five matches. The key victory came when Emily Richardson, wrestling up one weight, fought to a second round pin of Alana Berube.
Toccara Montgomery came up with pins of each of her Saturday opponents, scoring a second round pin of Pacific's Shelly Graff and a first round pin of SFU's Kristina Wolff. Missouri Valley received three pins in their only dual of the day against the host Boxers from Brooke Brogen, Kelly Branham and Stephany Lee.
Pacific saw tough performances from its two lightweights. Kristin Fujioka (Jr., Kaneohe, Hawaii) went 2-0 at the 105.5-pound class with an 11-9 decision of Cumberland's Aquilla Hills and an 11-0 technical fall over Missouri Valley's Angelee Homma. Kapua Torres (Fr. Kahuku, Hawaii), ranked No.2 at 112.25 pounds, scored a 12-5 upset of No. 1 ranked Lauren Lindsey of Cumberland, 12-5, and pinned No. 3 ranked Debbi Sakai of Missouri Valley.
On day one of the event, Cumberland College leaped out to the lead, winning both of their matches in the dual tournament at the Pacific Athletic Center.
The No.1 ranked team in the United States went 2-0 with a 19-5 win over Douglas in their first dual of the day, then amassed 19 points again to put a 19-13 stop on Missouri Valley. The Patriots scored seven pins on the afternoon, including five against the Vikings.
The Vikings finished the first day in second place with a 2-1 record. Pacific and Simon Fraser both finished tied 1-1 and Douglas finished the afternoon 0-3.
Simon Fraser, the No. 1 ranked team in North America, suffered their first dual loss this season in 13 tries in their close second round match with Missouri Valley. The Clan led 12-10 after the first five matches, but the Vikings' Kelly Branham and Stephany Lee both scored victories by fall, and Missouri Valley won two of the last three matches. The pins proved to be the difference, though, breaking a 16-16 tie to give the Vikings a win by criteria.
The host Boxers lost every match in their opener with the Clan with the exception of a forfeit at 158.5-pounds in a 26-7 lost. Pacific rebounded in the third round, using a pin by Kristin Fujioka (Jr., Kaneohe, Hawaii) and a win by decision from Desireé Lockhart (Jr., Port Townsend, Wash.) to pace a 17-15 victory.
Team Scoring
FINAL TEAM RECORDS
Simon Fraser 3-1*
Cumberland 3-1
Missouri Valley 3-1
Pacific 1-4
Douglas 0-5
* - Simon Fraser wins championship based on criteria
Results By Weight
ROUND 1
SIMON FRASER 26, PACIFIC 7
105.5 - Kathleen Takeda (SFU) tech. fall Kristin Fujioka (PAC) 10-0, 2nd
112.5 - Sara White (SFU) tech. fall Kapua Torres (PAC) 15-5, 2nd
121 - Jessica Peterson (SFU) dec. Desireé Lockhart (PAC) 5-1
130 - Angela Mah (SFU) tech. fall Teresa Ayala (PAC) 11-0, 1st
138.5 - Jeraldine Chan (SFU) dec. Michelle Ludwig (PAC) 10-8
147.5 - Emily Richardson (SFU) win by forfeit
158.5 - Michelle Graff (PAC) win by forfeit
169.5 - Christina Wolff (SFU) tech. fall Stacey Martell (PAC) 11-0, 1st
MISSOURI VALLEY 25, DOUGLAS 7
105.5 - Heather Ball (DOUG) tech. fall Angelee Homma (MVC) 11-0, 1:54
112.5 - Debbi Sakai (MVC) dec. Kerra Condia (DOUG) 8-2
121 - Kierstin Hyatt (MVC) dec. Miranda Dick (DOUG) 7-5
130 - Julie Duarte (MVC) pinned Leah Pare (DOUG) 3:22
138.5 - Amanda Gerhart (DOUG) dec. Brooke Bogren (MVC) 3-2, ot
147.5 - Mollie Kieth (MVC) win by forfeit
158.5 - Kelly Branham (MVC) pinned Kristina Gordon (DOUG) 5:10
169.5 - Stephany Lee (MVC) win by forfeit
ROUND 2
SIMON FRASER 16, MISSOURI VALLEY 16
NOTE: Missouri Valley wins based on criteria
105.5 - Kathleen Takeda (SFU) tech. fall Angelee Homma (MVC) 11-0, 1st
112.5 - Debbi Sakai (MVC) dec. Sarah White (SFU) 7-4
121 - Jessica Peterson (SFU) dec. Kierstin Hayatt (MVC) 6-2
130 - Brooke Begren (MVC) pinned Angela Mah (SFU) 4:33
138.5 - Emily Richardson (SFU) pinned Mollie Kieth (MVC) 3:36
147.5 - Kelly Branham (MVC) pinned Jeraldine Chan (SFU) 3:21
158.5 - Ashlea McManus (SFU) won by forfeit
169.5 - Stephany Lee (MVC) pinned Kristina Wolff (SFU) 1:29
CUMBERLAND 19, DOUGLAS 5
105.5 - Aquila Hills (CC) dec.Heather Ball (DOUG) 14-7
112.5 - Lauren Lindsey (CC) dec. Kerra Condin (DOUG) 5-3
121 - Suekoilya Shelly (CC) tech. fall Miranda Dick (DOUG) 10-0, 2nd
130 - Leah Pare (DOUG) dec. Othella Lucas (CC) 6-5
138.5 - Aliana Berobe (CC) pinned Amanda Gerhart (DOUG) 5:02
147.5 - Double Forfeit
158.5 - Toccara Montgomery (CC) pinned Christy Gordon (DOUG) :41
169.5 - Double Forfeit
ROUND 3
PACIFIC 17, DOUGLAS 15
105.5 - Kristin Fujioka (PAC) pinned Heather Ball (DOUG) 1:04
112.5 - Miranda Dick (DOUG) tech. fall Kapua Torres (PAC) 10-0, 2:03
121 - Desireé Lockhart (PAC) dec. Kerra Condin (DOUG) 3-1
130 - Leah Pare (DOUG) dec. Alexis Gonzales (PAC) 3-1
138.5 - Amanda Gerhart (DOUG) dec. Michelle Ludwig (PAC) 4-1
147.5 - Teresa Ayala (PAC) win by forfeit
158.5 - Christy Gorder (DOUG) pinned Stacey Martell (PAC) 1:54
169.5 - Shelly Graff (PAC) win by forfeit
CUMBERLAND 19, MISSOURI VALLEY 13
105.5 - Aquilla Hills (CC) tech. fall Angelee Homma (MVC) 12-0, 3:45
112.5 - Debbi Sakai (MVC) pinned Lauren Lindsey (CC) 1:31
121 - Suekoilya Shelly (CC) pinned Kierstin Hyatt (MVC), overtime
130 - Alaina Berube (CC) pinned Julie Duarte (MVC) 4:03
138.5 - Brooke Bogren (MVC) pinned Othella Lucas (CC) 3:37
147.5 - Shelly Roberg (CC) dec. Mollie Kieth (MVC) 10-1
158.5 - Toccara Montgomery (CC) pinned Kelly Branham (MVC) 1:48
169.5 - Stephany Lee (MVC) tech. fall Jamie Aluestelfer (CC) 11-0, 4:00
ROUND 4
CUMBERLAND 25, PACIFIC 7
105.5 - Kristin Fujioka (PAC) dec. Aquilla Hills (CC) 11-9
112.5 - Kapua Torres (PAC) dec. Lauren Lindsey (CC) 12-5
121 - Suekoilya Shelly (CC) dec. Desireé Lockhart (PAC) 4-0
130 - Othella Lucas (CC) pinned Alexis Gonzales (PAC) 1:52
138.5 - Aliana Berube (CC) tech. fall Michelle Ludwig (PAC) 12-0, 2nd
147.5 - Shelly Rebeig (CC) win by forfeit
158.5 - Jamie Alvesteffer (CC) pinned Stacey Martell (PAC) :26
169.5 - Toccara Montgomery (CC) tech. fall Shelly Graff (PAC) 12-1, 2nd
SIMON FRASER 21, DOUGLAS 2
105.5 - Kathleen Takeda (SFU) tech. fall Heather Ball (DOUG) 12-1, 3:25
112.5 - Sara White (SFU) dec. Kerra Condia (DOUG) 4-0
121 - Jessica Peterson (SFU) win by forfeit
130 - Angela Mah (SFU) dec. Leah Pare (DOUG) 5-0
138.5 - Jeraldine Chan (SFU) pinned Amanda Gerhart (DOUG) 3:59
147.5 - Double Forfeit
158.5 - Double Forfeit
169.5 - Kristina Wolff (SFU) dec. Kristina Gordon (DOUG) 17-10
ROUND 5
MISSOURI VALLEY 22, PACIFIC 10
105.5 - Kristin Fujioka (PAC) tech. fall Angelee Homma (MVC) 11-0, 1:38
112.5 - Kapua Torres (PAC) pinned Debbi Sakai (MVC) 1:41
121 - Kierstin Hyatt (MVC) dec. Desireé Lockhart (PAC) 5-3
130 - Julie Duarte (MVC) dec. Teresa Ayala (PAC) 5-2
138.5 - Brooke Brogen (MVC) pinned Michelle Ludwig (PAC) 1:30
147.5 - Mollie Kieth (MVC) win by forfeit
158.5 - Kelly Branham (MVC) pinned Stacey Martell (PAC) 1:11
169.5 - Stephany Lee (MVC) pinned Shelly Graff (PAC) 2:02
SIMON FRASER 21, CUMBERLAND 11
105.5 - Kathleen Takeda (SFU) pinned Aquilla Hills (CC) 5:12
112.5 - Sarah White (SFU) dec. Lauren Lindsey (CC) 12-6
121 - Suekoila Shelly (CC) dec. Jessica Peterson (SFU) 3-1
130 - Angela Mah (SFU) dec. Othella Lucas (CC) 8-2
138.5 - Emily Richardson (SFU) pinned Alana Berube (CC) 4:53
147.5 - Ashlea McManus (SFU) dec. Shelly Ruberg (CC) 12-9
158.5 - Jeraldine Chan (SFU) dec. Jamie Alvestaffer (CC) 6-5
169.5 - Tocarra Montgomery (CC) pinned Kristina Wolff (SFU) 1:42
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Wrestling: Lee pins down another crown
By Bryan Adams
Special to the Express-News
Web Posted : 02/15/2004 12:00 AM
The Lee girls won the Region IV wrestling championship for the second time in three years and eight San Antonio wrestlers captured gold medals Saturday at Littleton Gym.
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Judson's Celeste Contreras (top) tries to pin Houston Lee's Roxy Serpas in a 148-pound match at the Region IV Wrestling Tournament. |
The Volunteers sent nine girls to the regionals and saw three advance to state, which takes place Feb. 27-28 at the Austin Convention Center. The top two girls and the top four boys from regionals moved on to state.
Lee senior Lisa Obregon (215 pounds) was the only 2003 regional champion to defend her title when she pinned Danielle Gamble of Ellison with 29 seconds left in the second period. Obregon improved to 16-0.
"A lot of my success is because of my family and teammates," said Obregon, who is also the defending state champion at 215. "My mom has supported me the whole time and I can always hear her screaming for me, even from way up there. She is usually why I win."
Lee coach Bobby Allen was named Region IV Coach of the Year, as voted by the coaches at the regional tournament.
"I'm very humbled," Allen said. "We kind of struggled a little bit (Saturday), but I'm just happy for these kids. They worked hard and they deserve all the recognition they can get."
The Judson girls placed second with 119 points, five behind Lee.
The MacArthur boys compiled 1001/2 points to edge Madison by a half point to finish fifth overall. Churchill was seventh with 97 points, and Houston Westside won the regional title with 2081/2.
The Brahmas, led by San Antonio's only No. 1 seed on the boys' side, Danny Carrasco (160), won two championship finals and three consolation finals. Carrasco improved to 43-2 with a 5-0 decision over Westside's Christian Coffey.
"I just didn't want to tie up with (Coffey)," Carrasco said. "He gets into it pretty fast and he tries to catch you off guard and tie up your arms. I wasn't able to use my quickness, but he wasn't able to tie me up."
Mac teammate Nathan Bianchi (189) also defeated Evan Sikes of Austin Anderson 5-0.
"I was just trying to do my best," Bianchi said. "Everybody else on my team had already won their finals match. I didn't want to be the only one who lost."
The match of the day came from the 152-pound division. Madison's Tyler Mears (30-2) defeated district rival Conrad Harkrider (24-4) of Reagan, 11-8 in a second overtime period.
"It's never over until they raise somebody's hand," Mears said. "My strategy was to try and go to his upper body because I knew if he went lower than me, he could take me down."
Raquel Contreras (102) of Madison won a regional title when she pinned Maria Salas of Houston Lee.
"We got tied up a lot and I kept telling myself to take shots," Contreras said. "I threw my hip back, turned around to face her and worked my arm in so I could flip her. Once I got her down, it was fairly easy to turn her over."
Judson's Kim Hernandez (110) improved to 29-0 with her pin against Reagan's Leslie Salazar and Judson's Jayme Loving-Powell (185) pinned Carrie Clark of Cedar Park Vista Ridge in less than a minute.
In the 148-pound division, Brittany Jones of Reagan took home the gold when she pinned Nina Lorea of Lee with 11 seconds left in the second period.
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By JOHN KALTEFLEITER 2.15.04
john.kaltefleiter@amarillo.com
The Amarillo Globe-News
Nina Rodriguez struggled to her feet and thrust her right index finger toward the ceiling of the Caprock Activities Center.
The 148-pound Lady Longhorn had just held on for a 4-3 double overtime victory over Palo Duro's Annie Thomas, a state champion from a year ago. Exhaustion soon gave way to elation.
Happy moment: Caprock wrestler Erica Martinez, center, is congratulated by teammates Shandra Roberts, left, and Nina Rodriguez after the team won the Region I wrestling championship. |
Sparked by Rodriguez's thrilling win over Thomas, the Lady Longhorns captured the Region I title Saturday evening, racking up 190.5 points, well ahead of the Lady Dons' 133.
The Lady Longhorns took home their fourth regional title and will ship six grapplers to the UIL state tournament in two weeks at the Austin Convention Center. They will be chasing their fourth state championship.
"We got them both times," Rodriguez said of PD.
"We worked really hard for this.
"Now, we've got to get re-focused and take back what belongs to us."
Caprock's run toward the regional title started with 102-pound Lindsey Bohensky, who toppled two-time state champ Stormy Grear in the semifinals, registered key points late in her match against El Paso Hanks' Awbrey Lowe and stomped her way to a 10-4 win.
"I was mentally tough," said Bohensky, who didn't wrestle a year ago due to injury and who battled through a sore left shoulder throughout the two-day tournament.
"It was painful. But it was worth it."
Following victories by Bohensky and Rodriguez, Caprock took control of the finals in the upper weight divisions. Erica Martinez upset Palo Duro's former state qualifier Theresa Fennell 4-2 in the 185-pound final, then watched her teammate, Shanda Roberts, record the fastest pin the in finals when she planted El Paso Riverside's Megan Hill in 23 seconds in the 215-pound final.
"Our work isn't over," said Rodriguez, who posted her second win over Thomas in five previous tries this year. "State is where it counts."
Meanwhile, Hannah Skinner became Amarillo High's second female regional champion in the program's four-year history when the 138-pound junior pinned Caprock rival Amenda Howland midway through the third period.
Skinner, who was 2-2 against Howland in earlier matches this season, controlled the match from the starting whistle. She vaulted to a 2-1 lead, then ¶went up 5-1 on a near fall before her decisive pin.
"We both knew what we were going to do coming into the match," said Skinner, who placed second at regionals a year ago, but was kept from state by losing a wrestleback to eventual state champ Thomas from Palo Duro.
"She went in for a shot and hit my leg. My arm was over her neck and I got her in a classic head-and-arm move. I couldn't have gotten to this point without my coaches and my fellow wrestlers Clarissa (Dalke) and Lilli (Cortez.)"
Dalke will be joining Skinner in Austin. Though Dalke was pinned in the 165-pound finals by El Paso Eastwood's Tressa Yocum, the junior's second-place finish was enough to get her to state.
One of the day's biggest surprises came in the opening match of the finals. Down 2-1 late in the second stanza, Palo Duro 95-pounder Teresa Lear reversed El Paso Irvin's Lisa Hoang for two points and picked up an additional three points for the subsequent near fall.
Lear's onslaught continued into the third, as the sophomore caught Hoang in a vulnerable position and pinned the undefeated Hoang with six seconds remaining in the match. It was Hoang's first loss in 17 matches.
"She's the hardest girl I've wrestled because she's stronger than most of them," said Lear. "I was talking to some of the other girls that had wrestled her, and they told me that she liked to lock up. That worked for me."
River Road's Ashley Underwood, who was named the tournament's most outstanding female wrestler in the lower weight division, also was successful during her finals match.
The freshman jumped El Paso High's Bethany Pina early. With 11 seconds remaining in the first period, Underwood's quick start paid off, as she pinned Pina and captured her first regional title and a ticket to the state tourney.
Region I Girls
1. Caprock, 190.5
2. Palo Duro, 133.
3. Amarillo High, 107.
4. El Paso Hanks, 77.
5. El Paso Chapin, 72.
7. River Road, 51.
10. Hereford, 46.
11. Tascosa, 43.
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By JOHN KALTEFLEITER 2/14/04
john.kaltefleiter@amarillo.com
The Amarillo Globe-News
Lindsey Bohensky is a standout 102-pound wrestler.
On Friday at the Region I tournament, the Caprock junior was a lucky wrestler, too.
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In Control: Caprock's Krista Guzman, top, prepares to pin El Paso Americas' Diana Villagrana during the Region I tournament Friday. |
Bohensky toppled two-time state champion Stormy Grear of Palo Duro 7-5 in the semifinals and will wrestle today at the Caprock Activities Center for the regional title and a berth in the state tournament in two weeks in Austin.
And she won't have to beat Tascosa's Angel Diaz to do so.
Diaz, a sophomore defending state champion who is considered one of the best female wrestlers in the nation in her division, was disqualified from the tournament after an altercation with Palo Duro's Niesha Lewis, Tascosa girls' coach Donna Welch said. Lewis also was disqualified.
Diaz and the 165-pound Lewis were involved in a fracas outside the arena following their respective second-round matches. Welch said Diaz committed "a bad decision at the wrong time."
Diaz's removal from the two-day tourney benefits Bohensky, who can earn her first state berth with a finals victory against Awbrey Lowe of El Paso Hanks.
"I was surprised the way things happened, but in a way I was happy because she (Diaz) is my toughest competitor," said the junior, who jumped out to a 4-0 lead against Grear and staved off a late comeback by last year's state champ.
"It's definitely motivation."
Bohensky and the No. 1-ranked Lady Longhorns have put themselves in a prime position to win the regional championship. Though Caprock lost 110-pounder Chelsea Colarelli when the sophomore was upset by El Paso High's Bethany Pine in the semis, the Lady Longhorns used strong third-round outings from Hope Jones (128 pounds), Amenda Howland (138), Nina Rodriguez (148), Erica Martinez (185) and Shanda Roberts (215) to secure first place with 150 team points.
The second-place Lady Dons trail Caprock by 42 points. However, Palo Duro advanced three wrestlers into today's finals - 95-pounder Teresa Lear, 2003 state champ Annie Thomas (148) and Theresa Fennell (185).
Today's biggest matches are: Hereford 128-pounder Astrid Gomez versus Jones of Caprock; Caprock's Howland versus Amarillo High upstart Hannah Skinner; Thomas of Palo Duro versus Caprock's Rodriguez and PD's Fennell versus Martinez of Caprock.
Perhaps the most glaring surprise of the tournament's first day was River Road's Ashley Underwood. The 110-pound freshman pinned all three of her opponents, including a 3:32 pin of El Paso Del Valle's Ana Nunez in the semifinals. Underwood will square off with El Paso High's Pine for the regional title.
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Updated: Friday, February 13, 2004 12:52 PM PST
VALLEJO - Two Etna girls recently were in the California State Collegiate Tournament wrestling spotlight.
Although not everybody got a medal, they left with plenty of proud achievements.
Rachel Knight topped the trip off with a second-place finish, losing in the final round to Jere Summers of Berkeley, who Knight has coincidentally faced in the finals of the last two major tournaments.
Though she has yet to beat Summers, Knight is confident. "I can beat her even though she's very strong. I just happened to get caught in a move," she said.
Taylor Webster went 1-2 on the trip and did not place, but received high kudos from her coach. "The girls fit, as a majority, into the 100-110-pound range, and there are a lot of tough wrestlers in that category. To win a match at the state level is quite a big deal," claimed coach Scott Forrester.
Alissa Hutton of Mount Shasta, also turned in a sixth-place finish.
The girls will continue to practice as they prepare for an exhibition at the boys' Masters Tourney. The competition is geared to make the CIF take notice and include girls wrestling in its program.
Knight will build on her experience by attending Lassen Community College next year, and participate in its 1-year-old freestyle team. "The main differences between collegiate and freestyle wrestling is that freestyle is faster and allows a lot more freedom," Knight said. "It's different, but it's a lot of fun."
- By Chris Sorenson
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Vintage, Napa to go for solo titles Saturday
By MARTY JAMES 2/13/04
Executive Sports Editor
The road to the CIF State Wrestling Championships begins in ernest Saturday with Napa High School hosting the Monticello Empire League Championships, a day-long tournament which will qualify only the top four finishers in each of the 14 weight classes for the Sac-Joaquin Northwest Sub-Section meet.
As a testament to just how strong the league actually is, there were four CIF State Meet champions -- including Vintage's Daniel Murphree and Vallejo's Bobby Gonzalez -- from the MEL last year.
"That's incredible," Napa coach Gillie Schmidt said. "The league is very difficult. It's good and bad. We get to wrestle good competition, yet we get put in with the perennial powers.
"Our league is tough. But this year it's probably as wide open as it's ever been."
Said Vintage coach Jim Lanterman: "It's always been well-respected throughout the state."
None of those state meet winners from a year ago return, but fans who turn out at Napa's Messner Gym tomorrow at 10 a.m. should see some very talented, skilled and experienced wrestlers who will be looking to extend their season another week.
"Anytime that we're at tournaments and they know that we're in the MEL, they know how tough it is," said Schmidt. "Other schools and other leagues, they know it's one of the toughest leagues in California."
Wrestlers from six schools -- Napa, Vintage, Armijo, Vacaville, Wood and Davis -- will compete in eight-man brackets, with byes built into the bracket and the MEL's first- and second-place final matches scheduled to begin about 4 p.m.
The league's junior varsity tournament will be held at the same time. Weigh-ins are at 8 a.m. Three mats will be used. A seeding meeting was held Thursday night.
Napa's top wrestlers are Colin O'Haire (119 pounds), Jon Greenwood (130), Jon Pole (135), Greg Stephenson (145), Scott Hubbel (152) and Sean Veeninga (215). The Indians were 3-2 in the MEL's dual meet season, Vacaville was 5-0, Wood went 4-1 and Vintage was 1-4.
O'Haire is coming off a title at the Ukiah Invitational last week.
"He's just been wrestling really well," said Schmidt. "Right now he's our hottest wrestler and our hardest worker."
Wrestling at home could be a momentum and motivating factor for Napa.
"There's a little bit more pressure sometimes for the seniors," said Schmidt. "But they'll be excited to be at home and wrestling in front of their crowd. The kids will give it their all, which I expect no matter where we're at."
Vintage has several wrestlers who have continued to improve and could make a run at individual titles Saturday. They include Jessica Hsieh (105), the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the country by the U.S. Girls Wrestling Association, Josh Gore (112), Chris Adams (130), Piero Burns (135), Todd Nalley (145), Eric Pillor (152), Paco Valle-Santana (160), Adam Pereira (171), Romyr Hamilton (189), Shane Forman (215), and Matt Montez (heavyweight).
"I know that they'll give it their all," said Lanterman.
For those that advance, the sub-section is at Elk Grove, the section meet is at Folsom, and the state tournament takes place in Bakersfield. Vintage will send five wrestlers to the seventh annual U.S. Girls Wrestling Association National Championships, March 27-28 at Lake Orion, Mich.
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2004-02-14
by Lena Tibbelin
Journal Reporter
The newly crowned 3A Kingco wrestling champion at 112 pounds doesn't like wrestling girls.
``It's actually more stressful for me. I go out there and beat a lot of guys, but what if I can't beat another girl?''
Leilani Akiyama is a girl.
She made history last weekend when she became the first girl to win a Kingco wrestling title -- yet another accomplishment for the 16-year-old junior from Newport High School.
She has won 21 national and 10 international judo titles and will try out for the United States Olympic judo team in June with a strong chance of competing in Athens, Greece, later this summer.
Today she will compete at the Region 1 wrestling tournament at Liberty High School in Renton, where the top four advance to next week's state tournament.
On her 16th birthday last year, Akiyama became the third girl ever to win a match at the two-day Washington state high school state tournament.
She'd like to advance to the second day of this year's state tournament.
Akiyama is capable of pulling off such a feat. She has overcome challenges all her life -- starting when she was born one month premature, weighing just 5 pounds, while her family lived in Hawaii.
At the age of six months, Akiyama, her mother, Mariko, and older brother, Jimmy, moved to Tokyo, Japan, where Mariko's family still lives.
While in Japan, Jimmy and Leilani began taking judo, a traditional Japanese wrestling sport which emphasizes using an opponent's strength against them rather than using force.
Jimmy had struggled at school with bigger kids teasing him, so his mother decided it was time for him to take up a sport to boost his confidence.
Akiyama was 7 years old when she began judo. She was a natural, her mother says.
Shortly thereafter, the Akiyama family moved to Bellevue. Akiyama continued her early judo training at the Bellevue Boys and Girls Club, which was the best place her mom could find through the Yellow Pages.
One day, John Holm, the owner and coach at the U.S. Judo Training Center (now located in Renton), asked Mariko if she was serious about her children becoming judo champions.
A little puzzled, Mariko said yes and accepted his business card.
``It was fate,'' Mariko said. ``(The training) was amazing. It's totally different from everything I've seen.''
For the Akiyamas, Holm's club was a perfect fit.
``It was just the sport itself. It was just winning that he was teaching,'' Mariko Akiyama said. ``The kids loved it.''
Mariko Akiyama and John Holm eventually married, and Holm has coached his stepchildren since.
The siblings started to win at judo tournaments, and Leilani had already won three judo national titles by the age of 9.
Changing judo's rules
Later, Holm along with Leilani and Jimmy made news when they filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Judo Inc., the sport's governing body, objecting to the bowing requirement at the beginning of matches.
A seven-year legal battle ended in January 2002 when U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik rejected the assertion that mandatory bowing violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964, writing in a 13-page ruling that Holm's case failed to show an intent to discriminate on the basis of religion. Prior to that, the Akiyamas and Jay Drangeid of Bellevue had lost in three arbitration rulings, but had a federal injunction that allowed them to compete in the United States without bowing.
Throughout the long legal battle, Leilani's passion for the sport didn't diminish, but the process still puzzled her.
``Sometimes, I was like, `This is ridiculous,''' Leilani said, but she did believe in the cause.
What they argued was that they shouldn't be required to bow to the mat, an inanimate object. Now it's not an issue.
``Even though we lost the lawsuit in court, they actually changed the rules,'' Leilani said. ``I really don't have to think about it anymore. I don't have to bow at the mat anymore. It's a relief.''
At the same time as Leilanicontinued to win national and international titles, her Olympic dream began.
``The Olympics is the best of your country,'' Leilani said. ``It's such an honor. It keeps you motivated.''
The judo Olympic trials are set for June 5 in San Jose, Calif., where Akiyama will compete in the 52 kilogram (114 pounds) weight class.
Taking on the boys
While attending Tillicum Middle School, Leilani again followed big brother's footsteps when she began wrestling.
Jimmy promised their mother that wrestling would help judo.
The two sports are similar -- a lot of ground fighting, where you earn points against your opponent.
Leilani went undefeated through middle school wrestling and showed up at Newport High's practices a few times as an eighth-grader, tagging along with Jimmy with the blessing of Mariko.
Newport wrestling coach Michael Chenoweth remembers Leilani coming up to the wrestling practice room in the upper gym at Newport, easily defeating the Knights' current varsity wrestlers at 103 pounds.
With just a basic knowledge of wrestling, Leilani won everybody over through hard work during the past three years.
She's dedicated to both sports. Typically she spends her school lunch break running, goes to wrestling practice immediately after school, then has judo practice before homework.
But finding a place in the traditionally male world of wrestling was never easy.
Initially, even Chenoweth was skeptical. No girl had ever wrestled for Newport before, but he got to know ``Jimmy's little sister.''
``It was a good way for the guys to get used to her,'' Chenoweth said.
The biggest difference for the Newport wrestling team has been a subtle one -- the language, and the jokes were cleaned up when Leilani joined the team.
Senior Mike Yaeger, Newport's 103-pounder, said working out with Leilani has been beneficial.
``She's pushed me a lot,'' Yaeger said. ``She's taught me a lot of judo counters. She's built up my speed and getting out of rolls.''
For Leilani the intensity of high school wrestling came as a shock when she began wrestling boys.
``It's true,'' Leilani said. ``The guys are a lot tougher. They use their strength against you.''
Leilani finds her judo background comes in handy.
``When I wrestle I use all the guys' strengths against them,'' she said. ``I look for mistakes.''
But now after three years, Leilani is just another teammate.
``I treat her like any other opponent,'' Yaeger said.
Leilani is always willing to help.
``She works with me,'' Yaeger said. ``She's pretty easy to work with, if I ever need to work on something, she's pretty helpful.''
Girls are becoming more and more prominent in high school wrestling. This year, there will be an exhibition event at the Mat Classic for girls. Many college programs are offering women's wrestling.
But in the beginning there were issues that the sport wasn't prepared for.
Leilani needs a separate locker room. Weigh-ins take place in underwear or less, but there wasn't always a female who could weigh her in before meets and tournaments. Some kids refused to wrestle her. Some parents wouldn't let their boys wrestle a girl. Many even took forfeits.
Newport solved a few of the problems easily.
``Now we pack our scale everywhere,'' Chenoweth said. ``We just need to find a closet or something, we do it (Leilani's weigh-in) at the same time.''
At the state last year, Leilani lost her first match, but then pinned her next opponent. He ran off the mat, distraught. Leilani's performance has helped change long-held perceptions of girls' ability to compete.
``The caliber of girls is better,'' Chenoweth said. ``Now it's not a novelty.''
Winning the league title, a 7-0 decision against Liberty's Daniel Hanks, was a big milestone for Leilani.
``It felt so good,'' she said.
Wrestlers around the state know about Leilani. Only casual fans are surprised to see a girl is wrestling.
For Leilani, the transition to boys' wrestling is complete.
``I think of myself as a wrestler on the team,'' she said. ``I have such good friends on the team, there's so many nice people on the team.
``They are my best friends, we all have the same goal and work for it.''
Leilani is known for throwing her opponents, judo-style, but when she attacks the opponent's legs she can catch them off guard. Yaeger is impressed at how she has combined the two different sports.
``She's made good changes,'' Yaeger said. ``She's picked up wrestling moves.''
Leilani has bold goals for wrestling when the high school season ends.
She will participate in the women's national wrestling competition in March, forgoing an all-expense-paid trip to Puerto Rico for the Pan-American games, where she would have competed in judo as a representative of the United States.
Leilani wants a national wrestling title.
``I love wrestling, I like it so much more than judo,'' Akiyama said. ``It's more of a challenge for me.''
